“Everybody is on steroids. Everybody.”
The question of how essential steroids are to the sport of bodybuilding has raged on ever since the inception of the sport. It’s hard to ignore the potential risks of using steroids and other PEDs long term. But the question becomes not if there are risks but if the risks outweigh the achievements of the sport.
Natural bodybuilding leagues such as the INBA/PNBA dedicate their entire existence to providing a healthy and completely steroid free alternative to untested pro bodybuilding leagues. The problem? These natural leagues are just less popular.
But where is the line drawn between appealing to public interest and focusing on athlete health and safety? The NFL had recently been put under scrutiny due to the worrying statistics of just how bad concussions play a role in the declining health of its athletes. Will bodybuilding come under the same fire one day? Will the sport eventually change to accomedate a healthier sport?
In our new exclusive clip from Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life – we speak with doctors, trainers, and pro bodybuilders on both sides of the aisle. In a sequence of clashing opinions, the film tries to come towards some sort of conclusion. Are steroids dangerous enough to change the culture of the sport?
In one highlight, King Kamali makes it clear that he thinks nothing will change soon. That steroids, while dangerous, and an accepted danger by most people. Similar to cigarettes. “Everybody is on steroids. Everybody,” King Kamali claims. “From the doctor, to the lawyer, to the judge, to the guy who plays weekend golf, to the girl who just wants to lose weight. Everybody is taking it.”
Is King Kamali right? Can bodybuilding change if the culture at large is accepting of steroids in day to day life? Watch the full clip from Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life above and decide for yourself.
