Bonds’ ex-mistress testifies on slugger’s steroid use; recounts physical, behavioral changes

Barry Bonds allegedly confessed about using steroids around 1999, according to the slugger’s former girlfriend.

On Monday, a key witness for the prosecution, Kimberly Bell, who dated Bonds from 1994-2003, told the jury that the all-time home run king confessed to her in 1999 that an elbow injury was caused by his steroids use.

On a big lump in his left elbow, Bonds told Bell that “it was because of steroids, because somehow it caused the muscle and the tendons to grow faster than the joint could handle and it sort of blew out,'' as reported by USA TODAY.

A former graphic artist from San Jose, Bell, who was emotional in her testimony, also related about the physical and personality changes the former Giants star experienced during their relationship.

"It's clear his overall body grew dramatically. Hair was falling out quickly and he ended up shaving his head," Bell said.  

Bell also said that in later years of their relationship, Bonds’ sexual performance declined. That his testicles changed shape and shrunk and “he had trouble keeping an erection. He tried different things to solve the problem. He had never experienced that before.''

Also during those years in their relationship, Bell recounted the behavior changes in Bonds.

"He was increasingly aggressive, irritable, agitated and very impatient," she said via the USA TODAY.

In her testimony, Bell said that Bonds told her, "he didn't shoot it up every day like bodybuilders did." She also said Bonds told her "other players do it. That's how they were getting ahead. That's how they were achieving, by doing steroids," Bell quoted Bonds as saying. 

Bonds, 46, is accused of four counts of making false statements and one of obstruction for allegedly lying to the grand jury during the government’s investigation of BALCO. In 2003, the home-run king testified that he never knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career.