NEW YORK — No one knows Mark McGwire's body better than Jay McGwire, his 28-year-old younger brother and a physical trainer who works at a fitness facility in Chino Hills.
The McGwires, often mistaken for twins, lived together in Northern California while Mark recovered from the heel and lower back injuries that sidelined him for virtually the entire 1993 and '94 seasons, and it was Jay, into bodybuilding since high school, who helped redesign the supplement-aided weightlifting program that helped his brother return bigger and better than ever.
That program also has become a subject of debate in the last week as the St. Louis Cardinal first baseman wages a riveting home run duel with Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs and closes in on Roger Maris' record of 61 homers.
The debate stems from McGwire's recent confirmation that he uses androstenedione, thought to be a naturally occurring testosterone booster that is sold over the counter as a dietary supplement.
It is legal in baseball but banned by the NFL, NCAA and International Olympic Committee.
All consider it to have steroid qualities, putting it in the class of performance-enhancing and potentially dangerous anabolic steroids, which have been linked to coronary disease, cancer, liver dysfunction and severe mood and mental disorders.
What it is and what it isn't is as much a part of the debate as McGwire's open use of it. For instance, Michael Mellman, the Dodgers' team doctor, said he doesn't recommend androstenedione or anything like it.
"If I don't know that it will help and I can't assure it won't hurt, then I'm not going to recommend that a player use it," he said.
"It comes out of a poorly regulated industry in which there is no required testing for safety and efficacy."
Said a high ranking baseball official: "I've been on the phone to medical people for the better part of the last two days. One says we have a problem [by not banning androstenedione and similar substances] and the next says we don't. We certainly didn't need this at this time, but at the least we're going to take a harder look at it in conjunction with the players union, and that machinery is being put in place now."
McGwire has used androstenedione for more than a year, and several other protein and amino acid-type supplements, including creatine, for four years. Jay McGwire, who said he has used similar supplements since he was in high school without any physical ramifications, put his brother on the program during the injury-marred 1993 and '94 seasons.
