For those who enjoy bodybuilding, including competitively, an important decision is whether to stay natural or to start taking drugs to enhance their muscles even more.
Different organizations exist with different rules and different events, and it’s clear to those who compete whether or not drugs are on the table.
The International Natural Bodybuilding Association and the Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA/ PNBA) have been around since the 90s. Entrepreneur Denny Kakos originally founded the PNBA to promote natural bodybuilding at a professional level. It quickly gained popularity and growth. INBA was then created to unify and standardize natural bodybuilding around the world.
INBA hosts multiple competitions annually such as Natural Olympia, Ironman and Legends Classic. This federation has grown over the years as recently their Instagram account posted that the most payouts awarded in the history of Natural Bodybuilding is happening this year.
On the other hand, the International Fitness Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB), a federation that tends to host bodybuilding shows without a drug test requirement also exists.
Within the IFBB federation, bodybuilders can choose to compete among their 6,000 competitions annually. The cash prizes awarded to the IFBB winners is significantly higher than those in natural bodybuilding.
The competitive landscape within both the IFBB and INBA is highly intense and demanding. It is up to the bodybuilder to choose whether they would rather compete naturally against non-steroid users or against competitors that could be using them.
With that in mind, many bodybuilders resort to using PEDs while preparing for competitions. Others choose to compete in natural shows against fellow athletes who do not use any PEDs. For natural bodybuilders, their emphasis lies in maximizing their physique’s inherent potential without the use of any drugs.
Joseph Eidem, a Criminal Justice student at UNR and an eight-time INBA/PNBA Teen Beach Natural Olympia, has competed in over 150 shows. He began his bodybuilding career competing at local shows when he was five years old. At the young age of 13, his unawareness towards steroids ended after he heard his competitors talking and making jokes about it along with asking him if he was using them.
Steroids, specifically anabolic steroids are structurally related drugs to testosterone, the main male sex hormone. Steroids are most commonly injected intramuscularly or ingested orally. The doses abused are sometimes 10 to 100 time higher than the approved medical and treatment medical treatment dosages. When taken, these drugs can increase muscle size, strength and even performance. Unfortunately it can also cause acne, liver damage, infertility and mood swings among many other mild to even life-threatening side effects.
Eidem only competes in natural shows such as Teen Natural Olympia where he takes pride in being a natural bodybuilder. He strictly competes within the INBA/PNBA federation where competitors are required to undergo drug testing including urine analysis and/or polygraph screening, a.k.a a lie detector test.
All athletes must pass the drug test and be compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Anti-Doping Code; a detailed document serving as the global standard for listing substances and methods banned in sports. Testing takes place prior to the shows. INBA PNBA will also conduct random drug testing at each event and to members of Natural Teams throughout the year. Such measures are taken to ensure they are competing without the aid of performance-enhancing drugs.
However, there are still bodybuilders in such shows who try to compete despite being on steroids.
“I have seen quite a few people get kicked off,” Eidem said. “We will walk off the stage and judges will point and be like, ‘number 226, come with us’ and when finals come up, that guy is not in line, you know the answer.”
Athletes suspected to be on steroids will be pulled off after they go on stage and immediately be drug tested. From Eidem’s experience in witnessing these scenarios, INBA will obtain the results within 20 to 30 minutes. If an athlete tests positive for a banned substance, they may be facing suspension from competing for one year to even a lifetime ban.
Since the INBA and PNBA focus on promoting natural bodybuilding, their website, naturalbodybuilding.com, includes a Hall of Shame section to further emphasize this commitment. The banned athlete’s name, picture and test results will be posted on the section and social media.
On the other hand, bodybuilding organizations like National Physique Committee (NPC) and IFBB are the federations well-known for hosting shows that are not explicitly promoted as for natural athletes. The phrase 'steroids allowed' may not appear in the show’s description, but athletes will not be required to undergo drug testing in order to compete.
These shows may feature athletes using steroids, as drug testing is not mandatory. As a result, a natural competitor could end up competing against someone using substances like Trenbolone—an androgen and anabolic steroid
“In the amateur like the NPC unless they are specified as a natural show, they will never test you,” said a local female bodybuilder who asked to remain anonymous to avoid receiving backlash. Having competed in four shows within 4 years such as the NPC/IFBB Pro League Nevada State Championship, this bodybuilder said, “when you are on an NPC stage or even an IFBB stage, you don’t know what the person next to you is running.”
Steroids are quite accessible, especially online.
Metandienone, also known as methandrostenolone, is commonly sold under the brand name Danabol. It is an androgen and anabolic steroid used for physique and performance enhancing purposes by athletes like bodybuilders. It is commonly sold online in sites like caymanchem.com.
Under the drug’s product description, it is described as “Anabolic steroids, including methandienone, have been used to enhance physical performance in athletes. Metandienone is regulated as a Schedule III compound in the United States. This product is intended for research and forensic applications.” More importantly, there is a warning stating that “This product is not for human or veterinary use.”
Within the local scene, some workers or bodybuilders in Reno gyms will offer steroids even in the bathrooms.
“It happens a lot more than you think,” Eidem said. “If someone is doing it, they are going to want you to do it. They are going to shove it down your throat.”
Luca Fazio, a 19-year-old Forestry student at the University of Nevada, Reno, is launching his bodybuilding career as he prepares to compete in his first amateur show on June 14 at the Nevada State Championships in Reno. The show does not require drug testing, so Fazio will most likely be competing against both natural and PED users.
For now, Fazio does not plan to use steroids in any form.
“Using steroids is an easy way to get what you want,” Fazio said. “It is instant results and people are not patient in any generation.”
Nowadays, a commonly used steroid among bodybuilders is MK-677 also known as Ubutamoren. It can be easily found online in primesportsnutrition.com. 30 mg of it is currently for sale for $119.99. MK-677 capsules can also be purchased on Amazon at a price of $39.98 for 60 pills.
MK-677 increases growth hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) levels in the body by activating the ghrelin receptor in the body. This receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor involved in energy homeostasis and appetite regulation. It binds to ghrelin which stimulates food intake and growth hormone secretion. Ultimately, MK-677 increases body, fat and muscle mass.
Other steroids such as Trenbolone, also known as Tren, can cost as much as $32 for 1 mg or $78 for 5 mg. Caymanchem.com also sells this type of anabolic androgenic steroid with the same warning label as Danabol of “This product is not for human or veterinary use.”
Regardless of where and how, ultimately, steroids are easily accessible. Anyone, including bodybuilders, with the financial means can easily acquire them.
The pressure to win and show up with the best physique on show day can influence a bodybuilder’s decision to use steroids. Coaches, at times, will recommend using them for quicker and better results.
“I have been pushed a number of times to take steroids from coaches or from people that were supposed to be trusting,” the anonymous female bodybuilder said. “I reached out to an online coach and this person mentioned, ‘oh you’re feeling tired, maybe you should try this or Anavar.”
Social media influencers such as Alex Eubanks or Christian Bumstead are also a reason for the prevalence and normalization of steroid usage. Eubanks, a fitness and lifestyle content creator on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, was known for having a very lean physique without the use of steroids. He posts vlogs and workout routines along with other lifestyle content.
Six months ago, however, he posted a video titled “The End of an Era,” where he explained his reasoning for ending his natural fitness journey. Eubanks decided to start taking Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) hoping to “have 10% body fat…year round but feel really good.”
Eubanks mentioned that when his body is lean and aesthetic he feels like less of a man. “I feel like sh*t,” Eubanks said in the same video. His sex drive is low, he often struggles with getting good sleep and also experiences brain fog. He hopes that by starting on TRT and HCG, these factors will change for the better.
TRT can restore hormone balance. It can improve mood, increase muscle mass and bone density. But, with long-term use and improper regulation, it can be significantly detrimental to anyone’s health. Acne, breast swelling or tenderness, swelling in the ankles and increased risk of clotting are risks still prevalent with pursuing TRT. HCG may even cause depression, fatigue, headache and disturbed sleep when taken.
Whether the decision to use steroids is driven by personal physique goals, bodybuilding competitions, body dysmorphia, or external pressure, the potential side effects should be carefully considered before making such a choice.
“Especially for people who inject their arms, it will be covered in acne and break down in a rash,” Eidem said. “Some of the steroids alter your mood. You can see someone if they are not hitting the weight they want to hit, they are throwing their weights.”
Common effects of anabolic steroids include acne, breast enlargement or tenderness in men, decrease in breast size in women, smaller testicles, changes in menstrual cycles, voice deepening in women, excessive body hair growth and decreased sperm products, to name a few.
In bodybuilding, it can be incredibly challenging to avoid using steroids, as they are often seen as an inherent part of the sport.
“They are competing because they are on steroids and are competing against people on steroids,” Eidem said. “To them, that is the competition and that is how they feel the sport is.”
The work-ethic, commitment and perseverance of bodybuilders still remains regardless if they are natural or not. While the sport may be saturated with steroid use, it’s important for outsiders to recognize that there are reasons behind a bodybuilder’s decision to use them.
For bodybuilders, it’s equally important to thoroughly research the side effects and carefully consider whether the potential outcomes align with their long-term goals.
When it comes to the public’s perception of bodybuilders using steroids “People diss it a lot,” Eidem said. “If you’re not into the sport, you don’t really understand why. But even as a natural bodybuilder, I still get why he is on it.”
Eidem plans to compete in more natural bodybuilding shows in the future. Currently, he trains almost daily, consumes a high-protein diet, and prioritizes his health as he prepares for his upcoming competition, the INBA Iron Man Magazine International.
For now, he does not plan to use any steroids as he takes pride in his achievements as a natural bodybuilder.
“I am pretty proud of being an eight time [champion] at the age of 19 and being able to do that fully naturally,” Eidem concluded.