Shawn Melanson is a jiu-jitsu black belt with a large following on social media. He has found himself at the center of a debate after he addressed his testosterone use in a video that followed footage of him visibly taking the hormone.
“I just wanted to jump on here real quick because in my last video I showed myself using testosterone in the beginning and I know some kids watch my channel so I just wanted to let them know that I use TRT prescribed by a doctor,” Melanson said. “I’m also a 33 year old man.”
He went on to explain the timeline of his own use, telling viewers:
“I didn’t start doing this until I was 32 years old, 31 years old, something like that. Up until then I had always been a natural athlete but we are seeing more and more kids getting into ster**ds and stuff like that so I don’t want to be the reason they decide to do it.”
Melanson was careful to draw a line between adult choice and youth influence.
“I mean if you’re an adult it’s your choice to do whatever you want to do but just because I know kids do watch my channel and stuff like that I just want to make sure that they know that this is something I’m doing as an adult also something that’s prescribed to me by a doctor,” he said. “I’m not getting it from my friends and I’m not doing it to be this superhuman athlete. I do it so I feel better and I can go through my daily life.”
He closed the video with a direct appeal to his younger viewers.
“just a video to let kids know they shouldn’t jump on ste**ids just to try and make themselves better at jiu jitsu.”
Melanson followed up with a written post reinforcing the same message. He noted that his use is something he has worked through with a doctor for years, that testosterone is the only compound he takes and that he’s not concerned whether skeptics believe that claim.
His stated priority was making sure his openness about TRT doesn’t end up normalizing hormone use for teenagers who still have years ahead of them to build strength through training, diet, sleep and recovery rather than rushing the process.
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is generally not recommended in men under 40 due to limited evidence of benefit, concerns about disrupting natural hormone development, and potential impacts on fertility and cardiovascular health. Research from major endocrinological bodies identifies age 40 and older as the evidence-supported threshold for TRT consideration, specifically in men with documented hypogonadism (serum testosterone <300 ng/dL on repeat testing) accompanied by clinically relevant symptoms such as ED, reduced libido, fatigue, or decreased bone density. At this age, the symptom-benefit profile becomes more favorable, and the hormonal system is mature and stable. Younger men may occasionally be candidates if they have severe secondary hypogonadism from identifiable medical causes such as pituitary disorders.
TRT and anabolic use involve the same chemistry and produce the same physiological effects: increased muscle mass, strength, bone density, and red blood cell production. The critical distinction is medical context rather than pharmacology.
The reaction from his audience split sharply. Plenty of commenters backed him for the transparency.
Several comments questioned why a man in his early thirties would need hormone therapy at all.
The conversation taps into a wider unease within jiu-jitsu about hormone use trickling down to younger competitors. Black belt Tom DeBlass raised a related concern recently regarding youth ADCC world championships, warning that some parents might push their own children toward PEDs in pursuit of titles.
“I truly believe there are parents out there crazy enough to put their own children on ster**ds just so they can say their kid is a world champion,”
DeBlass added that children whose hormones are still developing should not have their long-term health put at risk for a medal or ranking.
