Chad Mendes’ positive drug test for Growth Hormone-Releasing Hexapeptide (GHRP-6) was triggered by a cream used to treat his lifelong skin condition, a source close to Mendes told BloodyElbow.com. The UFC featherweight contender used the cream without knowing it was contaminated with GHRP-6, per the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
GHRP-6 is part of a class of drugs called growth hormone releasing peptides. It “is a substance which is designed to increase your body’s natural production of growth hormone,” as written by Iain Kidd in a recent story on the banned substance.
It was announced last month that Mendes had failed an out-of-competition drug test administered by USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, on May 17.