The whistle blower who detailed the rampant use of steroids in the major league recently admitted that he has regrets on his use of anabolic steroids. Jose Canseco’s career ended when he fearlessly detailed to a federal inquiry his knowledge on the rampant use of performance enhancing drugs in baseball. It also leads to the publication of his two steroid books, Juiced and Vindicated which implicated many baseball players. These decisions have made him an outcast in the major league and cost him his career. He also lost some friends and many major league players avoided to be associated with him.

“I definitely regret getting involved with steroids in any way shape or form, No. 1, as a [teenager],” Canseco told ESPN writer Mike Fish. “No. 2 is writing a book against Major League Baseball, because I have been living a life of basically terror ever since my book ‘Juiced‘ came out. Whether it be emotionally, financially, it is just terrible,” he said. Canseco also believed that he was punished for his actions. “People have to understand that I’ve been the only individual that has paid the price for the use of steroids, when other players have been given a slap on the hand, some games off, and some are still getting $100 million deals. They are still being protected by Major League Baseball. They are still being given a job after the fact, for example Mark McGwire,” Canseco said. McGwire admitted in February that he used anabolic steroids and human growth hormone after years of denial. But after a few months he was able to come back as a hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Referred to as a snitch, working opportunities seems to evade Canseco. “People are afraid to deal with me. I’ve been trying to get into the entertainment industry, acting industry. Maybe some martial arts roles. Producers didn’t want to touch me. When I wrote the book they categorized me as a snitch right away. So in other industries I cannot be touched,” he said. It has been a horrible situation for the slugger adding that he can’t even have a relationship with the Major League Baseball.

Though Canseco was applauded for his contribution to the major changes in the anti-doping policies in baseball, many were not happy and the worst that he got was the label that he was a steroid user and cheater. Right now, Canseco felt the effects of his steroid revelations. The financial reward when he was still active in the major league can’t be compared to what he is receiving right now even if he already ventured into other sports like boxing and mixed martial arts.

And the most difficult part of using steroid is becoming sterile. This is a side effect of long term use of anabolic steroids. According to Canseco, he is currently under a hormone replacement therapy to treat his low testosterone level and being monitored regularly by a UCLA endocrinologist.

He explained that when he went cold turkey with steroids, his testosterone level dropped to an abnormal level. His body doesn’t produce testosterone anymore. This is the reason why he has to take regular medicine to correct the imbalance in his hormone level. In 2008, he was even arrested by custom and border officers for carrying a fertility drug from Mexico. “Obviously what that causes is sterility. I don’t produce my own testosterone. So what they have me on now is testosterone therapy. They give me certain injections at certain times to level off my testosterone so that I have average testosterone levels,” Canseco added.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS