Do Strongmen Use Steroids? An In-Depth Analysis

These are gigantic hunks of muscle stacked on top of more muscle with the sole focus of lifting heavy things.

So Performance-enhancing drugs, such as steroids, are the subject of controversy and constant debate in the athletic community . And for good reason, despite all the benefits that steroids bring, the consequences are also severe.

This article will discuss the prevalence, regulations, ethical considerations, health risks, performance impact, and personal accounts of steroid use in strongman competitions. Keep reading!

Rules and Regulations Regarding Steroid Use in Strongman Competitions

The main strongman competition in the world is called the ‘World’s Strongest Man.’ it is hosted by an organization of the same name and has been around since 1977.  The events of the competition consist of carrying, pulling, lifting, and throwing heavy objects in the most diverse ways: From doing squats with ridiculous amounts of weight to pulling a whole truck with your body.

So, do strongmen use steroids in the ‘World’s Strongest Man’? Officially, the WSM forbids the use of any kind of performance-enhancing drug. According to their website, all competitors go through physical examinations and blood tests before the competition and anyone found to be underuse of such substances is immediately disqualified. 

However, it is not clear how effective these screenings actually are, since several athletes including Hafthor Julius Bjornsson - former WSM champion and, for the Game of Thrones fans out there, the actor who played “The Mountain” - have admitted to using steroids in the past, with Bjornsson even saying on record: "When you want to be the best, you do whatever it takes."

What Are The Effects Of Steroid Use?

Firstly, it’s important to understand that, nowadays, steroid is an umbrella term to refer to performance-enhancing drugs. There are several kinds of steroids out there, and they have different purposes and effects on the human body.

However, the most common of them is a form of Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), which is a synthetic form of testosterone. This hormone is naturally found in the human body. However, men produce way more of it than women. It is the same hormone responsible for male sex traits such as muscle growth, hair follicles spread, reproductive system development, etc.

The main effects of taking AAS are:

Muscle Growth and Strength

• Increased Muscle Mass: AAS promotes muscle growth by increasing protein synthesis and nitrogen retention in muscles.
• Enhanced Strength: The increase in muscle mass leads to greater strength, allowing strongmen to lift heavier weights and perform better in competitions.

Recovery and Endurance

• Faster Recovery: Steroids decrease muscle damage and inflammation, allowing strongmen to train harder and more frequently.
• Improved Endurance: Some steroids can enhance red blood cell production, improving oxygen delivery to muscles and increasing endurance.

Psychological Edge

• Increased Confidence: The physical improvements can boost an athlete's confidence and mental toughness, contributing to better performance.

As you can see, steroid use can grant a significant edge over the competition and take an athlete to new heights regarding their physical performance. 

This does not only apply to strongmen though, the bodybuilding world is also full of steroid users, top names and category champions included. Natural bodybuilders do exist and their events are starting to gain some popularity, but they are still a minority.

Taking steroids can be very tempting, especially if you have what’s considered to be some kind of bad bicep genetics, bad chest genetics, or even bad shoulder genetics. Steroid use has become popular even at non-pro levels and is seen almost as a cheat code to get the body of a Greek god faster. However, all these benefits come with a price.

What Are The Risks Of Steroid Use?

Even though there are several great benefits to steroids, they are controversial for a reason. Their use has several side effects that can develop into serious health risks that can last the rest of the user’s life. 

Of course, everybody is going to react differently to steroids, but it’s important to understand its implications. Among the several side effects of steroid use, the main ones are:

Physical Health Risks

• Cardiovascular Issues: Steroid use can lead to several cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and increased risk of stroke.
• Liver Damage: Steroid use is very hard on the liver, causing liver damage and increasing the risk of liver cancer.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Prolonged steroid use can disrupt natural hormone production, leading to issues such as gynecomastia  (abnormal breast tissue development in men), infertility, and an inability to produce testosterone naturally.

Psychological Effects

• Mood Swings: Steroid use can cause mood swings, aggression, and irritability, also referred to as "roid rage."
• Depression and Anxiety: Long-term use can also lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Dependency and Withdrawal

• Addiction: As the results start to come in and users see how their bodies are stronger and chiseled, it is possible to develop a dependency on steroids, leading to addiction.
• Withdrawal Symptoms: Stopping steroid use can result in withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, depression, and loss of muscle mass.

Ethical Considerations Surrounding Steroid Use Among Strongmen

As you can see, steroid use brings great benefits and incredible risks at the same time. It’s not for this article to determine whether it is right or wrong or whether should it be banned or not. Nonetheless, it is important to consider all points of view before emitting an opinion. We can analyze steroid use through several lenses:

Fairness and Integrity

One can argue that steroid use leads to unfair competition between athletes in the WSM. If one athlete is willing to risk their health to gain an advantage in the competition, it incentivizes other competitors to also take steroids or simply compete for second place. This ultimately undermines the integrity of the sport.

Health and Safety 

As stated earlier in the article, steroid use is dangerous as it can lead to multiple complications both physical and mental. Allowing for steroid use in any kind of competition would be to disregard the well-being of the athletes, which should be a top priority in any kind of sportive event.

Public Perception

Strongmen are role models for a lot of people. Their open use of steroids can serve as a negative influence on several younger athletes who perhaps don’t even know the full extent of side effects steroids can have on the human body. 

Besides, strongmen are the face of the WSM. Even if their feats of strength are remarkable, cases of athletes having to retire early, and even dying due to steroid use would be a great tragedy and certainly tarnish the competition’s image.

The Internet’s Opinion On Steroids

At this point, the natty vs. juice debate has been around for decades, which means we have plenty of points of view to consider. In this section of the article, we’ll provide you with some opinions online to further base your opinion.

In a Reddit post titled “Does anyone know if it is common with steroid use by the world-class strongman competitors?” we can find several answers that reveal the public’s main opinion on steroid use among strongmen:

User Moss-and-stone replied: “Just assume that the majority of world-class strength athletes have used some form of PED at one point or another.”

While Thallandchill says: 

“Yes.

Robert Oberst has alluded to it/mentioned it and was even going to do videos on it. He posted one awhile back but I haven’t seen one since.

Rob Kearney I’m pretty sure alluded to it during his appearance on the Joe Rogan Show if I remember correctly.

Larry Wheels, who’s doing strongman now, spoke about it at length with Pete Rubish in an interview a few days ago.

Bill Kazmaier has spoken about his own use as well in the past.

Thor basically admitted to it during an interview with ESPN as well.

Just for a few examples.”

Finally, Incidental77 leaves a short but telling comment: “Perception would be that it's near universal at the pro level.”

The Conclusion

So, do strongmen use steroids? Considering steroid use has been a norm for decades now in all kinds of strength and muscle development competitions: yes, probably. 

We can’t say for sure. Despite the official prohibition by the WSM, it is very hard to believe that these athletes, who have winning this competition as their ultimate goal, would not do everything in their power to achieve it.

If you are thinking of taking steroids, please consult a professional and do it safely. Also, evaluate if you really need it. Fitness is a journey of health and self-improvement, and not a dangerous race to see how big one can get in the shortest amount of time.

Here at Flex we think going natural is the key to a long healthy life and the right thing to do. 

Do you want to level up your aesthetic workout? We’ve made it simple to work on customized fitness plans or to introduce a little friendly competition to your fitness community by sharing exercises with your friends. Get started for free through the Flex fitness app.