Two UFC fighters were infected by IV rehydration

I was on a plane going to ref in Arizona once when I noticed a red line running down from my hand, and up a vein in my arm. I knew it was an infection, and marked the progress with a pen as it crawled up my arm. I found a Doc in a Box when I landed and got a scrip for antibiotics and in 12 hours or so, the red line started to recede.

I got it from a fingernail clipper that I kept in my sweaty gym bag. Thus it was not with complete shock that I heard WSOF light heavyweight contender Vinny Magalhaes tell Stephie Haynes on the Three Amigos Podcast, about a incident in which two fighters were infected by nailclipper-infected rehydration bags.

IV rehydration is now prohibited, as of October 1, but that is OK by Vinny.

“My last fight for the UFC, I had some issues with an IV,” began Magalhaes, as transcribed by Crooklyn for BE. “Me and Bristol Marunde both had this doctor from Brazil. She brought a nurse with her and she was super professional. She had brought three IV bags for us, because in Brazil, the bags are only like 500 ml. So, she cuts the bag with a nail clipper—we figured she’s a doctor and she knows what she’s doing.

“Anyway, after the weigh-ins, me and Bristol both got the IV from her, and later on we were feeling like crap. We had a fever and were just feeling like crap right before our fights. After the fights, I found out I had gotten a bacterial infection, and the same thing happened to Bristol.

“She had never done IVs for fighters before, and she had to do the IVs in the hotel room, so she brought the stuff to the room, but she didn’t bring the right equipment, the scissors or whatever to cut the bag. She used those alcohol pads to clean up the nail clippers, so we figured it was safe. Then, we found out the next day it wasn’t that safe [laughs].

“It’s one of those things where you can’t completely blame the doctor. Some of it is on her for sure, but we took the risk. We saw it happening and we didn’t complain, so some of that is on us, too. It wasn’t too long after that when decided I would start walking around closer to my weight class.

“Since I’ve been out of the UFC, I walk much closer to my fight weight and much lower than I used to. I’ve been walking around at 225, which is pretty low compared to what I used to, and right now I’m only walking at 220. That’s the best idea, at only 15 pounds over my weight class, I don’t need to do the IVs any more.

“I don’t use IVs now, but not because of all the new rules, I don’t use them because I don’t want to take the risk of getting another infection. I also feel like 235, which is what I used to walk at, it made me feel too heavy and slow, and if I have a 5-round fight, or even a tough 3-round fight, that’s just too much. It’s better for me to be walking around lighter.”

(1:00:50 mark)

One of the keys to correcting the culture of extreme weight cutting in MMA is, as Magalhaes references, not ballooning out of camp. This is just one of a number of crucial steps detailed in a memo prepared by Andy Foster, executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission, has issued a memo to all fighter about the dangers of weight cutting, prepared by the Association of Ringside Physicians.

THE DANGERS OF CUTTING WEIGHT AND DEHYDRATING

Unhealthy and dangerous weight loss practices continue to be a serious problem in combat sports. One recent study found that 39% of MMA fighters were entering competition in a dehydrated state. Heat illness and death in athletes have already happened in the sports of wrestling and MMA.

It’s been shown that excessive weight loss, rapid weight loss, and repeated cycling of weight gain/loss causes decreased performance, hormonal imbalance, decreased nutrition, and increased injury risk. Other life-threatening problems associated with improper weight loss and dehydration include:
•Decreased Muscle Strength and Endurance: Decreased blood flow to muscles makes them work less well.
•Decreased Heart and Cardiovascular Function: The heart works harder and less efficiently.
•Reduced Energy Utilization, Nutrient Exchange and Acidosis: With decreased blood flow to tissues nutrients don’t get delivered, and the body’s waste products do not get
removed as well. A buildup of acid occurs which ch anges cells’ functions in the body.
•Heat Illness: This takes on four forms: heat cramps, heat syncope (loss of consciousness), heat exhaustion, and heat stroke (which may be fatal). Dehydration results in decreased blood flow to skin and muscles. This is followed by decreased ability to regulate body temperature. The ability to sweat becomes impaired and core body temperature can rise. This increases the threat of all of these to poorly hydrated athletes doing strenuous workouts.
•Decreased Kidney Function: Dehydration leads to decreased kidney blood flow and decreased kidney function. This contributes to the problems listed in the points here, in addition to decreased urine output, concentrated urine, and leakage of protein into the urine. (It is not known if these changes can result in permanent kidney damage.)
•Electrolyte Problems: Decreased kidney function results in imbalances of electrolytes such as unhealthy increases in potassium and sodium.
•Mood Swings and Mental Changes: All of the above contribute to increased mood swings, poor concentration and focus, disorientation and other mental changes.
•Eye Trouble: Dehydration can cause blurred vision and dry eyes.
•Increased Risk of Brain Injury: There are likely increased risks of brain bleeding and concussion.

DON’T:
•Don’t use extreme methods for making weight such as excessive heat methods (rubberized suits, steam rooms, saunas), excessive intense bouts of exercise, vomiting, laxatives and diuretics.
•Don’t use dehydration as a mainstay of making weight. In addition to the above, it puts you at risk of improper rehydration techniques when, in reality, proper re-hydration takes several hours to days. (Many cases intravenous fluids being used for rehydration after weigh-ins have been reported – this is a doping violation with several organizations.)
DO:
•Commit to year-round proper diet and training for proper weight control and body composition.
•By maintaining your weight year round near an appropriate competition weight and not competing in a weight class outside your appropriate weight class you will help avoid large swings in weight.
•Maintain a good state of hydration by drinking fluid throughout the day and staying hydrated during workouts.
•Follow nutritional programs that meet your needs for adequate amounts of calories from a balanced diet high in healthy carbohydrates, the minimum requirement of fat, and appropriate amounts of protein.
•Be wary of nutritional supplements as they are not regulated by the FDA and some have been shown to be harmful.

For more information visit: associationofringsidephysicians.org.