The 5x Mr. Olympia gives insight on some of the most frequently asked questions in fitness
On a recent PBD Podcast where the 5x Classic Physique Olympia champion appeared as a guest. Chris Bumstead discusses the topic of steroids in bodybuilding. Patrick-Bet David brings up how he used to want to be involved in bodybuilding, so he had questions regarding the usage of steroids, and someone told him to read the Steroids Bible. He also brings up an interview with Mr. Olympia competitors that were being interviewed with their faces blurred out, and they were being asked about steroid usage, and all of them denied it. PBD states that nowadays people are more open about usage of PEDs, and asks Bumstead directly, “what is your relationship with steroids”, then asks what the average person does know about steroids, that they do NEED to know about the substances.
Chris Bumstead’s reply to this question about what people need to know is “everything”, going on to say that there is a lot to it. He says that he did a Q and A recently in Dubai, and someone who was only 17 years of age asked if he should be taking steroids, and Bumstead advised him not to, and “if you have to ask someone else, then you shouldn’t be doing it”.
Chris Bumstead Discusses Steroid Side Effects
Moving on in the interview with PBD, Bumstead says that the side effects of steroids can vary so greatly that you truly never know what you are getting yourself into. He states that you could do one cycle and your natural testosterone levels are depleted and you need to be on TRT forever, or you could be infertile and not have kids. He states that steroid usage can also lead to an increased risk of heart disease, cholesterol, and other organ damage. Balding is even a side effect of these substances, especially if you have the genetics for male pattern baldness.
Bumstead even says that steroids can be “addictive”, not like a typical drug where your body is quite literally dependent on the substance, but people can become addicted to the results that they produce. That means if you keep seeing progress in muscle mass and strength, then you will just want more and more, and that can produce long term side effects if you are abusing the substances.
Don’t Touch Steroids
From there, Chris Bumstead advises for anyone to not touch them, particular those individuals at a young age. He says that your physique is still progressing, so “don’t even think about touching it”.
He also says that if you are not competing in bodybuilding long term, then especially stay away from PEDs. Too often do people say that they are going to compete and do a cycle of steroids with no knowledge of what to do, they compete once and hate it, and then have potentially long term damage to their bodies.
Chris’s advice is to stay away from the substances for as long as you can and instead focus on things like training and proper recovery protocols, as well as diet and supplementation to naturally boost your testosterone levels and keep yourself healthy. He says to train naturally as long as you can until you reach your absolute genetic potential, then MAYBE take a look at using PEDs, but you need to understand the risk and come to terms with the fact that it could be potentially dangerous to your health.
TRT vs. Steroids
PBD then asks the question of where you can learn more about steroids. He also brings up the “lifestyle doctors” that are not necessarily your primary physicians, but will look at your testosterone levels and be more likely to prescribe things like peptides and TRT to help rejuvenate you.
Chris’s response to the question of steroids vs. TRT is that steroids and TRT are much different, stating that steroid cycles are higher doses, more compounds, and more underground. He states that when it comes to TRT, if you are over 35 and have low levels of testosterone, then perhaps testosterone replacement therapy is a good route, as it provides energy and can help eliminate body fat and keep you healthy.
He says that it helps to have friends in the industry that are knowledgeable, and maybe some professionals who are a little less mainstream and willing to have the discussion of what is healthy vs. what is not when it comes to TRT and steroids is a good thing. Bumstead also says that you do not want to rely solely on other people’s opinions’, and you need to do extensive research on your own because a lot of things out there are not what you may think.
Where Did Chris Bumstead Learn About Steroids?
PBD does not hold back and asks where Chris Bumstead learned about steroids, and his reply was that he has always been a relationship builder and had a good knowledgeable support system in his friends that he could go to. He was always advised to take the minimum effective dose and go from there, but even at a young age he had a run in with health issues, which were not caused by the compounds but he realized the risk of taking them.
The health issues caused him to realize that some compounds were just too “hardcore” to be in the body. Bumstead that he has actually been able to decrease the amount of steroids he takes over the last five years, as he fine tunes his other areas such as diet, training, and recovery, and he has been able to make tremendous progress without taking copious amounts of drugs.
Wrap Up
Overall, this episode of the PBD podcast was an interesting one, and Chris Bumstead provided some great insights. The bottom line is that steroids are not necessarily the safest route, and can really cause some long term health effects that you need to understand. Bumstead’s advice is to stay natural for as long as you can, and instead focus on diet, training, and recovery protocols to be the best version of yourself that you can be.
Do you agree with Chris Bumstead’s take on the substances?
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