30 Seconds Summary
How Much More Muscle Can You Build With Steroids?

  • Steroids can approximately double the amount of muscle you can build compared to training drug-free over a training career.
  • Using steroids initiates a rapid muscle gain similar to newbie gains, which tapers off over time similar to natural training.
  • The discussion around the maximum muscle one can build drug-free is uncertain and probabilistic, not definitive.
  • Comparisons of bodybuilders from pre-steroid eras to modern bodybuilders are flawed due to differences in athlete pools and drug usage.
  • Studies show a clear dose-response relationship with steroids, meaning more steroids equate to more muscle gain.
  • Statistically, there is significant overlap in muscle size between steroid users and non-users, but on average, users are more muscular.
  • Calculators and formulas can estimate the likelihood of someone being drug-free based on their level of muscularity.
  • The article reviews three studies that compare muscle mass between steroid users and non-users, with varying results depending on training levels and additional hormone use.
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