The Anabolic Doc believes bodybuilding success requires good genetics and steroid use – and advises reassessing your goals away from the sport.

Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc, has always maintained an empathy and understanding of bodybuilders and strength athletes who use steroids. The doc was “bitten by the bug” himself – as he puts it. He understands that an athlete will always want to do whatever it takes to succeed.

But if he were to give advice to a young aspiring bodybuilder before they become passionate and embedded into the sport. His advice would be to “reassess” their goals and back away from bodybuilding. This is because he believes that steroids are mandatory to succeed in the sport. And he sees the damage to health it causes too severe to ever recommend. In our latest GI Exclusive, the Anabolic Doc explains why he feels bodybuilding is not worth the steroid use that comes with it.

We recently had a very lengthly video conversation with Dr. Thomas O’Connor, aka the Anabolic Doc. This conversation has been released in segments over the past few weeks. As always, the doctor provides very empathetic and educated information about drug use in the sport and its long term consequences. So we decided to ask him – what advice would he give to a young aspiring bodybuilder who is interested in going pro?

Many amateur bodybuilders feel the pressure to use steroids to succeed. It’s a slippery slope. If one person is winning on steroids, then others feel the need to use to be on an even playing field. Before you know it – steroid use becomes the norm. This is the world that many amateur bodybuilders are entering. While not literally mandatory, it’s a pressure that can manifest in aspiring athletes.

That’s why The Anabolic Doc, while emphatic to athletes and their passions, would strongly advise that aspiring bodybuilders back away. He whole heartedly believes the steroid use is not worth it. He’s seen the data and he’s worked with enough bodybuilders post-retirement to know the suffering they go through. If a bodybuilder believes that steroid use is necessary to succeed in the sport, the doctor believes that the athlete should simply find another goal completely.

“You have to have great genetics and then you have to do steroids,” the Anabolic Doc states in our interview in regards to competitive bodybuilding. He continues:

“I would advise 100% to reassess your dreams and goals and not to do it [bodybuilding].”

The Anabolic Doc understands that a person, regardless of sport or even goal, will do whatever it takes to succeed if they are passionate about the subject. This is unavoidable. So for those on the fence and not fully embedded into the sport – Dr. O’Connor seems to see this as a way out. Jump ship before you get sucked in and start making sacrifices that can lead to health issues in the long term. As much as the doctor is a strength athlete at heart himself – he knows too much of the data and experiences to ever fully recommend going down that path.

Do you agree with the Anabolic Doc? And do you think that steroids are necessary to succeed in the sport? Watch his full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above – and then decide for yourself!

Derek Dufour
Derek Dufour has been managing all digital operations on the Generation Iron Network for over six years. He currently manages a team of editors, writers, and designers to provide up-to-date content across the GI Network.