The man hit 49 homers as a rookie - back when nobody had heard of creatine and any whispers of steroid use in Oakland were only directed at Jose Canseco . While there's no real evidence either way, I am of the opinion that creatine has had much more to do with the power explosion in recent years than andro - or any other substance. Unlike andro, it is an extremely popular supplement and its widespread use is a factor in why so many hitters have been able to increase their home run totals. It has none of the side effects associated with steroids, but one potentially nasty side effect is dehydration. Well, again, it's not that simple.
Steroids can increase muscle mass.
They can also cause cardiac disease, impotence, emotional instability, and a whole bunch of other problems. McGwire's assault on 62 is not be compromised by andro, unless we are willing to evaluate every baseball record in the complete context in which it was set. But he is in that position, and knowing how much the welfare of children means to McGwire, he has to realize that his actions are going to be imitated by teenagers everywhere. It doesn't have to be now, not in the middle of a historic chase and with half the nation's sports reporters already following him every night. But after the season is over, McGwire needs to take the responsibility upon himself to announce, very publicly, that despite the inconclusive evidence of the side effects of androstenedione, he is no longer willing to take the potential risks.