Conor McGregor hasn’t been drug tested in nearly 3 years since he removed himself from the USADA testing pool after his TKO loss against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
He removed himself so that he could take steroids and performance-enhancing drugs to help heal his broken leg and also add muscle mass during his time away from fighting.
In this article, we look at the steroids Conor McGregor takes and why, as well as the reasons why it’s obvious that he’s using or has used a prohibited substance.
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Conor McGregor’s Steroids: What He Uses and Why
The steroids Conor McGregor has used since his leg break against Dustin Poirier in July 2021 are Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Anavar.
Let’s look at why he uses each.
1. Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
One of the primary performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) Conor McGregor is speculated to have used is Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
This speculation arises because of his recovery from a broken tibia sustained during his July 2021 fight against Dustin Poirier.
Why Human Growth Hormone (HGH) for Conor McGregor?
Bone Healing: HGH stimulates bone and tissue growth, potentially accelerating the healing process of his broken tibia. This property makes it a valuable substance for athletes recovering from similar injuries.
Muscle Maintenance and Growth: During recovery periods, maintaining muscle mass can be challenging. HGH helps preserve and build muscle tissue, which is crucial for an MMA fighter.
As he couldn’t train his legs, HGH would help him maintain his leg muscles at the very least. Instead, he gained significant muscle mass in his legs, indicative of steroid use.
Enhanced Physical Performance: Beyond recovery, HGH can improve overall physical performance, which includes increased strength and endurance – key attributes for a competitive MMA fighter.
Long-Term Benefits: One of the appealing aspects of HGH is its potential for long-term benefits. Even after discontinuing its use, improvements in muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic efficiency can have lasting effects.
This makes HGH a strategic choice for athletes like McGregor, who will be subject to future drug testing before his 2024 UFC return, but still sustain physical benefits.
Potential Hand and Chin Strengthening: In the context of MMA, having stronger hands and a more resilient chin can be advantageous.
While the effect of HGH on hand size and bone density could theoretically contribute to this, it’s a more speculative point.
In summary, while the use of HGH by Conor McGregor remains speculative, the potential benefits it offers for an athlete in his situation – from bone healing and muscle growth to long-term benefits long after stopping use – make it a plausible choice.
The observable changes in his physical appearance post-injury further fuel these speculations.
The steroid Conor McGregor likely stacked with HGH is Anavar. This choice makes sense for several reasons, particularly in the context of his recovery and athletic performance goals.
Why Anavar for Conor McGregor?
Bone Healing Properties: Anavar is known for its positive effects on bone density. For someone recovering from a significant bone injury like McGregor’s broken tibia, Anavar’s ability to promote bone healing is highly beneficial.
It helps in strengthening the bone during the recovery process, potentially speeding up the healing time.
Lean Muscle Mass and Strength: Anavar aids in building lean muscle mass without the significant water retention often associated with other anabolic steroids.
For Conor McGregor, maintaining muscle mass and strength during a period of reduced activity is crucial. Anavar provides the means to preserve, and even build, muscle in a way that aligns with his weight class requirements.
Low Androgenic Side Effects: Compared to other steroids, Anavar has a lower risk of androgenic side effects, such as severe acne or extensive hair loss.
While hair loss can still occur, it’s generally less severe, making Anavar a more appealing option for those concerned about these specific side effects.
Compatibility with HGH: Anavar can complement the muscle growth and tissue repair effects of HGH, while also providing the specific benefit of lean muscle development and bone strengthening.
This combination can be particularly effective for an athlete looking to recover from injury while maintaining peak physical condition.
Reduced Risk of Bloating: Anavar’s lower tendency to cause bloating is a significant advantage when paired with HGH, which is known for causing water retention.
This makes Anavar a strategic choice to counterbalance one of the less desirable effects of HGH and avoid taking another PED which could’ve made his bloating worse and more noticeable.
In summary, Anavar emerges as a likely candidate for McGregor’s steroid stack due to its bone-strengthening properties, ability to build lean muscle, lower risk of certain side effects, and synergistic potential when used with HGH.
This combination could provide a comprehensive approach to recovery and physical enhancement for an elite athlete like McGregor.
However, it’s important to reiterate that this is speculative and not based on confirmed information about McGregor’s specific steroid use.
3. Potential Steroids and PEDs
Given the range of steroids and PEDs popular among UFC fighters (that they’ve been caught taking), it’s possible McGregor could be using other substances alongside HGH and Anavar, or just HGH.
These include:
Ostarine: Known for increasing endurance, strength, bone density, and muscle mass. It’s also beneficial for fat loss and muscle retention during weight-cutting, crucial for fighters maintaining a specific weight class.
Stanozolol (Winstrol): Offers significant increases in strength and endurance without causing water retention or significant weight gain. It’s known for increasing red blood cell production and enhancing oxygen delivery to muscles.
Clomiphene: Used off-label to increase the body’s natural production of testosterone, especially post-steroid cycle, to counteract decreased natural testosterone production.
Testosterone and Derivatives: Used for increased muscle mass, strength, endurance, and overall fighting performance. Some derivatives are chosen for specific benefits like reduced water retention.
Drostanolone (Masteron): Enhances force production without causing significant weight gain, crucial for fighters to stay within their weight class.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA): Increases muscle mass, strength, recovery, fat loss, and bone health. It’s also known for improving mood and brain function.
Each of these substances offers specific benefits that could align with McGregor’s needs as a fighter, particularly in terms of performance enhancement, recovery, and weight management.
McGregor would use HGH mostly for its bone-healing ability, and one of the above steroids/PEDs alongside it for their muscle-building and performance benefits.
Again, it’s important to note that this is speculative and not based on confirmed information about McGregor’s specific steroid use.
Conor McGregor’s Steroids: Why It’s Obvious He’s Using
7 factors contribute to the growing belief that McGregor has used steroids and/or performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) since his leg break and loss against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.
1. Significant Muscle Gain: McGregor’s leg muscles were growing in size despite having a broken leg. This is clear evidence of PED use.
This dramatic increase in muscle mass, especially in the legs, is unusual for someone in their mid-30s, an age when gaining muscle naturally becomes more challenging.
3D Delts and Reduced Body Fat: The development of pronounced deltoid muscles and the apparent loss of body fat while gaining substantial muscle mass further makes it obvious that he’s using.
Such changes are difficult to achieve simultaneously, especially without the aid of PEDs.
He also gained around 25 lbs in 6 months after his leg break, around 5 to 6 lbs each month. This is a clear sign of steroid use, as a natural lifter may hope to gain 1 or 2 lbs a month at most.
Gaining more than this while not adding large amounts of body fat, which he didn’t, is a clear sign of steroid use.
2. Facial Changes Indicative of HGH Use: McGregor’s face appears puffier, older-looking, and generally larger, aligning with the known effects of HGH.
This includes potential facial bone growth, leading to a more prominent jawline and brow ridge, and changes in skin texture, contributing to an aged appearance.
3. Withdrawal from USADA Testing Pool: McGregor hasn’t been part of the USADA testing pool since July 2021, which means he hasn’t been subject to a drug test in nearly 3 years.
UFC fighters must be in the USADA testing pool for six months and pass 2 tests before they’re allowed to compete.
McGregor’s self-removal makes it obvious he left so that he could take steroids and/or PEDs to heal his broken leg and improve his training and performance before making a return.
4. Admission of Steroid Use for Injury Recovery: When replying to Anthony Smith’s accusation of him using steroids because of the amount of mass he’d gained, McGregor indirectly admitted to using some form of steroid medication to heal his broken tibia, though he stated this was within USADA guidelines.
5. Physical Preparation for Movie Role: McGregor’s involvement in the movie “Road House”, set to be released in March 2024, provides another reason why McGregor would take steroids.
The need to look a certain way for a film role can be a motivating factor for using PEDs to achieve the desired physique quickly, especially considering Jake Gyllenhaal is juiced to the gills.
6. Lifestyle Considerations: McGregor’s known lifestyle of partying and alcohol consumption contributes to the narrative that he may not be averse to using steroids as he isn’t too concerned about their detriment to his health.
7. Hair Loss and Transplant: Following his leg injury in July 2021, McGregor experienced noticeable hair loss, a common side effect associated with certain steroids.
His hairline visibly receded, and by the end of the year, his hair had thinned significantly. Then in early 2022, McGregor appears to have undergone a hair transplant, as evidenced by many photos on Instagram.
In conclusion, while Conor McGregor hasn’t admitted to using steroids or PEDs, the combination of his significant physical changes, withdrawal from the USADA testing pool, and other reasons noted above, suggests the use of steroids and/or PEDs.
