Milos Sarcev details why and how he introduced insulin into the world of bodybuilding.
What is one of the biggest shifts in modern bodybuilding history? If you ask any fan, athlete, or expert – they’ll likely include the use of insulin on the list. Slowly starting in the 1980s and taking hold strongly by the early 2000s, insulin use has become common and has changed the landscape of bodybuilding significantly. Milos Sarcev claims to be the man who introduced this drug into the sport. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, he explains why and how he brought insulin into bodybuilding – and why he still stands by it today.
While steroid use in bodybuilding is still a controversial topic in the sport. What is even more controversial is the use of insulin. Bodybuilders take insulin to increase stamina and improve endurance, to increase muscle bulk as it stimulates glycogen formation, and to prevent the breakdown of muscle protein. This all helps a bodybuilder bulk up to extreme mass monster levels. On the flipside, the drug has also been labeled extremely dangerous. It’s been casually linked to the young death of bodybuilders and is seen as far more unhealthy in comparison to steroids.
Milos Sarcev claims to be the man who brought insulin into the sport of bodybuilding. And he still stands by its use today. He believes it is a vital part of evolving the sport and allowing athletes to push the bar to the next level. In regards to health, he thinks the drug isn’t dangerous so long as the person using it is informed and educated about its use.
We’ve interviewed other coaches and gurus who disagree with Milos’ sentiments. In our previous conversation with George Farah – he admits that he regrets jumping on the insulin bandwagon when it was first introduced. Now looking back, Farah believes that insulin shouldn’t be used at all by bodybuilders.
Of course, it must be made clear that the way insulin is being used by bodybuilders is not how it was intended to be utilized. Insulin as a drug has very specific uses that can be prescribed by a doctor. Becoming a mass monster bodybuilder is not one of them.
Milos Sarcev couldn’t care less about what doctors believe. Milos used insulin throughout majority of his competitive career. He’s suggested it to many athletes as well. He understands that doctors must lean on the safe side when condoning or endorsing drugs for casual use. But Milos believes the reality is that it makes perfect scientific sense for a bodybuilder to use the drug. But like with any drug, it must be used correctly.
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Milos Sarcev competing at the 1999 Arnold Classic (above).
Insulin has also been criticized for declining the overall quality of physiques. While athletes may be getting bigger, they have distended stomachs that are unappealing and go against the ultimate aesthetic look a bodybuilder
should have on stage. Insulin has been a target and blamed as the cause of distended stomachs. Again, Milos Sarcev disagrees and uses his own career as proof. He never held a distended stomach on stage for the entirety of his insulin use. It’s not the drug that’s causing this issue, it’s the people using it incorrectly that is causing the problem.
Do you agree with Milos? Check out his full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above and decide for yourself!
*DISCLAIMER: The Generation Iron Fitness Network does not support or endorse the use of illegal or dangerous drugs. The views and opinions expressed in this video are that of the subject and do not necessarily reflect Generation Iron.
