Today, “natural bodybuilding” simply means “not on steroids and other substances at the time when a doping test is conducted during competitions.”
There are many ways to pass a doping test when you are using pharmacology: from simply stopping their use for a certain period before competitions to the time-tested bribe.
In the arsenal of modern “natural bodybuilders,” there are substances that are almost impossible to detect in a doping test.
Main thoughts:
The Truth About Modern Natural Bodybuilding
Let’s be realistic. Today, natural bodybuilding is not truly natural in essence.
What does “natural” even mean in relation to bodybuilding? Different people attribute different meanings to this concept.
Some believe that anyone who takes creatine or even sports protein is no longer natural.
Some bodybuilding federations, which by definition should be the guardians of the traditions of natural bodybuilding, allow the use of natural supplements and pro-hormones (hormone precursors that are synthesized into hormones within the body) that contain banned pharmacological substances.
The biggest paradox of modern “natural bodybuilding” is this: some bodybuilder X can participate in natural bodybuilding competitions and pass a doping test, i.e., be considered “natural”… even though just a couple of months ago he came off a hard cycle of anabolic steroids. In this case, “natural” only means “not on steroids right now.”
The biggest paradox of modern “natural” bodybuilding: you can pass a doping test… even though just a couple of months ago you came off a hard cycle of anabolic steroids…
Someone who has been using steroids for years can easily stop taking them for a few months to allow their body to clear out any traces. During this time, muscle mass won’t just disappear. That’s what everyone does. So, frankly speaking, looking at modern “naturals,” you want to both laugh… and cry.
According to Michael Ashley, a dark-skinned natural world champion from the pre-steroid era of bodybuilding, professional bodybuilding stopped being natural back in the 1980s. This was the reason for his departure and the end of his career because “competing against steroid athletes became pointless and uninteresting“.
And think about this: why do you see signs of gyno in a lot of guys in a natural show? Hmm…
The fact is that professional athletes in all sports use doping and pass doping tests without any problems.
A vivid example is Lance Armstrong, the legendary cyclist, an athlete who has definitely passed more doping tests than anyone else, winning a huge number of titles… and just recently, years after the end of his career, he was caught using doping.
Why only now?
Because professional sports involve huge amounts of money that cannot be obtained simply by having exceptional physiology. It is no coincidence that it is said that professional competitions have long become an arena for the competition not of athletes, but of the chemical laboratories behind them.
World-class athletes use the latest advancements in pharmacology, the detection methods for which simply do not exist at this time. That is why doping test samples are stored for decades, and the fact of using banned substances can resurface years later as testing methods improve.
When it comes to professional bodybuilding, it is a relatively poor sport. Drug testing is a very expensive procedure, and someone has to pay for it: either the bodybuilding federations or those who organize the competitions. Obviously, very few people are interested in this. Therefore, the thoroughness of the testing procedure is highly questionable even when it is carried out…
Professional bodybuilding stopped being natural back in the 1980s. All modern professional athletes use drugs and pass drug tests without any problems.
Examples of Modern “Natural” Bodybuilders
To illustrate how ridiculous modern natural bodybuilding is, let’s look at a few examples.
Dennis Wolf won his first title in professional bodybuilding in 2005 at the IFFB World Championship and took fourth place at Mr. Olympia a few months later. The first of the competitions conducts drug testing… but looking at the picture, can anyone believe that this guy is not using pharmacology?
Sami al Haddad won the amateur World Amateur Championships three times, then moved on to professional bodybuilding.
Big Ramy won the amateur Mr. Olympia and, as you might have guessed, is also completely “steroid-free,” according to the doping test.
How can a “natural” pass a doping test? Secrets of the pros
Most often, a doping test is a urine analysis. Just that. Many sports pharmacology drugs cannot be detected with it. Growth hormone is one example.
Lessons from professional bodybuilders on how to pass a doping test:
- Pour clean urine into a condom, hide it behind your scrotum, and pour it into the test tube when asked to provide a sample; if asked to do this in view, say you are shy.
- Some women/girls hide a condom with urine in their swimsuit, in their breasts.
- Simple doping tests can be easily passed by taking diuretics and other masking agents the day before the competition to quickly eliminate banned substances from the body or to hide their presence in urine.
- Bribe: for a few dollars, you can be allowed to urinate in the test tube while turning your back.
- Some experts know the exact time to stop taking each substance to make its detection impossible while ensuring its active effect lasts long enough to maintain the results. After stopping a steroid cycle, one can maintain the achieved mass through proper diet and training. I know several guys who do a crazy six-month steroid cycle within a year, and then come to competitions completely “clean.” By that time, their urine is as clean as a baby’s.
- I know stories of how competition organizers invite certain bodybuilders to participate. When the invited one thoughtfully replies, “Hmm… this is a competition with doping testing, right?” the organizer or promoter winks and smiles, inviting them to come anyway. This means “Don’t worry about that.” I have also heard stories where promoters simply discarded the urine samples of their “friends.”
- Bodybuilders can use synthol and other non-pharmacological substances to improve their appearance. If used carefully, no one will notice. But they can easily correct areas that are not well developed. These substances are not detected in doping tests simply because they are not on the doping list.
Modern natural bodybuilding pros use many tricks to pass doping tests: hidden condom with clean urine, bribes, masking agents, stopping drug use for a certain time, synthol, and more.
Pharmacological substances preferred by non-natural bodybuilders
Below is a list of sports pharmacology substances that are often used by “natural” bodybuilders and that most simple doping tests do not detect:
- Insulin. Can be used throughout the entire muscle mass gaining season; has a very short lifespan: traces of its use disappear within 4-6 hours after injection.
- Growth hormone. Only very expensive doping tests can detect its use, and as a rule, organizers do not conduct them, as it is not financially beneficial.
- IGF-1 and MGF-1. Provides a strong long-term effect in increasing muscle mass and improving appearance. Not detected by regular cheap doping tests.
- Ephеdrine, T3, and Clenbuterol. Most “natural” bodybuilders use ephеdrine, T3, and clenbuterol for fat burning during cutting. A few weeks before competitions, the intake of these substances is stopped: this time is enough for doping tests not to detect them.
- Test suspension. A controversial substance, but many use it and pass doping control freely;
- Myostatin inhibitors. Work and are not detected.
- Pharmaceuticals. Many natural bodybuilders have prescriptions from doctors for certain types of substances that they “need” for medical reasons. This is a semi-legal way to obtain and use anti-estrogens, for example. Some bodybuilding federations ban them, while others turn a blind eye.
In the pharmacological kit of modern natural bodybuilders: growth hormone, insulin, IGF-1, ephеdrine, and clenbuterol, pharmaceuticals
This is the reality..
Some may be surprised after reading the facts described above, while others may be disappointed, realizing that the beautiful image of muscular guys on TV screens and Instagram pages with millions of followers is just a fake, stuffed to the brim with all sorts of chemical crap..
Well, I apologize if I offended anyone..
But this is the reality..
To avoid seeming like a complete jerk who destroys the castles of dreams and ideals, I will note that natural bodybuilding is still alive. Its representatives are not as noticeable as professionals. Firstly, because their size is significantly smaller, and secondly, they usually compete at the amateur level, as competing with monsters on the professional stage is madness, at least until the standards of sports ethics of those sitting on the judging panel are corrected.
Natural bodybuilding is still alive, but its representatives are not as noticeable… firstly, because their size is significantly smaller, and secondly, they do not compete at a professional level, which is pointless.
The fact is that at the level of major bodybuilding competitions (even with doping control) you will never see representatives of true natural bodybuilding.
Just as in medicine they say “there are no healthy people, only under-examined ones,” in relation to professional bodybuilding, this phrase can be rephrased as: “if someone from the pros claims to be natural, presenting doping test results, it only means that the test is not thorough enough.”
Professional bodybuilding is a business and a means of existence for the pros. To survive, its representatives must show the best results. The natural potential of the body is limited; overcoming this limitation and being bigger and more defined is aided by sports pharmacology. Its use is a colossal risk to health and even life. But most professional bodybuilders have reached a point of no return, where to continue the game they started, they need to increase the dose, experiment with new substances, and hope that… they will get away with it.
Sports pharmacology is a colossal risk to health… But most professional bodybuilders have reached a point of no return, where to continue the game they started, they need to increase the dose, experiment with new substances, and hope that… they will get away with it.
