In the world of sports, entertainment, and fitness, the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) has sparked controversy and intrigue. From professional wrestlers like Hulk Hogan to Hollywood icons like Sylvester Stallone and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the specter of PED usage looms large over those with seemingly superhuman physiques. Additionally, even legendary figures like Bruce Lee have faced speculation regarding their physical prowess. This essay explores the stories of these individuals, delving into their experiences with PEDs, the reasons behind their usage, and the ethical questions raised. Through their journeys, we aim to uncover the complexities surrounding PEDs and the pursuit of physical excellence.

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan, a name that resonates deeply with the world of sports entertainment, played a pivotal role in catapulting WWE from a regional spectacle to a global phenomenon during the 1980s. What made the Hulk star so appealing was his gigantic physique standing at six feet seven and weighing over 300 pounds. Hogan was a sight to behold. He would often tell children to say their prayers and eat their vitamins. It turns out that Hulk Hogan took his own special vitamins. He revealed his use of steroids during a wrestling shoot interview. “70s, 80s, doctors would write your prescription, you know, or a steroid where every sport in the world was doing it right? It was the mindset was it was safer than taking sugar.”

Alan Ritchson

Alan Ritchson, is an American actor, model, and singer, has made significant waves in the entertainment industry. Standing tall at six foot two, the 40-year-old Richton has undoubtedly sculpted his body to fit the intense demands of his most significant role to date in Reacher, showcasing his dedication to both his craft and physical fitness. His physique has had many wondering exactly what it takes to achieve his chiseled look. After a lot of speculation, Allen opened up to his fans on his YouTube channel, Instachurch. He admitted to using some performance-enhancing drugs, but not in the way you would expect. “Um, I never have taken a performance-enhancing drug. I’ve never taken HGH and never took testosterone until very recently for health reasons,” Allen elaborated on what made him decide to jump on testosterone in another interview. “So I get done with the season, I’m super fatigued, I’m like, things aren’t working on my body, I can’t breathe, I’m like, I don’t know what’s going on. I work out all the time and should be feeling better, and uh, I go to the doctor and let’s do a blood panel. He’s like, ‘Oh, you have no testosterone.’ So like, ‘Oh my God, like a new me.’

Sylvester Stallone

Stallone, often referred to as Sly, is an iconic figure in the world of cinema, known most for his portrayal of Rocky Balboa and Rambo. Sly has become an inspiration for millions worldwide. What made Sly so compelling for these iconic film roles was his shredded physique, which went through a dramatic transformation between Rocky 1 and Rocky IV. Sly was known to work out with many of the greatest bodybuilders of the Golden Era, including Franco Colombo and Arnold Schwarzenegger. After hanging out with such a crowd, many speculated the use of anabolic steroids.

In 2007, Stallone was the subject of news headlines after bringing human growth hormone to Australia. Airport staff found 48 vials of the hormones in tropin in his luggage. Stallone did not know that it was illegal to have such substances in Australia and was fined. Here is what he had to say about the event: “Let’s talk about the physicality of the role and connect some dots and you tell me if it’s appropriate or inappropriate to connect these dots. We’re in possession of human growth hormones against the law in Australia. You said it’s a medical condition. The cynics are going to say you had those things because you’re off going to shoot Rambo and you wanted to be pumped for the role. It’s really archaic the way people perceive HGH. It’s amino acids 191.” At this stage of your career though, would you do something like that to, you know, artificial to get yourself in the kind of physical shape? You cannot, and I only wish it was true, you could just take something like that and you’re in shape. If you have to put in years and years and years of hard labor, do you agree with Sly or do you think the HGH was the smoking gun for the use of performance-enhancing drugs? Let us know in the comments.

The Rock

Dwayne Johnson, popularly known as The Rock, is a multi-faceted American talent celebrated as an actor, producer, singer, and former professional wrestler. Many actors have transformed their physiques for roles, but Johnson’s standout feature in his acting career is his remarkable build. Given his frequent portrayal of intense action heroes, it’s crucial for him to sustain his muscularity and remain in peak condition. It’s made people suspicious if his results come from more than just grueling gym sessions and viral pancake stacks.

In an interview with MTV in 2009, Dwayne Johnson admitted to trying steroids with his friends when he was around the age of 19. He also insisted on the industry needing to give out harsher penalties for those caught using. Many people are not convinced by this explanation and believe The Rock is still on steroids. One of the most vocal of his critics is podcaster Joe Rogan. “The Rock should come clean right now, you should make a video in response to the Liver King video. I need to talk to you because The Rock’s been lying. Yeah, no, yeah, there’s not a chance in hell he’s clean. No, not a chance in hell as big as The Rock is at 50. Do you think The Rock is now natty? Let us know in the comments section.

Quentin Rampage Jackson

Quentin Rampage Jackson, born on June 20th, 1978, in Memphis, Tennessee, is a celebrated American mixed martial artist and actor. He immersed himself in mixed martial arts training, quickly rising to prominence in the fighting world. His prowess in the ring and charismatic personality have solidified his reputation as one of MMA’s most iconic figures. Just from looking at him, you can tell why he lives up to his nickname. In an interview on the No Jumper podcast, Adam 22 brought up how easy it is to buy steroids in some countries.

Rampage revealed that he doesn’t understand the point of steroids but that he has taken testosterone. “Do you think TRT counts as steroids? I don’t agree with people taking um, steroids because I don’t I don’t understand it. I don’t know what it is but testosterone, yeah, our body producing testosterone I think that um well you can get it prescribed but the little bit I do know about it just a different molecules sometimes it makes it steroids, right? So I don’t know much about I’ve never taken steroids but I have taken testosterone.”

Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren is a celebrated actor, director, and martial artist. Towering at six feet five, boasting a chiseled physique, Lundgren quickly became an emblematic figure in the action film genre, joining the ranks of icons like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. His cinematic breakthrough was his role as the formidable Russian boxer Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. Since then, Lundgren has headlined over 40 action films, including The Expendables. To achieve a more muscular build, he turned to weightlifting. After completing karate sessions, Lundgren would head to the gym, focusing on intense compound exercises. This dedication soon paid off as his physique began to evolve remarkably.

Even now at 65, Lundgren continues to stick to a fitness regimen and maintain a muscular build. While being interviewed by YouTuber Graham Bensinger, Lundgren was asked point-blank about steroids. He admitted to using them in the past and also posed the question whether there was a link between the PEDs and his cancer diagnosis. “Uh, steroids, steroids, yeah, I tried steroids back in the 80s, 90s. I don’t know if it has anything to do with the cancer. Of course, it struck me as it could have had something to do with it. Is that something you’ve really thought about? I thought about it because you always think that you’ve made a mistake and your health. Do you think the PEDs could have caused his health issues? With the sheer number of bodybuilders dying over the years, it’s not hard to imagine.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a multi-faceted icon known globally for his accomplishments in bodybuilding, acting, business, and politics. Bursting onto the scene as a prodigious bodybuilder, Schwarzenegger clinched the Mr. Universe title at just 20 and subsequently won the prestigious Mr. Olympia title seven times. His journey to fame wasn’t solely rooted in bodybuilding. Transitioning to Hollywood, Schwarzenegger became an action movie superstar with blockbuster roles in films such as The Terminator, Conan the Barbarian, and Predator. To this day, his musculature from the golden era is often seen as the epitome of bodybuilding. Such a physique makes it easy to answer the question: Natty or not? Schwarzenegger has been open in admitting steroid use in interviews as early as the 2000s.

He explained he relied on testosterone and Dianabol to maintain muscle during cutting phases. “The substance that helps, 10 weeks before a competition, it’s not a healthy thing to do, but it’s being used. I took them, yeah, up until the competition, eight or nine weeks before competition, and it was something that everybody had to do in order to get an equal chance to, uh, you know, to compete. When you take steroids, well, what, uh, the effect it should have is that it makes you gain more weight, that you get more muscularity, and you get, uh, it works a little bit also in your mind, you know, it lifts you up a little bit and you have more energy to train.”

Martin Ford

And here is a bonus: Martin Ford, edition from the monster Martin Ford. Martin “The Nightmare” Ford’s monstrous build has been the subject of PED speculation. Rob Moore, host of the Disruptors podcast, brought up the question during a 2022 episode. Ford let out nervous laughter while answering, “No.” He then revealed he feels uncomfortable about the topic in fear of young kids being influenced by his response. “I’m taking steroids. What do you think? No comment. The issue with people openly talking about drugs, especially steroids, is the young impressionable kids will listen to an answer and take from it what they want. They won’t do the research, they won’t do the blood testing, they won’t do the training first for five years by eating healthy and any genetic potential. Oh, sorry, blast off steroids and he’s successful. That makes sense.”