Many could not still believe the stance of Mark McGwire when he made his confession. He said that the steroids he took were only meant to help him recuperate from injuries. Although anabolic steroids are also used to treat some medical conditions but its use in professional sports is more on increasing the level of performance. There are already so many athletes who admitted that taking steroids helped them run faster, lift more weights, gained more power in endurance sports, improved coordination and many other benefits attributed to these drugs.

Jay McGwire’ accusation that his brother Mark took those steroids, which he prescribed, to help him improve performance in the field could be true. You just have to imagine the training regimen adopted by Mark coupled with different steroids. A former steroid supplier of Mark even said that he prescribed a cocktail of steroids to the baseball player. In the book written by Jay, he mentioned the various steroids taken by Mark in the 1990’s. The book “Mark and Me: Mark McGwire and the Truth Behind Baseball’s Worst-Kept Secret” gave more details on how he persuaded Mark to take steroids to help him recover from injuries but he also believed that those steroids helped his brother become a record breaker.

Jay itemized the anabolic steroids used by his brother. To give him more strength and heal the injuries faster, he gave Mark Deca Durabolin. Taking HGH or human growth hormone helped Mark to maintain his lean muscles. The HGH, in a way helped him to hide his use of steroids. It was followed by Winstrol, Primobolan, Dianabol, Clenbuterol and later on androstenedione, a steroid precursor.

We have gathered some definitions and descriptions of these steroids from online sources like wikipedia. It’s up to our readers to decide whether the anabolic steroids Mark McGwire took were the main reason why he broke Roger Maris’ home run record in 1998.

Winstrol - is a synthetic testosterone. Its main ingredient Stanozolol causes strength increases without excess weight-gain and promotes increases in vascularity. It is used by athletes and bodybuilders to lose fat while retaining lean body mass. It is usually used in a “cutting cycle”, to help preserve lean body mass.

Primobolan- or Methenolone enanthate is available as injectable or in oral form. Many bodybuilders use it in between steroid cycles during their “off-time” to help maintain their gains and strength. It is considered one of the safer steroids, meaning it has few side effects.

Clenbuterol - it is a drug approved for use for asthma patients as a bronchodilator. It causes an increase in aerobic capacity, central nervous system stimulation, and an increase in blood pressure and oxygen transportation. It increases the rate at which fats are metabolized, simultaneously increasing the body’s BMR. It is commonly used for smooth muscle relaxant properties. The drug has been publicized for its off-label use as a weight loss drug.

Dianabol - or Dbol is popular among bodybuilders because it helps muscle growth.These include dramatic increases in protein synthesis, glycogenolysis, and muscle strength over a short period of time.

HGH - It stimulates growth and cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Some of the effects of HGH include decreased body fat, increased muscle mass, increased bone density, increased energy levels, improved skin tone and texture, increased sexual function and improved immune system function.

Deca-Durabolin - or nandrolone showed positive effects by enhancing muscle growth, appetite stimulation and increased red blood cell production and bone density.

In an interview by ESPN, Jay divulged the some of the actual dosages he prepared for his brother. In a particular offseason, he alleged that Mark was taking the following combination of steroids. “Dbol [oral, 50 up to 70 mgs/day], Winstrol [oral, 50 up to 80 mgs every other day] and Primobolan [oral, 60 up to 80 mgs/day] for a minimum of 12 weeks.” These were in low doses as compared to the dosages taken by bodybuilders but it really helps in increasing the strength and size. The combination of steroids and the rigid training of Mark made him achieved a home run record.

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