If don’t follow sports, you may have missed out on the Clomind controversy brewing over the weekend involving the fertility drug and the National Football League (NFL).
Robert Mathis, a linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts, was suspended for four games (without pay) because he tested positive for Clomid. Clomid is the on NFL’s list of banned, performance-enhacing-drugs because steroid users often take it to restore their natural testosterone levels or mask steroid use.
Mathis admits to taking Clomid for 10-12 days, but insists it was for fertility reasons. His wife is currently pregnant, so that seems to lend credibility to his story. He says he asked his urologist (who has confirmed the drug was for fertility) if it was on the list of banned substances and his doctor said no. However, he also admits he didn’t double check with the NFL and has issued apologies to his team and fans.
Now, if Mathis’ story is true, I feel terribly sorry for him. No one, especially a professional male athlete, wants to “come out” about their fertility issues in such an involuntary and public way. It appears he is a stand-up guy and has never had any other problems, so I’m inclined to believe him. He made a mistake in not double-checking with the NFL, but the punishment seems very harsh (he stands to lose about $700,000 in pay). Regardless of whether or not Mathis’ claims are true, this story is important because it creates an opportunity to educate the public about male infertility.
What bothers me the most are all the comments I’ve been reading on news articles and sports forums. The ignorance about fertility (especially male fertility) is astounding! Here are some of the most maddening comments I’ve read:
“He’s already fathered a set of twins, so he clearly doesn’t have fertility issues.”
Whoever posted this obviously didn’t consider the possibility that he might have used fertility treatment to conceive the twins, too. And they definitely don’t know about secondary infertility!
“Clomid is only FDA approved for women with ovulation issues. Men don’t take it and it’s illegal if their doctor prescribes it.”
I do believe it’s true that Clomid is only FDA approved for use in women, but it’s not illegal to prescribe medication for off-label uses. Many women are prescribed Femara (which is FDA-approved for breast cancer!) for infertility.
“He’s a large, well-muscled professional athlete. There’s no way he has testosterone or fertility problems.”
While it is true that many men with low testosterone have smaller physiques, sometimes their appearance gives no indication that there are fertility issues. My husband has a muscled build and he suffers from male factor issues.
“If the drug really is for fertility issues, then his wife should’ve taken it instead of him.”
This one is the most laughable because what good would it do his wife if the problem was male factor?
Any thoughts on this? Please share in the comments below.
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