In a candid podcast clip, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor Jay Rodriguez made a firm commitment to abstain from PEDs throughout his competitive career. The athlete’s stance on the subject came to light during a conversation about the future of his athletic pursuits.
Rodriguez, known for his dedication to the sport, emphasized his commitment to clean competition. “I’ll never use [PEDs] while I’m competing,” he stated unequivocally. This declaration underscores the athlete’s integrity and respect for the principles of fair play in BJJ.
The discussion also touched upon the potential use of PEDs after retirement from competitive sports. Rodriguez expressed a more open-minded approach to the idea of using such substances once his competitive days are behind him. “If I need it,” he mused, suggesting that he might consider PEDs for health or quality of life reasons in his later years.
This perspective highlights the ongoing debate within the sports community about the appropriate use of PEDs. While testing is largely absent from BJJ competition scenes, many athletes take it to mean it’s allowed.
ADCC veteran opens up on starting to use PEDs as a Blue Belt cites Microplastic concerns
aunders reveals he began using PEDs as a blue belt, not for competitive advantage but out of curiosity after a decade of natural weightlifting. He cites concerns about modern lifestyle factors negatively impacting natural testosterone levels as part of his decision-making process.
“I didn’t plan on taking it for Jiu-Jitsu, I was just doing it while doing it. I think I started when I was a blue belt, but it was never to get an edge in Jitsu; it was literally out of pure curiosity. I did a lot of reading into the limitations of natural testosterone in terms of some outside factors—sedentary lifestyles, food quality, the way that we live, the blue lights that are all around us, endocrine disruptors, microplastics in food, and other factors. There’s a good book, I forget the name of it, the author was on Joe Rogan a couple of times—she talks about microplastics and taint size shrinking.”
