Luana Santos’ current weight miss has a proof.
The Brazilian fighter got here in three kilos over the bantamweight restrict for her combat with Stephanie Egger this previous December, stepping to the size at 139 kilos. In an interview with MMA Preventing, she defined that the miss was as a consequence of an autoimmune illness.
Santos, who returns to the cage in a 125-pound conflict with Mariya Agapova at UFC Denver subsequent Saturday, mentioned in an interview with MMA Preventing that she was recognized with a thyroid challenge known as Hashimoto’s illness throughout a visit to Brazil final 12 months, months after her profitable UFC debut. Initially, she thought it was no massive deal.
“I had no concept what it was and if it might have any influence so I didn’t care one bit about it,” Santos mentioned. “I believed it might be nothing, after which my weight began going up and up. My supervisor known as in late November saying he had a combat booked and I informed him I’d not make 125, however we might do it at 135 if my opponent was down for it. [Egger] agreed, and I had three weeks to make 135. I weighed 163 kilos on the time.
“I believed it might be onerous however I’d be capable to make it. It was the craziest three-week span of my life. I didn’t make weight in the long run, however I believed it was as a consequence of another challenge. I received too drained within the combat as effectively, and my hair was falling as effectively, and I had no concept it was as a result of thyroid downside.”
Santos defeated Egger and returned to Brazil in January for extra exams, throughout which a doctor as soon as once more detected a difficulty with the thyroid gland. Hashimoto’s illness is an autoimmune situation that may result in weight acquire, melancholy, fatigue and ache, in addition to the hair loss that Santos observed.
“The physician mentioned my weight would go up once more as a result of my thyroid gland wasn’t working,” Santos mentioned. “The degrees had been manner larger than it must be, and a few nutritional vitamins had been low, and I needed to begin taking remedy to manage my thyroid. There’s no treatment, I’ll must take this remedy without end. I went all the best way as much as 168 kilos, 42 kilos over my division.”
Santos mentioned the UFC is conscious of her situation, and that’s why she was supplied a match in Denver with sufficient time to arrange to make 125 kilos once more. The 24-year-old Brazilian mentioned she presently weights 136 kilos, on level for this second of her camp.
“My thyroid is OK now however I’ll must proceed on remedy and watch my weight loss plan,” Santos mentioned. “My well being is healthier, in addition to my power. I didn’t fell like coaching earlier than, I simply needed to put in mattress and do nothing. I used to be afraid at first, particularly as a result of it was one thing new. I didn’t know if the remedy would work or not, however my medical doctors defined all the things to me and that calmed me down.”
