Professional bodybuilder Marcello De Angelis recently made a rare admission in the fitness community by publicly discussing his use of site enhancement injections and the severe consequences that followed. In a candid video posted to his official Instagram, Marcello revealed the physical and mental toll that resulted from years of improper injection practices.
Marcello explained that his problems began around 2015-2016 when he started performing pre-workout injections, a practice where athletes inject roids directly into specific muscles before training them. The goal was to create an inflammatory response that would temporarily make the muscle appear larger and more engorged with blood. However, Marcello admitted this was largely an illusion caused by inflammation and water retention rather than actual muscle growth.
He said, “I would take that steroid I wanted to use and inject it into the muscle before training. This created an inflammatory process which caused the sensation of gaining more muscle two or three days later. But no, in reality it was just an inflammatory process.”
The situation escalated when Marcello requested custom formulations with lower roid concentrations but higher carrier oil volumes, allowing him to inject larger quantities. According to Marcello, the individuals producing these PEDs allegedly tampered with the products during a period of conflict, adding unknown compounds that ultimately caused extensive fibrosis throughout his muscles.
“Because of their ego, whether it was out of envy, malice, for an advantage, or complaining, for some reason, due to the situations that were happening in my career rise, they decided they would sabotage me with those PEDs,” he alleged.
Fibrosis is scar tissue that forms within muscle, which is non-contractile and can severely limit mobility, reduce strength, and distort muscle shape. The fibrosis caused him significant pain, training limitations, and visible changes to his muscle appearance. He considered quitting competitive bodybuilding entirely due to these complications.
Starting in 2018, Marcello began seeking treatment through specialized clinics offering enzyme therapy and physical therapy. These interventions helped reduce the fibrosis and restore some mobility. Marcello noted that at his worst, he couldn’t fully straighten his arms due to the tissue damage.
The challenges extended beyond physical issues. Marcello revealed he faced severe anxiety and depression stemming from personal problems, including the end of his marriage, financial instability, and family difficulties. These mental health struggles, combined with the physical complications, forced him to step away from competitive bodybuilding and discontinue hormone use for nearly a year.
In his video, Marcello showed his current physique after approximately one year without PEDs. “This is the physique I have after all of this, after a year almost without hormones, after a year recovering, seeking this help,” he said, promising a return to competition by year’s end.
While significantly smaller than his competitive condition, his build remains well above average for non-competitive athletes. Marcello emphasized the importance of seeking professional help for both physical and mental health issues, encouraging others facing similar struggles to do the same.
o fisiculturista Marcelo Horse teve sérios problemas de saúde e precisou ficar um ano sem usar anabolizantes.
Esse foi o resultado: https://t.co/8yzzsRAC2U
— José Louis (@concatenarsim) October 31, 2026
