I have no love for baseball. Not only is the game boring, but they have a childish view of steroids that I don’t have the energy to debate at this time. This post is about a story I saw on the cover of USA Today this week. It appears it is front page news that a baseball player was taking a legal supplement that was not approved by major league baseball over five years ago.
I can comment on this story, because I took the same supplement. The supplement is androstenedione (aka andro).
From the story Arroyo: I Took Andro The Same Way I Took Vitamins by Ian Preuth:
Arroyo had trouble gaining weight and strength early in his career, according to the report. He says that changed in 1998 when he discovered androstenedione (andro).
He took andro until it was banned in 2004, according to the report.
“I took androstenedione the same way I took my multivitamins. I didn’t really know if this was a genius move by Mark McGwire to cover up the real s—- he was taking, but it made me feel unbelievable. I felt like a monster,” Arroyo told USA Today.
Arroyo says he never knowingly took steroids but wouldn’t be surprised if his name is on the list for taking andro contaminated with steroids.
It wasn’t enough for baseball to go after the guys that allegedly took steroids. Baseball is now making a fuss about a supplement that was LEGAL and the player ceased taking it once it was made illegal, because it produced steroid-like effects. Silly middle aged men will do anything to destroy the heroes of today to preserve the records set by their childhood heroes.
Way back in 2003, I did an 8 week cycle of andro. It was a legal pro-hormone supplement that I purchased online. In 8 weeks, I went from 211 pounds to 222 pounds. Did I feel like a monster? Sure did. Adding 11 pounds in 8 weeks felt awesome. What happened when I stopped using andro? I went right back to 211 pounds. It was like nothing happened. There was no lasting physique or performance improvement. Therefore, I consider andro to be a waste of money.
Does andro even work? From the Wikipedia page on androstenedione:
A 2006 review paper summarized several studies which examined the effect of androstenedione on strength training. At dosages of 50mg or 100mg per day, andro had no effect on muscle strength or size, or on body fat levels. One study utilized a daily dosage of 300mg of androstenedione combined with several other supplements, and also found no increase in strength when compared to a control group that did not take the supplements.
How did I gain 11 pounds if these studies showed the supplement to ineffective? Probably the placebo effect. I just bought this expensive pro-hormone supplement and I was going to use it to its full potential. For eight weeks I lifted like crazy, ate like a monster and took andro. Surprise, surpise, I gained weight and was on such an endorphin rush that I felt great. When the cycle ended, I resumed normal eating and exercise patterns and the “gains” went away.
The only edge Androstenedione gave this pitcher was psychological. If it helped his training and he walked up on that mound feeling like he was a badass mofo, then for that moment he had an edge against that batter. Baseball needs to stop tearing down the accomplishments of its best players or one day the stands will be empty.
Does this mean I can start referring to you as Bitch Tits?
I’ve never taken steroids, so no.
Damn, MAS, you had to bait me into commenting again.
As you know, I disagree with the first part of this sentence. But I couldn’t agree more with the rest of it. “Childish” is the *perfect* word to describe it. I’ve read volumes on this subject, and you’re the first person I’ve read who used this word to describe the baseball steroid/PED witch-hunts. Childish it is.
And a funny coincidence — I was at my favorite restaurant in town, and noticed for the first time today that they have an framed, autographed picture of Bronson Arroyo.
One of these days I will do a post demonstrating how steroids do not give the batter a measurable performance edge.
The proof that steroids indeed give batters a measurable performance edge is available by simply viewing two videos:
1. Barry Bonds’ one-handed home run vs. the Dodgers.
2. Mark McGwire’s record-breaking 62nd home run.
Both home runs were completely different, but each illustrates very clearly the advantages of steroids in baseball. Bonds reached for an outside pitch — taking one hand off the bat — and connected at just the right spot to create a perfect trajectory for the ball, sending it over the right field fence by only a few feet. Were Bonds even 1 or 2% less powerful, this would have been a warning track ball or less. McGwire’s ball was possibly even more amazing. It was hit with such a low trajectory that it was probably never off the ground by more than about 50 feet or so. It barely cleared the left field wall and took barely three seconds to do it. If Mark McGwire circa 1988 (already a big guy back then) hit that instead of AndroMac, it would have landed at standard outfielder distance.
People say that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in all of sports. Even the best hitters are only successful 1 in 3 times. The different between being a .250 hitter and a .333 hitter is the difference in how all of your “imperfect swings” turn out. If being 25% stronger can turn 10-30 fly balls or frozen ropes into home runs every year, that’s a *measurable advantage*. I don’t see how that is disputable.
I will respond in a dedicated post. Too much for a comment.