When people with muscle loss do either steroids or exercise, both seem to help them gain similar amounts of muscle and strength — neither one clearly wins.
Claim Language
Language Strength
definitive
Uses definitive language (causes, prevents, cures)
The verb 'produce' is used to assert a direct and certain outcome — implying that these two interventions reliably and consistently result in similar gains, without hedging language like 'may' or 'likely'.
Context Details
Domain
medicine
Population
human
Subject
Anabolic-androgenic steroids and exercise
Action
produce
Target
similar gains in lean body mass and muscle strength
Intervention Details
Gold Standard Evidence Needed
According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Can conditions of skeletal muscle loss be improved by combining exercise with anabolic–androgenic steroids? A systematic review and meta-analysis of testosterone-based interventions
The study found that for people losing muscle, steroids and exercise helped them gain muscle and strength about the same amount — so the claim that they’re similarly effective is backed up.