Mica Galvao recently made headlines when USADA released a statement confirming he tested positive for Clomiphene, a fertility treatment with ergogenic properties that can aid in post-cycle recovery.
Clomiphene is often used to enhance post-cycle recovery, and its use is banned in many sports organizations.
Clomiphene is a medication that can have either pseudo estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity depending on how it’s designed. It is used to recover faster after taking anabolic agents or other suppressive compounds. It kickstarts testosterone production by interacting with estrogen receptors and depriving them of their activation.
The body has a feedback system that regulates estrogen and testosterone levels. The hypothalamus pituitary gonadal axis is responsible for regulating these hormone levels. Selective estrogen receptor modulators like Clomid can trick the body into producing more testosterone by cutting off signals to the brain that indicate there is enough estrogen in the body.
After a thorough review of Galvao’s case, USADA determined that his positive test was caused by medication prescribed in a therapeutic dose under the care of a physician. Although he took this substance at the direction of a physician, he failed to obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) before using.
But common sense dictates that it is unlikely that an 18 or 19-year-old would be prescribed Clomid by a doctor unless there were extreme circumstances such as lifestyle factors or genetic predisposition.
A PED expert recently addressed these claims. Derek of More plates more dates infamy joined BJJ influencer Zack Telander and the two discussed the prominent case.
Clomid can be taken even if you’re not cycling off as Derek explains it:
“Somebody who has a lower end of the reference range test for example, that has a symptoms of hypogonadism. Some HRT clinics might prescribe them clomid to raise their testosterone naturally to the high end of the reference range and trying to achieve symptom to be relief to not have to take exogenous testosterone. So, me, that’s necessarily the best thing to do, but it is done. So, Mica being a 19 year old, really athletic dude probably, highly unlikely he’s using it for performance enhancement. It’s more in a recovery context almost certainly.”
Tellender got down to the core of the issue asking: “Without like speculating too much, you know, what is the likelihood that a doctor is going to prescribe an 18 or 19 year old, um, uh, this?”
Derek answers: “Extremely low, extremely. Like you would almost be like a strange circumstance is sure, but even then if an 18 or 19 year old was hypogonadal, you would be looking for either lifestyle factors that are extreme that are influencing it or some sort of genetic predisposition, like a, but to a territory tumor of some sort or like actual genital failure, like, is there a problem with your actual testicles?”
Mika Galvao’s positive test for Clomiphene brings to light the controversies surrounding the use of PEDs in sports. While it has legitimate clinical applications, its use is prohibited in many sports organizations due to its performance-enhancing properties. There’s something to be said when a teen feels it’s necessary to be using this.
