Why Is DHEA Banned? Explaining Khalil Rountree Jr.’s UFC 303 Exit Due to Questionable Supplement Use

It seems like International Fight Week will have one less fight on the card as Khalil Rountree Jr. is out of the race. Why, you ask? Well, Rountree has failed the drug test and is most probably out of the fight. However, the promotion has yet to make any official announcement about the cancellation of the bout.’The War Horse’ was supposed to fight former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill as a co-main in the Conor Mcgregor vs Michael Chandler card.

The fighter was on a fiv͏e-fight w͏inning ͏st͏reak, and a victory against Jamahal Hill could have propelled him to title contender status. However, it seems the Las Vegas, Nevada native will have to wait for his shot at UFC g͏old. Rountree tested positive for using Dehydroepiandrosterone (͏DHEA) as revealed by him via his official Instagram handle.

Will Khalil Rountree Jr. get suspended?

Khalil Rountree Jr. posted on Saturday that he will not be fighting at the UFC 303 as he has failed the drug test. He was guilty of consuming DHEA. His wife, Mia Kang, posted the news on her Instagram handle and stated that Rountree might have to go through a period of suspension because of the drug. Now the question arises: what is this DHEA drug? DHEA is a substance that is allowed in the United States for medications. However, things are different when it comes to the sporting world.

The use of such supplements is strictly banned for any sporting event, as per the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. It is also called Prasterone, and it is a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland. Interestingly, the natural secretion of such hormones peaks in the human body during adulthood, but declines as we age.

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency website, “It is generally accepted in the sporting world that DHEA use enhances physical performance, and DHEA therefore figures on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances in sports, both in and out of competition. DHEA is a weak androgen that needs conversion to more potent testosterone, and the assumption is that athletes expect a significant increase in circulating testosterone through exogenous DHEA administration, with a subsequent improvement in performance.”

The drug is also said to increase testosterone levels, but the doctors are yet to answer more on this. Meanwhile, what was Khalil Rountree Jr.’s response after the fiasco? Let us find out.

‘The War Horse’ denies intentional consumption of the drug

The lightweight fighter took to his social media handle to announce his withdrawal. He added that he has consumed some banned substances unknowingly. He emphasized that he had no information about how he consumed it.”I did not do this intentionally and I am doing everything I can to get this situation taken care of,” said Rountree.

The fighter revealed that he has employed a personalized supplement entity that understands what and what he can’t take in his system. However, despite their careful observation, he has no idea how the drug got into his gut. “They accidentally sent a blended supplement to me that contained banned substance called DHEA (which is prohibited at all times under the UFC anti doping policy. Only after I consumed it was its ingredients brought to my attention,” the fighter added.

The 34-year-old further explained that the first thing he did after knowing about the mismatch was to inform the authorities about it, but seems like it was too late. What’s your opinion on his situation? State your opinions in the comments below.