Jon Jones Loses $30 Million For Clomid and Letro Use

[Bouncer]

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was probably the best all-around fighter employed by the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company. And as the top athletes in his sport, his earnings from winnings and endorsements was expected to be enormous. Unfortunately, Jones will earn very little from the sport if he is suspended for two years as a result of his recently failed anti-doping test.

Jon Anik, an MMA commentator currently employed by UFC, estimated that Jones could have earned between $25 and $30 million over the next two years as a UFC athlete. Jones would not be the first athlete to squander such an opportunity.

On a recent episode of “The Anik and Florian Podcast”, Anik discussed Jones predicament with co-host Kenny Florian. Anik compared and contrasted Jones situation to that of former Boston Celtic power forward Antoine Walker. Like Jones, Walker's talents in a sport were worth millions of dollars. Walker earned $108 million between 1996 and 2009. Yet, Walker lost it all and filed for bankruptcy in 2010.

Anik believed that Jones' situation was even worse given he will likely forgo the opportunity to earn the millions that were practically assured if he were able to stay healthy and compete.

“The financial swing for Jones here is absolutely incredible,” Anik said. “I'm sure for fans that's not their foremost concern, but we're sort of advancing the story a little bit here or at least talking about this several days after it happened. Antoine Walker, former Boston Celtic, made over $100 million in the NBA and blew all of it.”

Anik recognized that both Walker and Jones squandered opportunities. Unlike Jones, Walker at least earned the money before he blew it.

“Jon Jones is almost the opposite of that. The untold millions he isn't realizing because he can't make the walk in certain spots in his career,” Anik said. “Now, they say he might have made from UFC 200 alone, so if he's suspended for 12 months or 24 months, Kenny, that might be like a 25 or $30 million loss by ingesting whatever supplement he popped for.”

The financial reversal of fortune is due to an anti-doping sample collected on June 16, 2016 that contained metabolites of clomiphene (hydroxy-clomiphene) and letrozole.

Clomiphene belongs to a category of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). Clomid is the most popular brand name for clomiphene citrate. Letrozole belongs to a category of drugs known as aromatase inhibitors (AIs).

The use of SERMs and AIs is a very common practice among bodybuilders and athletes who use anabolic steroids. AIs like letrozole and anastrozole (Arimidex) are used to manage estrogen levels which may become elevated due to the excess aromatization (conversion) of testosterone to estrogen that usually accompanies the use of aromatizing anabolic steroids like testosterone.


SERMs work differently than AIs. Rather than prevent the conversion to estrogen, SERMs simply block the effects of estrogen by occupying estrogen receptors in certain tissues. Athletes and bodybuilders most frequently use Clomid to block the estrogen-related side effects, such as gynecomastia, and as a form of post cycle therapy (PCT) to restore endogenous testosterone production following the end of a steroid cycle.

Jones reiterated that he has never used anabolic steroids. And even if he inadvertently used Clomid and letrozole, that still doesn't mean he ever used steroids.

Jones is still trying to blame dietary supplements for the failed drug test. This has put his sponsor GAT Nutrition on the defensive. GAT Nutrition rejected any subtle suggestion by Jones that its products were contaminated with clomiphene and/or letrozole.

[rado]

good!

[JackedJimBean]

Ahhh Damnnnnn I could only imagine how terrified he feels at the moment.

[Bouncer]

Jon Jones Says Just Because He May Have Used PCT Drugs Doesn't Mean He Used Steroids



UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones has denied knowingly using any banned performance-enhancing drug that violates the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. He concedes that he may have inadvertently ingested clomiphene (Clomid) and letrozole (Femara) via a contaminated dietary supplement. But just because he used Clomid and letrozole, it doesn't mean he also used anabolic steroids.

The reason many people think Jones used anabolic steroids is because Clomid and letrozole are prescription drugs that are typically used by athletes to manage some of the undesirable side effects of anabolic steroids. Since the two drugs don't really offer athletes any significant enhancement in athletic performance, Clomid and letrozole are rarely ever used alone.

On the other hand, it is a widespread harm reduction practice among steroid users to incorporate similar drugs to minimize the negative side effects associated with steroids. Both drugs are used to prevent gynecomastia (aka “gyno” or “bitch tits” or “man boobs”) and other estrogen-related side effects. Clomid is also used to restore the body's natural production of testosterone during post-cycle therapy (PCT).

Jones said that he only recently learned why steroid users also use clomiphene and letrozole. But he insisted that it “doesn't mean you actually took steroids”. In his case, Jones wanted everyone to believe he accidentally ingested it via a contaminated dietary supplement.

“You're absolutely right man, I learned that myself over the last week,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “But it doesnt mean you actually took steroids.”

Clomid and letrozole are broadly categorized as “anti-estrogens” but they each work in their own unique and different way.

Clomid is classified as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). Clomid does nothing to prevent the aromatization of steroids into estrogen. The circulating levels of estrogen remain elevated on moderate to high dosages of aromatizing steroids. SERMs only blocks the estrogen receptors thereby preventing estrogen from exerting its effects in certain tissues. SERMs are the gold standard treatment for gynecomastia.

Letrozole, on the other hand, stops the conversion of aromatizing steroids to estrogen. It belongs to a class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors (AIs). AIs keep circulating estrogen levels from ever becoming elevated in the first place. This can be useful to reduce the likelihood of developing gynecomastia but it is not the treatment of choice when treating an active case of gyno. But gyno is not the only undesirable side effect resulting from elevated estrogen levels. Letrozole will prevent those other undesirable side effects via estrogen management.

The most popular use of Clomid among steroid-using athletes is as a component in post-cycle therapy (PCT). PCT is the term used to describe the treatment for anabolic steroid induced hypogonadism (ASIH).

ASIH is a practically inevitable side effect resulting from the use of steroids. The use of exogenous steroids suppresses the body's natural production of testosterone. When an athlete completes a steroid cycle, their natural testosterone levels are much lower than when they start.

The body will usually recover from a steroid cycle on its own but this could take as long as 6 months or more. PCT is used to expedite the process and force the body to start producing testosterone as soon as possible.

If an athlete is caught using SERMs (like clomiphene) or AIs (like letrozole), it is generally as an ancillary drug accompanying steroids in the vast majority of cases.