Three-time Australian Olympic medalist James Magnussen spoke openly on the impact taking performance-enhancing drugs has had on him this week in Las Vegas ahead of the Enhanced Games’ major announcement coming later on Wednesday.
Magnussen retired from competitive swimming after the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but when word started spreading about the Enhanced Games nearly two years ago, Magnussen was the first well-known athlete to publicly declare his intention of taking part.
The 34-year-old recently took his first cycle of PEDs over eight to 10 weeks in the U.S., according to The Daily Mail, and he detailed his experience speaking on Tuesday.
“Having to inject yourself with a performance-enhancing substance is quite a confronting thing,” Magnussen said, according to The Daily Mail. “A lot of it’s just the stigma attached to it that has been built up over years that probably started way back in the ’80s, and I’d been brought up with.
“That (injecting) was the most confronting thing about the whole process. But then it just becomes part of your routine. You get your doctor’s check-ups, you go through the process and you realize it’s no drama.”
Magnussen said there were no issues with his health throughout the first cycle.
“If there had been negative side effects on my health or my fertility or anything like that, then I would question my involvement,” he said. “But now I’ve done it, I’m the first athlete to openly and honestly do it, and I know the data, I’m very comfortable with it.
“Not only will my data help me for my preparation, hopefully it’s pioneering for the other athletes that come on board.”
Backed by Aussie billionaire Aron D’Souza, Magnussen has publicly stated his goal to go under the men’s 50 freestyle world record (LCM) at the Enhanced Games, and if he does so, he’ll earn a $1 million check.
He said the immediate increases he saw to his strength were immense after beginning the cycle.
“Within 10 days, I put on 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of muscle,” he said. “I just was getting bigger and stronger and my strength just went through the roof.
“I was just getting so big and so strong, and we didn’t know that would happen. In terms of health metrics, my resting heart rate lowered, my blood pressure lowered, my cholesterol lowered – my fitness was really good.
“They were the things that I think everyone was worried about and they were actually not an issue at all.”
Magnussen said he got as heavy as 115 kg (253 pounds), which compares to the 95 kg (209 pounds) he raced at during his Olympic career.
Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, he went into more detail on what specifically he’s been taking.
“I’m definitely allowed to say that I was taking peptides and testosterone, which is pretty much it, to be honest,” he said. “We tried a few different things on top of that.
“We used BPC-157, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin and Thymosin. The BPC-157 and Thymosin is for recovery and to prevent injuries. It promotes healing in the body. The CJC and Ipamorelin enhances your body’s natural production of growth hormone. You’re not injecting growth hormone into you. You’re maximizing your body’s own potential.
“The testosterone is the superpower. That’s what gets you bounding out of bed in the morning, lifting massive weights and feeling your best.
“It all felt safe because I did it all with doctors and under medical supervision,” he said. “I’d go for weekly check-ups at the doctors where they were checking a full suite of health markers. It’s quite confrontational and intense.”
Magnussen has been working with fellow Aussie Brett Hawke in training, with Hawke announced as the head swim coach for the Games on Tuesday.
The Enhanced Games will be streaming a live press conference at 4 p.m. ET today where they’ll announce the dates and location of the first edition of the event.
Magnussen can do it safely because he has the money to monitor his health constantly and have crooked MDs opine on how to optimize his drug cocktail. But in destigmatizing PED use he’s going to increase abuse in kids who can’t afford proper medical care. He is hurting people, but he doesn’t care because he’s getting paid to do it.
Can he still get the million bucks if another juicer already broke the records??
Meanwhile two male competitive swimmers I know who have naturally low testosterone are not allowed to take anything to help get it to a “normal” level. Sigh.
Fun fact: around 18% of NFL football players have low testosterone.
Oh interesting! What’s the average running time for an NFL player in one game?
Second fun fact : Low testosterone in seemingly elite athletes is often – not always, but often – a side effect of long term undetected doping – the body reacts by reducing its own production.
Rub some of that Chinese spices into the bbq and now we talking juicy sauce
The worst thing is that PEDs become normalized and some young swimmers might follow the trend as it is the case with bodybuilders/influencers.
Not good for health in a long run.
Enhanced bodybuilding became a freak show. Sad if parts of swimming will follow…
Why?
He’s hawking drugs just like all the Alex Jones types selling unregulated supplements
James, I know you’re trying to sell those plates for your Habitual company, but this is so embarrassing!! Are you not embarrassed? I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!
Going to be interesting in 15 to 20 years, when we hear of liver damage, kidney failure and/or prostate or testicular cancer cells rampant amongst these clowns!
Exactly. Taking HgH or “stimulating” its production can have bad side effects. When you accelerate growth it’s of ALL cells, including those pre- and cancerous ones.
I think as they know more and more it will get very safe, but keep it out of sports.
In the sci-fi world, there will be new drugs for those problems by then. The question is whether they can afford it. If they make a lot of money now, maybe. Otherwise, may see them share the future version of GoFundMe to ask for financial help.