When Did Bodybuilders Start Using Steroids?
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- Опубліковано 28 тра 2024
- A deep dive into the early history, discovery and use of steroids. Specifically we attempt to figure out whether Silver Era bodybuilders were still natural. Steve Reeves, John Grimek, George Eiferman, Clancy Ross, Reg Park, Alan Stephan, Jack Dellinger, John Farbotnik, Roy Hilligen and others were all phenomenal bodybuilders from the 1940s and early 1950s. Is it possible that they used something? Was testosterone available to them?
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Synthesis of testosterone
01:38 - Performance enhancers before testosterone?
03:28 - Brown-Séquard Elixir and other drugs
04:26 - First isolation of androsterone and testosterone
05:31 - Was the Bronze Era natty?
05:56 - When did testosterone hit the market?
09:17 - But the Germans used steroids in WW2, right?
09:39 - The Male Hormone book by Paul De Kruis
11:35 - Testosterone becomes available
12:02 - Was the Silver Era natty?
12:44 - 1954 World Weightlifting Championship
13:50 - Dr. John Ziegler's experiments on York Barbell crew
14:13 - Ziegler and CIBA's development of Dianabol
15:43 - Was the Golden Era natty?
16:34 - Summary and conclusion
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Synthesis of testosterone
01:38 - Performance enhancers before testosterone?
03:28 - Brown-Séquard Elixir and other drugs
04:26 - First isolation of androsterone and testosterone
05:31 - Was the Bronze Era natty?
05:56 - When did testosterone hit the market?
09:17 - But the Germans used steroids in WW2, right?
09:39 - The Male Hormone book by Paul De Kruis
11:35 - Testosterone becomes available
12:02 - Was the Silver Era natty?
12:44 - 1954 World Weightlifting Championship
13:50 - Dr. John Ziegler's experiments on York Barbell crew
14:13 - Ziegler and CIBA's development of Dianabol
15:43 - Was the Golden Era natty?
16:34 - Summary and conclusion
Old School Bodybuilding playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLK7oVKkif-qXRDEob5MKbaT0KEZRe9niu.html
Support the channel and get early, ad free access to future videos: www.patreon.com/NattyLife
Second channel: ua-cam.com/channels/WiZKkWHKu9iaxzf7E7D3HQ.html
Hey for your next video. I gave a damn good idea.
Make a video about "Lost secret to a great body" - David Bolton.
It clearly illustrates that how eugen sandow build muscles and provides precise explanation about each and every exercise.
Trust me. You are gonna love it.
@@hariprasad467 It also has a section that goes through the history of the light dumbbell system, all the way to *Hyppolyte Triat* and the ancient greeks. That alone makes it worth reading IMHO.
Man on your last video all kinds of people who obviously don't know any better said all the natural bodybuilders we're on anabolic compounds. This video crushed them probably small and pissed off . I subscribe too your channel and I like it .
All things considered, speed is the biggest reason. They speed up visual results.
I'm natty. But only because I don't want to die and looking good isn't my job.
All the body builders before 1950's actually seemed to glow with health! Their faces also seem more "relaxed". Nobody looked like a freak, and they were examples of what a human body can be capable of. Modern body builders just look scary, and it is difficult to view them, for me, without feeling some remorse for how they may suffer in their later years.
Yep the really old bodybuilders had the physique of like roman, greek statues. Such a beautiful physique
@@schecter5035 agreed. That era is over sadly
I agree that all of those Bronze Age bodybuilders have physics that are a healthy goal. The only golden age bodybuilder whose physic I like is Frank Zane’s.
Yep, because they were natural and their diets were prob a lot better also (no fast food etc). I bet they all walked more than we do now also.
@@stedros Makes you wonder what they would have achieved with modern exercise equipment and dietary supplements.
As a retired FDA investigator I am impressed by your through review of the history sterile marketing and abuse. Your history also touched on the related and much broader topic of health fraud. Everyone should be aware that there is an entire industry out there promoting ineffective and dangerous products simply to steal your money. Don't be duped! Be skeptical!
Absolutely! Thank you for your support bro :)
LOL it's funny how a UA-cam channel about bodybuilding has "retired FDA investigators" in it. But I suppose anybody could be anything on the internet. I'm a current emperor ninja, BTW.
FDA=dogshit
@@billfromnowhere7687 phone could of autocorrected? Such a trivial reason to disregard a statement
@@billfromnowhere7687 It’s most likely a typo, or as someone already mentioned it could be a primitive autocorrect that made the wrong word assumption. So need to be so cynical.
The first time I noticed the effect of change in size of body builders was around 1963. I began working with weights at age 14 and got my training info from Bob Hoffman's magazine "Strength and Health." I remember a man named Bill Pearl, a Mr. America who looked good as it was. Suddenly he wasn't seen in the magazine for a short while when suddenly he returned HUGE. Big beyond anything I had ever seen. He was selling a new workout course. Now I wonder what the course entailed. I couldn't afford but I knew later he was using steroids. I appreciate the research you did. I'm 77 and still lift iron and still love it.
Thank you for sharing. How interesting that you got to see it happen in real time. Funny that nothing has really changed since then, "influencers" using steroid fuelled physiques to sell courses and supplements.
Yes. He wrote Keys to the inner universe, that was my bodybuilding bible for a long time.He had a short chapter on steroids.. basically saying Don't. So l didn't 😂😂
Should have@@gfreeman9843
Lift and live man ❤❤
I sincerely hope you live to have your 100th anniversary with your facilities in tact. Respect!
those 1930s physiques are honestly my dream physique because they look like the peak of human development imo, any bigger and its just rediculous
The ones up to the early-mid 1950's are perfectly natural, anyone who says that isn't achievable naturally just has shitty genetics.
Exactly!, I wonder though if for example Brad Pitt used something to get the physique he has in the fight club. But those bodies of the 30's are better looking than the ones today.
Its funny how todays gym bros could easily compete with these guys
Funnily enough the physique of a 1930s bodybuilder is only considered above average by many young people today. They actually think that bodies like Chris Hemsworth in Thor or Chris Evans in Captain America are realistic goals for men.
@@bodycounter9386 They are realistic physiques if you use anabolic hormones. It just might take approximately two years. Depending on how you react to the hormones.
The amount of research that was done in this video deserves respect alone. This was amazing.
Many thanks bro!
Yeah really grade A video
I totally agree. Very good work. Pro journalism level
wow dude, you post MPMD's steroid family tree picture, but you show a picture of Greg as a snake oil salesman? For what, turkesterone? show a picture of Derek you coward@@NattyLifeYT
he started selling it because of Derek, Derek sold it first. I do mostly disagree with him selling it or pushing it, but Greg has a flawless channel aside from that I've learned to live with it. I just the hypocrisy, people are so simple minded. Greg is way smarter than Derek.
I'm surprised though this information isn't already in a book somewhere
You are correct in saying that early testosterone pre 50's was useless for developing champion bodybuilders, irritated prostrates, shrunk testes, and required huge dosages. By the sixties EVERYBODY competing on a national level was on. I competed back then and was very familiar with that scene. Dianabol was ridiculously easy to get legally. Great video. Thank you.
🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷1982✝️🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇷athens 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
Cant people just admire marathon runners bodytypes ??????
Why people want to die young?
I want to breathe better .so i choose cardio
🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
People dont want to exlerience trying to breathe ....
Trust me......its suffering
Cardio is better
But with less fame
Fortune and titles
I like kenyans marathoners bodytypes
🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
Hugo Labra with that Mustache and Buzz Cut was one of my favorites and as a 15 year old who got hooked on Body Building at 13.Steve Reeves and the Hercules Movies got me hooked. I tried everything Protein from the Sea smelled like old fish! Protein. both by Hoffman Weight Gainer no 7 but it was consistent Training my Mom's German Cooking that enabled me to clean and Jerk 220 lbs at 16 100 Kilos! Joined the Armed Forces at 18 won Army Air Force combined Weight Lifting Team Western Championship as a 210 lb "Heavy Weight" Never heard of Steroids believed the Magazines! Was sent to Vietnam at 19! I will be 75 in August lift and teach MMA in Costa Rica still strong and healthy with out the Drugs
It still is perfectly legal in most countries around the world except the USA, because the muricans had an entire mass hysteria about steroids back in the 80s, fueled by hyperbolic and at times straight up invented stories in mass media. Mass hysteria events which muricans seem to go through every couple of years - the satanic panic, the D&D scare, the violent video game debacle, Marylin Manson and spree shooters, the Russia hysteria, the vaccine scares etc. Genuinely happy that we don't go through (at least most) of that nonsense here in Europe.
@@baraka629 what are you talking about lol. almost every country in europe has banned the sale of steroids without a prescription, and the doctors are very strict about prescribing it. do you live in romania or something
@@baraka629"the russia HYSTERIA" you mean like when they said that russia is going to invade Ukraine full scale and openly one and a half years ago? Oh, no worry, they're totally not bombing us every fucking night. Just "hysteria"...
Bro just have to learn 200 years drugs and medicine history to make 18 min video, huge respect.(imagine amount of work and research behind the scenes)
Steve Reeves was natural. His bodybuilding career peaked in 1950 and he was always outspoken against drug use in the sport. Plus there was no money in it when he competed. He just had some crazy genetics.
Reeves is very suspicious for me.
@@mikrobi_3419 He's borderline, for sure. Those genetic do exist, however. And then the question becomes, where did he get the juice? This was so early on.
One of the people to first use the juice was Adolf Hitler back in the 1930s to be able to satisfy his young wife. And in the 1940s various people started using them By the 1950s bodybuilders started using them so it's not hard to beleive that Reeves was on them.
YUP!!! I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!! I always tell my young nephew, a good gauge of natural vs steroid use is... Look at Steve Reeves!!! Anyone who is bigger... and or much more ripped... is juicing!!! And sure, there can be guys taller, and if they're only 10 to 15 pounds heavier, and about the same leanness, then sure, he could be natural... But if they're a little taller, but 20, 30, 40 pounds heavier than Steve... the guy is juicing! Period! And I don't count former juicers as natural, if they quit using... their bodies are forever changed by 'roids!
I think you forgot to include the natty king, Mike O'Hearn, this is what peak genetics, hard work, dedication and a dozen of duck eggs a day does to you, nobody trens harder, eats clener, anavar gives up, dbolish their goals, test their limits like Mike O'Hearn. Disappointed in this channel, can't even recognize the true natty greats.
Hahahahaha
He truly is a shining example to all us naturals 😂
Mike O'Hearn is about as natural as whole wheat milk.
Don't know how many times I've said this but Mike o hearn is natty
He naturally produces tren in his ovaries and he actually lays those duck eggs 🥚
This is slapstick and not mentioned to be taken seriously. 😂
Funny story. Years ago I spoke to a guy - Alan Peel - who worked at York in the 50-60s.
He told me that at the time they introduced Dianabol, they also started doing "isometric" exercises.
Here's the funny part; The lifters thought it was the isometrics that were making the difference in their lifts, and energy levels.
You see, they were used to "performance enhancement" being like pep/speed pills, so when they took the D-bol, and didn't feel anything after 30 minutes, they all just said "this stuff is bunk".
He told me that several lifters, who previously has dragged their feet coming to the gym and were tired & broken down, would suddenly be almost jumping through the doors saying; "Hey fellas! Man, I tell ya, those isometrics have got me feeling like I'm 19 yrs old again! And let me tell ya, my wife's a pretty big fan of those isometrics, if you catch my drift".
Still happens today in various forms. I remember in the 80-90s people taking massive amounts of niacin to reduce bodyfat. Even I knew it made zero sense. It's almost a guarantee someone will argue with me that it works, and that's okay. I mean, the supplement industry is massive, and even though my logical side KNOWS what works and what doesn't, a part of me still wants to believe someone has solved the riddle and it crosses my mind to buy something. Only thing I think might have some effect of temporary strength and weight gain (small amount, 5 pounds or so) is creatine. Maybe.
@@starkeymorgan7481 Not maybe... Do some research.
@@robbertag808 Creep
@@starkeymorgan7481 Daily use of niacin in small amounts (300mg) does help lower LDL cholesterol and is recommended by MD's. I doubt if it reduces any bodyfat.
Great story. But sad at the same time because this is happening to this day where we can no longer tell what actually works or doesn't work as almost everyone is enhanced.
Going through old newspapers is a pain in the butt even if they are digitized. This is very well done. Respect.
Minor correction: Cows are female bovine, Bulls are male bovine. Actually other female animals such as deer, buffalos and similar animals refer to the female of the species as cows.
Takže koza je kráva...🤕. V českém jazyce je jelení samice laň a ne kráva pokud jde o buvola, řekne se buvolí kráva. Náš jazyk je vyspělý a vy jste barbaři.
So what's a heifer
The guy who wrote The Male Hormone, Paul de Kruif, also wrote one of my favorite books of all time, The Microbe Hunters, telling the story of the first microbiologists, and how germ theory, vaccines and early treatments were developed. He does a great job of showing the scientists as flawed heroes, and their efforts as rough and tentative, but tenacious and methodical. It's got a few parts that have not aged well, but for the most part I highly recommend it for history buffs and fans of scientists in general.
Terrain Theory >
Germ Theory is bogus
too bad he butchers paul's last name in the video
🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷1982✝️🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇷athens 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
Cant people just admire marathon runners bodytypes ??????
Why people want to die young?
I want to breathe better .so i choose cardio
🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
People dont want to exlerience trying to breathe ....
Trust me......its suffering
Cardio is better
But with less fame
Fortune and titles
I like kenyans marathoners bodytypes
🇪🇺🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
@@jangobango2847there's no way you're this retarded. When you see viruses in a microscope what do you see?
That first dude is pure strain “what Japanese video game developers think about Americans in the 1980s for a boss design”
I think that's Kai Greene
@@InvisibleHotdogYep I recognized him right away from the pony tail. The rest of the get up is pure I’m about to fight Mayor Mike Hagger
@@gfanikf Final Fight reference, love that game.
reminds of that one American from Baki
@@juane.6827 that guy is based on Sergio Olivia
This video is AMAZING. So well researched, so well told and just short enough to cover the material and arguements BEAUTIFULLY.
Well done sir!
Sucks how physiques from the bronze era are pretty much considered mid by the fitness industry and social media in general
I started taking Dianabol in the late 1950s. I got it from a guy who owned the gym where I worked out, as a young, dumb kid of 17 or so. When my mother found out, she had a fit, and that woke me up to the potential dangers, thank God. I stopped taking it.
There was also a shift in bodybuilding attitudes... the 1950s bodybuilders were part of "physical culture", as focused on health, vitality, and to some extent the athleticism to perform strength and somewhat acrobatic feats, as just gaining visibly big muscles, and the main goal was aesthetic proportional muscles, as close to the best physiques seen in ancient Greek and Roman sculptures... people like Jack LaLanne continued this into the modern era, but bodybuilders like Steve Reeves were part of that culture, more than the "bigger muscles at all costs" later bodybuilding culture. I've seen peopl claim that Steeve Reeves was given testosterone mixed in with B12 shots (B12 injections were common back then and considered healthy), but there's no evidence and as you point out, early injectable testosterone had limited effect and was more placebo than anything useful.
I had two of my brothers undergo major surgery to reduce their 'breasts' because of steroid abuse (gynecomastia). They were both teens when they used the drugs. Neither had kids later on.
Why did they not have kids? cause they were infertile or any other reason?
@@PowerRedBullTypology probably that, didnt you head durgs reduced their genitals?
@@PowerRedBullTypology They were unable to breastfeed :)
That's not "major surgery" it's a minor cosmetic procedure
BITCH-TITS
When I was a kid, I was bullied and very physically weak. I started working out in one summer holiday period and got hooked on it. Eventually beating my rival(s) in a series of fair arm wrestling matches at the school. But, one day one of my new friends showed me a bodybuilding show (I think it was flex wheeler and some others). Their bodies looked morphed and it was hard for me to believe that they were even real. I didn't want to be like that. It really discouraged me from working out.
I love the pop up of coach Greg when talking about useless supplements 🤣 nice touch 👌
Coach Greg at least brings up facts about his supplements and on the more new compounds says there’s not a lot of studies on them so it may work for you it may not. He may not deep dive into supplements in general but he will call bs when he can and rightfully so.
lmao, surprise people actually follow him
@@mtvjackass74 he has a lot of good information about lifting and dieting. As well as is very truthful about the harms of PEDs. I don’t take his supplements nor do I pay attention to them though so I can’t speak on that
Calling cocaine and meth "the forbidden pre-workout" is hilarious
Cocaine certainly helped give us some of the greatest promos in pro wrestling history.
Macho man especially. I remember when Hogan was coked out of his mind cutting a promo, that was accidently gay. "Come meet me in the ring, and with one touch brotha I will have you on your knees unable to finish what you started"
@@brocklanders3616"I am the cream" 😂
i knew a guy that did meth and worked out all day. dude was huge. looked like a non natty
@@humanbean3 Superstar Billy Graham talked about using meth as a pre-workout. It was rumored that the Mentzer brothers and other bodybuilders did the same
very well done, you've found a niche in strength sports that in my opinion has not been fully explored
As a teenager in the early 1960s I trained at local clubs in London including the famous Wag Bennett gym in Forest Gate, where Mr Britain/Universe John Hewlett trained (and later on Arnold Schwarzenegger) During that period 1961-62 I never heard anything about steroids and did not know what they were and neither did my friends. Of course it did did not mean they were not around and being used but I would guess not that much, unless of course it was kept quiet as a secret weapon by some bodybuilders to enhance their chances of winning competitions.
Interestingly I was prescribed a weeks course of little pink pills by my doctor to help me get over a sports back injury in 1960 when I was 14. I now believe they were Dianabol pills and boy did they work!
Testosterone and it's derivatives work very well especially if you train hard and eat right ,that's why they continue to be used by so many including amateur lifters and other athletes plus for men who suffer from low testosterone,it's a great way to restore your sex drive and masculinity if used properly and monitored
I enjoyed the research you put into this with the newspaper clippings and the book reference. As an older natural lifter, I hear skepticism all the time about what can be accomplished naturally. The greatest thing the 1940s bodybuilders gave us is an aesthetic to work towards that I use to model my physique, not striving for size but symmetry.
I appreciate your support bro!
Something also that modern people don't realize is that people were much less sedentary and had naturally higher testosterone levels in the earlier 20th century.
Good stuff! Keep it coming!
Scrawny skinny people have symmetry. Lifting is for size and strength increases.
simetry is mostly genetic unless u had an injury or somthin
US hammer thrower Hal Connolly later admitted he started using in 1964, but this was before steroids were made illegal in track and field. He also claimed to know that by 1968 all elite level athletes were on the juice, Tommy Smith, Bob Beamon, etc.
It's not just bodybuilding, remember baseballs scandal and Olympic athletes,and Lance Armstrong,they work and you'll always have people trying to get the edge , imagine competing against others who use them and you don't ,it's very hard to do and be competitive,I don't think they should of been made illegal like they are ,you are limited in this country to a few select types
We don't know for certain the exact year steroids (testosterone) was used for athletic purposes to lessen recovery time and for its energizing properties, but i would estimate the experimenation to have started in the 1940s in the USA. There is medical literature that point to this being the case as well.
You are pretty much spot on they stated using them in the 1940s. Hitler used the in the 1930s.
@@conradspy3611 Yes, additionally i believe there were limited pharmacological experiments done by the Germans in the 1930s-40s involving amongst others the use of methyltestosterone tabletts, possibly to observe any increase in aggression or strength, which together with their documented use of amphetamines, likely later formed the basis for the Nazi "supersoldier" myth.
@@conradspy3611 Yes, additionally i believe there were limited pharmacological experiments done by the Germans in the 1930s-40s involving amongst others the use of methyltestosterone tabletts, possibly to observe any increase in aggression or strength, which together with their documented use of amphetamines, likely later formed the basis for the "supersoldier" myth.
@@conradspy3611 Yes, additionally i believe there were limited pharmacological experiments done in the 1930s-40s involving amongst others the use of methyltestosterone tabletts, possibly to observe any increase in aggression or strength, which together with their documented use of amphetamines, likely later formed the basis for the "supersoldier" myth.
@@conradspy3611 Yes, additionally i believe there were limited pharmacological experiments done in 1930s-40s Germany involving amongst others the use of methyltestosterone tabletts, possibly to observe any performance enhancing effects, which together with their documented use of amphetamines, likely later formed the basis for the "supersoldier" myth.
I have always found as a natural weight lifter it is all about your diet and rest. The only time I was able to see gains quickly was when I was out of work and I was able to eat and sleep properly which is hard to do when you work every day. Overtraining is a big killer too
Exactly.As a natty bodybuilder you can see huge difference if you keep same program and just get a 2 week off work
DARYL GUBERMAN Discusses His Life Up To The Mr.America Bodybuilding Championship. ua-cam.com/video/dQo5OP88lj8/v-deo.html
If anyone put 2 bodybuilders one natural (full program, rest, big meals) and other one with all of that mentioned but plus steroids, difference in gains would be obvious to the one on steroids. Even if we put 2 of them one just eating properly and have enough rest and other one with all that but plus adding additional supplements like protein, vitamins, amino acids etc... The one with supplements will definitely have more gains. There would be obvious difference.
@@milosstojanovic4623 disagree. Neither natty would look noticeably different, except maybe...maybe to a discerning eye. However, the guy on steroids will have as much or more gains after 6 months as the natty who trains hard and eats right for fifteen years. Steroids are THE magic pill.
yeah i was unemployed for a year during the pandemic and gained 20 pounds of muscle lol. being able to get enough sleep, and eating only self cooked meals with organic veggies and 0 processed food was 80%, the exercise was 20%, i probably only worked out 15-30 minutes a day on average.
then went back to work, now im 20 pounds fatter
My ex training partner Bill is 96 years old and fit as a fiddle. Never missed a workout in his life even when travelling, the first item in luggage would be dumbells. He won the first 1952 and second Mr Perth contest in Western Australia. No roids for us. I held Australia's first Natural Bodybuilding contest in 1968 (founding president ANBB) and have since worked in the Empire State Building NY for Natural Physique and mens exerise magagines, judged the World Natural Bodybuilding WNBF titles in New York. At Boomas Natural Gym would not let the users in my gym, (btw in Manly (Sydney) invented Pump Aerobics 1990 which was exactly copied soon after). This morning just raced my 46yo friend up a hill cycling with my self made 78 tooth chain ring ( my other bike, Cevelo S5 has an 81 tooth chainring).
All this pertaining to, if you want to live a fit, healthy, happy, long life, keep away from pharmaceticals.
Keep healthy and good luck.
Thank you Natty for your research.
I agree on the natural part but TRT can be a positive life changer, not for anabolic purposes but to regain vitality and strength that over time is reduced due to low testosterone levels. I see that as anti aging treatment and it should be embraced. Like most things in life substances and compounds can be of benefit if used properly and it can be misused for the wrong purposes. That goes for many medicines meant to treat astma, low metabolisme, skin burns, muscle and joint illnesses etc.
My utmost respect sir
Impressive. And a good lesson by example. The easy chair will kill you before weight training will. My best regards, sir.
Thinking about planet earth and all that exists. The past. The future. The parts. Humans create stuff. Everything seems to be a group of parts. Does anything exists with one part. What is it.
I'm expressing my thanks to the maker of the video, this reportage is so well done, and is extremely appreciated !🧐
Great video. What's missing is a discussion of the secrecy involved. In the early days of steroids they were not illegal, but giving away your secret weapon to your competition would be stupid.
"I need 100 kg of bull testicles please" - "For what?" - "SCIENCE"
What about goat testicles aren't they just as effective
Wow! I am blown away by the astounding amount of high quality bodybuilding -related information revealed and presented (and very well too, if I might add) ) in this just short 18 min video. Love it, love it. keep 'em coming
this video is so thorough and I appreciate the effort and research put into this. Thank you, this is very informative.
In 1983 in Dubuque Iowa, Bruce Randall (1959 Mr Universe Pro Overall) told me that he was the last Mr. Universe to achieve that title without the use of steroids. I absolutely believed him!
That was a great summary of the history of artificial steroids. I knew much of it before but it’s great to have the history condensed and analysed like this to see the ‘before’ and ‘after’ in the bodybuilding world.
It was really nice watching this very well documented research of yours in video format. Great work! Thank you for what you do and keep the good ol' days of bodybuilding alive! I really hope this channel's popularity will explode because you deserve it.
Many thanks brother, much appreciated 🙏
very well made video man, super interesting to watch and learn.
Extremely informative, perfectly organized video. Thank you.
Personally, I find it incredibly uplifting to know that those incredible physiques we see pre- 1950s are natural, especially the women, because that gives hope that anyone who works hard and eats well can get just as strong without weird pills. Otherwise it seems a lot of people would have you believe that it's impossible for a woman to get strong without pills. Thank you for making such incredible videos, especially the ones about old school female body builders and athletes. I had no idea these women existed, and it is very eye opening to see the results they were able to achieve naturally. *Edit: to the people saying "oh but not Anyone can" or "but those people had incredible genetics" etc, you guys should stop taking things so incredibly literally and chill out a little :)
Good luck with your journey ❤
Bill Pearl was my favorite & Bill always preached against steroid use.
Those aren't amazing physiques...
@@alejandroperez5368 not to you, sure. Different perspectives.
its not certain they were natural, he said its a grey area
Dianabol was first made in 1955. The physiques started improving shortly after this. Steve Reeves is supposedly Mr Natural but there were a lot of suspicions when he would travel to Europe for a movie and come back 20 pounds heavier and yet leaner.
Source?
Yes Dbol was first synthesized in 1955. But it wasn't on the market until 1958. Dr. Ziegler may have had access to it earlier than 1958 however.
I have never heard anything about him doing that, where did you learn this?
@@usamade5943 Trust Me Bro
@@MrSocko-vn7fw Wtf would we trust a nobody like yourself?
All your videos have very high quality information and very entertaining! Thank you!
Always nice to see people speak so passionate without any knowledge
Great video. Wonderfully researched. Really lays the foundation for understanding the rise of testosterone in health and body building. A double edged sword.
Much appreciated :)
Great video. I commend your hard work in doing solid research and putting these videos together in a way that’s easy to understand. Keep it up dude 👌
Thank you for your support bro!
Well done on a super well researched video. Wow. You put in a lot of effort here.
A very thorough and informative video, which kept my interest, great job.
This was very well done.
It’s amazing to see the side by side pics and evolution of steroid use as well. It truly shows how effective they are regardless of their legality and/or the moral and ethical cases for their use as a performance enhancer.
great video, man. Nicely put together and well-researched
An informative video! I appreciate all the efforts you put in here! Keep it up 😎👏
Reg Park's one year improvement from Mr Yorkshire to Mr Britain when he moved down to London was pretty suspect.
I like your bronse and silverage videos alot, but I would like more detailed training videos as well. How much volume, rpe/rir, types of progression etc..
Natural hypertrophy, bald omni-man and Geoffrey verity schoffield all have stuff relating to that.
I might be doing some of that on my second channel. But in general I think there are plenty other people making those kinds of videos and I haven't even been lifting that long (under 2 years), so to be honest I would only feel comfortable giving very basic/beginner advice. You can check out some of my older videos in my natty talk playlist
@Natty Life. I did not realize you were so new to weight training/ bodybuilding.
Congratulations on a well researched video mate!
Much appreciated my friend!
Saying that steroids were around in the 30s is like saying the internet was around in the 50s. Neither of them were in a usable form until decades later
Great work 👍. A lot of research and time went into this.regards.
Mad respect from a lawyer for all that background research and finding the FDA case! 8:25
Much appreciated bro!
@@NattyLifeYT absolutely archives set reps are some of the hardest!
Trudat 🤣
Just wanted to mention that that "juice" was in use since the 1930's. Testosterone Propionate was in use in 1937 under the brand name "Perandren" (Ciba). During the years 1939-1945 it made up a whopping 20-28% of Ciba's total sales.
Methyltestosterone was in use as early as 1941 under the brand names "Metandren" (Ciba), "Oreton-M" (Schering), and "Neo-Hombreol" (Organon).
Testosterone Cypionate was in use in 1951 under the brand name "Depo-testosterone" (Upjohn). b
Such a needed video to document this historic timeline. Excellent work!
Many thanks!
Outstanding Report, so I subscribed. I am looking forward to more of your content.
"Forbidden Preworkout" 🤣🤣 had my rolling I'm stealing that for whenever the topic comes up lol
Some damn fine research! Super informative, thanks! (From a trained historian turned trainer/bodybuilder)
thanks for your inpu mullti super talented woman
As always, incredibly well researched, presented and with a lot of information a bodybuilding nerd like me did not yet knew. Congratulations on the good work!
Thank you for your support bro!
I ran distance races in track when I was in junior high school in the 70's and I knew this boy who had an older brother who lifted weights all the time, and the boy told me that his brother was taking something called Dianabol. I didn't think much of it, girls didn't lift weights back then, esp distance runners, but I did here about that steroid way back in the 70's.
Great history lesson im glad i found your channel your informative and i really dont think we can argue your research
When I first got into bodybuilding back in the late 70s, early 80s, the story I heard was that body building got into steroids via the results of medical use of steroids to aid survivors of concentration and POW camps from WW2. There were very large numbers of people injured in various ways by WW2 available to experiment on with drugs. This research quickly made it into Hollywood (where drugs and surgery were heavily in use to enhance the stars) and the body building scene associated with Hollywood. I would guess that by the mid-50s professional body builders would have been well aware of testosterone. When Dianabol came along it really took hold because it was so very effective. Steroids are used a lot in horse racing so it's worth looking there too since there's loads of money in horse racing and possibly even fewer ethical restraints. Back in the eighties it was veterinary steroids from India re-labelled as Dbol that were prevalent so far as I could tell.
What an amazingly well made video, learned many things, thanks.
It amazes me how difficult it can be as a man with low testosterone to get a doctor to prescribe male hormone(test), yet girls and women can get hormones prescribed for birth control and menopause without a blink of an eye. Normal range test according to the medical field ranges from 279 to around 1200. Quite the muddied up Grey area for Men. I've been at 315 since my 30s and have not been successful with any local quacks posing as physicians willing to help.
Excellent documentary. It would be informative to know the bodybuilders affected by the negative side effects and were struck down in their prime because of steroid use over this same time period.
That is a long list
Would need a definition of what to blame on what and it would be very arbitrary and non scientific.
@@deltalima6703 I think it could be scientific, or perhaps reasonably inferred from the amounts that were taken, and the final cause of death. Even without an autopsy.
All of them
Well considering we know from surveys in colleges in Canada that at least some 30 000-odd guys are on steroids, yet hormone-related ER admissions are barely a blip on the radar in hospital statistics (and even those that happen are usually cortico-steroid related), so just from empirical evidence we can surmise there is not really that much side effects. Which also matches with the findings of studies like e.g. _The Effects of Supraphysiologic Doses of Testosterone on Muscle Size and Strength in Normal Men_ (Bhasin et. al.)
Amazing video, finally someone to clear the rumors about people in the silver era using steroids! Love this channel.
Thank you for your support brother!
Nice video I knew all the information which is why I study the old-time strongmen like Max sick because their muscle development is achievable and practical.
I was interested in the old studies on how to help old men with depression and lethargy with testosterone. I am not old yet, but I found out I was on the low side of normal and my doctor said with some of the symptoms I had like being so tired all the time and having trouble remembering things I should try taking a supplement of that, and some caffeine because I do not drink coffee and am in good health. I have a very low dosing just been on a short time I have suddenly lost fat around the belly, had energy like i have not in years, become happy and creative again, and feel better than when I was 19. I am utterly shocked that something like that, such a small amount too, would make such a vast difference for someone’s well being. I bet those elderly men who had been in nursing homes or were about to be forced to retire were VERY grateful to that study!
Steroids should not be used and abused. Testosterone however is not a demonic thing.
No-one is saying testosterone itself is bad. It's even frequently used to help post-menopausal women (though, in line with the medical treatment of women in general, studies on its side effects are abysmal, leading to no FDA-approved therapies).
The real problem is the "more=better" attitude, leading to lots of men destroying their bodies and mental stability with excess testosterone, and also messing up their own natural testosterone production in the process.
Yep I agree. I am a working out for more then 15years never been on any gear. That being said, I plan to be on very low testosterone program when I turn 50. Men as get older our testosterone lvl drops and this is is very vital for us. Was trying to convince my 74+ year dad to start taking some very low dosage but he is not interested. He is still working and very active, I believe trt will keep it that way for longer.
@@nikobitan7294 As a kid I figured if a little of anything tasted good a LOT was far better! I just think that is what happens for some young men with working out who start using supplements of all sorts. Sad.
@@edd943 it is up to him and his doctor, he may not need any. My late grandfather RIP didn’t need any. Died in a freak car accident working under a Jeep sadly age 74. He had still good arm muscles too due to he was a farm owner. He was why when I was a toddler I wanted biceps, not monster ones just ones like 4 inches because he got them tossing bales of hay. Never used anything but hay tossing, not even a gym. And my gramma said he had no issues in bed either at his age so nope no need for testosterone. :P
I am not a fan of steroids in the slightest, but if you’re gonna use them for looks the way they did it in the 70s and 80s was far more human looking and aesthetics than whatever happened these past 30 years since the 90s.
The physiques in the mid-90's were the best in bodybuilding. They had started using HGH by then, but it wasn't as crazy as it is now. Back then, it was extremely expensive to get ahold of and most of the guys selling it at the gym were selling fakes.
@@jd9119 Any examples you have in mind bc when I think of the 90s I think of Ronnie Coleman before he hopped on gear even though he had a great top tier physique prior.
@@jd9119 best in steroid bodybuilding yes....The 90s were great
@@sooparticular Don't pull that crap. You had the best group of athletes ever in that period. And Dorian Yates was the top.
@@justchilling704 I'm a huge fan of Dorian Yates. Flex was great, Nasser, Shawn Ray, Lee Haney.
This is such a fantastic video! Well done and really important information here. I wish it was public knowledge to every kid who wants to get into lifting
Many thanks :)
Really interesting and well researched! I always wondered about this. It would be interesting to see something as simple as a height/weight ratio list. I'll bet that skews upward quickly starting in 1960?
I did one small test-e cycle when I was 20 (over 10 years ago now). The effects were indeed miraculous. I lost a ton of body fat while also gaining 25 or so pounds over 4 months. I was more shredded and stronger than I had ever been. I felt the onset of gyno around the 3 month mark though, and my skeleton and nervous system struggled to keep up with the muscle and progressive overload. I slipped a disc pretty shortly after and had bad blood pressure along with a bit of gyno. And this was all from 400mg test-e a week and 2 weeks of 20mg dbol on the front end. These days I’m still not as “big” as I was then but I train regularly and maintain what I think is a great physique. Maybe I would have gotten discouraged with training if I never tried a cycle, no way to know that now, but I wouldn’t recommend anyone ever touch the stuff. There is no safe dose. I hope anyone considering it can make peace with their natural potential instead of messing with the stuff. It’s hard but you have to just accept that you will never see the results of the roid heads, and even though it feels cynical, most big people are on gear and lying about it. Same with HRT. Unless you’re literally off the scale on the bottom end I don’t think that’s worth it either. Some doctors will write a script for anything bc at the end of the day they’re just salesmen.
Thankfully my T is back to normal and my gyno resolved without surgical intervention. Wishing anyone who reads this peace and health.
This video brought back memories of my younger years, when I was really into working out and trying to get as big and strong as possible(without resorting to any performance enhancing drugs). I had been working out for close to 10 years at the time. I recall a conversation I had with a woman close to my age at the time(who did not look like she worked out with weights at all) who implied I needed to work harder in the gym or be less lazy because if I was really working hard in the gym and not lazy, I would be giving Arnold or Lou Ferrigno a run for their money. She seemed clueless to the fact that huge guys like them were on steroids. I made her aware that I did not take steroids because I did not want to take big risks with my health by using them and she seemed to think because I implied that Arnold and Lou were on steroids, I was defaming them in a despicable way and she became even more negative towards me. And this was not the last time I would run into women like this who had similar views. I can't help wonder if other guys who were natural lifters ran into women like this, who thought they lacked motivation or were lazy because they did not have Mr. Olympia level physiques?
Most people have no clue about many things, it's just how most of us live their life.
No limit to ignorance
If you had been lifting weights for ten years you could have probably crushed her like an insect.
Why are you singling out women? Most people didn’t know about this type of stuff. A lot of guys would lie about their steroid used in the past so many young men thought that hard work is how they got there. These days they’re more open or exposed with social media but many STILL deny it. I think the general public is better aware now so a lot of women know that it’s steroid use now. Besides, even in the past, nearly all women did not chase after men with that physique to begin with. Most of them preferred men with more realistic definition so why would they know? Literally none of them wanted men with bodybuilder physiques anyways. A lot of women were not even lifting weights anyway. Most didn’t want to gain visible muscle but now more women are open. So obviously they have a better understanding of how that stuff works.
@@thezu9250 this just my experience, a lot of women see jacked guys in marvel movies or clubs and think thats normal and achievable if you just work out, whereas any dude with half a brain knows chris hemsworth and those dudes prowling around at the club are juiced to the gills. tldr women gullible
15:17 LOL you didn't read the best part: "WHAT IS IT WITH THESE SIMPLE MINDED SHITS?" Zeigler exclaimed. "IM THE DOCTOR!"
Yeah I kind of regret not including that bit 😁
12:33 Just two muscular gentlemen in Leopard Print Undies shaking hands
Lol - That intro clip had me rolling. The mask, faux road warrior ensemble, and the bubble gut. It was just too much. xD
Started being widely used in the 60's. A small number of guys in the late 50's may have used.
Jumped on TRT at 52. Why the hell did I wait? Blood pressure down. Mental health up. Massive sleep. Can pack down protein. Recovery is insane after workouts. All blood panels in 95th percentile. Including HDL/LDL. Sex drive is insane and my wife is stoked. Large pharma wants us on 27 pills. Why? Testosterone is off patent. All a man needs is low dose TRT, a good training program and a clean diet. And they all work together.
Male hormones naturally fade as men get older, just like women go through a menopause. You wouldn’t have needed any help when you were younger than age 50.
An excellent overview of the history of anabolic hormones in the form of steroids. As a "natural for life" former competitive bodybuilder, I trained in a "hardcore" gym alongside those on the "juice". I saw a big change when HGH and thyroid hormone came into usage. What you failed to mention was the improvement in nutrition and training which also caused an improvement in physique. BTW, there is a difference in training for strength vs training for physique. Muscle type( fast twitch, slow twitch and intermediate twitch) also affects the result on muscle growth/size. The wrong muscle type, wrong training and non-optimized nutrition also affect the results of training regardless of anabolic drug use or not. Then there are other ergogenics such as caffeine which can affect the intensity and duration of a workout.
One can enhance through proper training and nutrition the secretion of testosterone and growth hormone. Growth hormone production is more easily manipulated via nutrition than testosterone. My Master's thesis in human nutrition( "The effect of canned tuna as a nutritional supplement on the physique enhancement of individuals engaged in intense weight training) looked into the interaction of nutrition, hormones ,training and muscle type.
Quite an interesting thesis. I will definitely check it out. What where your findings towards the impact of quality sleep on GH and testosterone levels, all other things being equal?
In the 50s food was more nutritious. So pre steroids had an advantage. That's why they look healthy and jacked
Well argumented channel holder.
Great work.
One of your best vids ever..and that's saying something..bravo👌
Thank you brother!
Interesting video, i am 67 but in my early 20's i was going to a SERIOUS gym and the owner used to talk about bulls testicles, they pamphlets on the desk for things like animal testicles, liver, etc. all oral, some people were taking whatever as when you saw them in 6 months they shrunk, i went there once and there was a line waiting for their shots, the owner offered to put me on a 'program' but i stayed natural, i liked to have amazing cardio so i pumped my upper body and did lots of running. A few guys there could bench 500, GENETICS is primary though regardless of drugs those guys are gifted!!!!!!!
Excellent summary. Thank you for posting.
Great content and production!
I'm glad you mentioned John Grimek and York because his opinion would have had massive sway in the bodybuilding community. What did Grimek think of it? He thought it was all bunk ad for old people
I share the same opinion as the video. It's pretty obvious imo that it started in late 50s and it was very widely used in the 60s.
Steve Reeves, Reg Park, etc are top natties. They were big, but healthy, with healthy body fat percentages.
Soon after that, things started to get freaky.
And more or less from the mid-nineteenth century, until the era of steroids, drugs such as amphetamines, cocain, meth etc. were in common use.
Let’s not also forget that Steve Reeves was a (no pun indented) very big on being a proponent of natural bodybuilding competitions very late in his life.
Steve reeves and reg park both used. Reeves it was later on in his career. This is old news.
@@mark4lev "this is old news" aka "I read it on a forum 10 years ago so it must be true". Nobody knows if Reeves ever used later. What we do know is that he never really lost size, which means IF he did use then it really didn't do shit so its a worthless thing to argue about lmao. He was natty for sure before 1960.
@@amazin7006 I’ve sen the pics of him, they were around for a while. He was bigger and puffier. Some of us have been debating this grimek- reeves- steroid thing for YEARS. Grimek used later in his career but it’s not easy to see any changes in his physiology.
Fascinating! I've been lifting for 15+ years and I always knew the difference between natty and not natty. But many people, especially younger people, are in denial and think they can look like professional bodybuilders with nothing more than protein shakes. What's worse, many people think they can look like magazine cover bodybuilders with 1 year or less of work. Its about time that we demystify this topic so the younger audience is not so easily fooled. Thanks!
Nice deep dive!!!! subbed.
I'm impressed by how thoroughly you researched this topic. The magazine articles and information that you found was very helpful. As sad as it was to know that the Dr who developed steroids in the U.S. died early at least he showed remorse. They clearly didn't see how awful steroids would be and the toll it would take on the human body at the beginning.
Thanks for your support :)
@@NattyLifeYT you're welcome.
Bodybuilders started using steroids around the mid to late 50s. You can see it in the physiques around the delt and trap area.
what a research !! great work man
This is a very accurate and truthful documentary in my opinion. It's terrific. Thank you for sharing.
The story about a Soviet coach who, drunk, told about steroids, smacks of newspaper duck. Yuri Vlasov, the famous Soviet weightlifter, said the following about steroids: Everything started with Connelly (Harold Vincent "Hal" Connolly hammer thrower). He had problems with his arm, and some injections were prescribed to him, after which Connelly noticed a significant increase in muscle mass.
So it’s should be Late 30s
I think you mean mid-late 50s
I wouldn't believe a word of anyone Soviet on sports. The East Germans to this day, many don't admit to doping, of course a traitor from Donbas who decided to "become russian" would be lying.
I agree. It's always easy to blame the Soviets, especially since Ziegler explicitly wanted to eschew credit for Dianobol. But, the 'smoking gun' is complete he-said/she-said and as Ziegler even found, his initial attempts at using testosterone proved woeful. So why did it "work" for the Soviets? As an aside, I am a slavic man. Many of us are very large, and almost all of us are very hairy. That picture of Vorobyov and his prodigious hirsute qualities just looks like me, and I'm no bodybuilder.
@@MagicUnderscoreMan lol piss off with your slavic fantasy, you look exactly thr same as any other man in the world
I think people who assume that silver era was full of anabolic steroids say it to justify roids usage.
Yes. That or they say it to justify their own mediocrity (I can never get a good physique like them because they were juicing and I'm actually natty)
And their own lack of progress in training. "So and so cheated and took steroids because he's got a better physique than mine - waaaaaa!" 💪🤡
Hard work and PED’s go together💪🏻.
Silver era was great, but the Holden era even with gear had the best body proportions, the classic physique look.
@@Magneticlaw That's BS. People on gear train harder than people who are not on gear. I mean aside from the novices who have been around for a week or two and think they're ready for gear. But if you look at the top natural and "enhanced" athletes, you'll see every single one of the enhanced guys trains a lot harder.
@JD 911 Depends on the person. I know some that are lazy as hell on peds. I also know guys that train like animals natty. I been in gyms for over 45 years.
What a great video with well research data. Thank you!
btw Ziegler made up his story with a drunk russian. You have to remember that only two years prior to that lifting championship, USSR was allowed to join the olympic movement. Before that soviet athletes couldn't go abroad. So all soviet citizens abroad were accompanied by literally agents from kgb and army. You couldn't just go wherever you wanted with whomever you saw and do whatever you want. Not only this 'get drunk' tactic wouldn't work, he possible didn't even talk to anyone from a soviet team because they weren't allowed to.