7-Time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath Discusses PED Use During His Pro Bodybuilding Career

Seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath is one of the most decorated bodybuilders in the sport. Nicknamed “The Gift,” Heath’s incredible symmetry, muscle size, balance, proportions, and conditioning led to his tie for the second most Mr. Olympia titles in history alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.

On Aug. 22, 2023, podcast host Chris Williamson published a video on his YouTube channel wherein he interviewed Heath about Heath’s use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED) during Heath’s illustrious bodybuilding career. Check it out below:

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[Related: Former Bodybuilder Calum von Moger Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles During Interview With Zack Telander]

When Heath was asked if there were any points in his competitive bodybuilding career where he was worried about his drug use and their long-term health effects, Heath claimed that he took fewer steroids than his fellow competitors due to a lack of finances. Heath mentioned his willingness to release his blood work records to confirm this “for money or on my own podcast someday.”

Heath won the 2005 Mr. USA title on his pro debut on 500 milligrams of testosterone and one shot of “Deca” (nandrolone decanoate) per week. Per Medinica, “nandrolone decanoate is considered to have strong anabolic effects but weak androgenic effects.” (1)

Heath didn’t add growth hormone to his stack until three years into his pro career for the 2008 Arnold Classic, where he won silver and subsequently increased his testosterone to 750 milligrams per week.

Heath opined that athletes who take PEDs too soon in their bodybuilding careers stymie their potential in the sport and lack longevity. He emphasized the importance of naturally maxing out one’s physique before becoming an enhanced lifter.

“The Gift” believes many modern-day bodybuilders take steroids too early in their careers. Rather than improving their physiques to the quality required for success at elite contests like the Olympia, they instead damage their muscle tissues and suffer from poorer skin quality. Per Heath, pro bodybuilders should cycle PEDs throughout the year to maintain their overall well-being and avoid addiction. 

Heath won his first two pro shows as a natural athlete because he knew several bodybuilders in Colorado who took PEDs had developed negative side effects and were not winning shows. After researching anabolic steroids, Heath concluded that the risks of taking PEDs early in his career weren’t worth the tradeoff. Additionally, Heath harbored concerns about the IFBB potentially implementing drug testing.

Heath relied on infrared saunas, neuromuscular massage, acupuncture, and spine decompressions to boost his recovery. He disclosed that his highest weekly testosterone dosage was 1,300 milligrams and that he never used insulin. 

I tried 1,500 milligrams, but I started getting watery.

Heath tried trenbolone — a synthetic analog of testosterone that “exerts anabolic effects by altering the action of endogenous growth factors,” per Steroids — but stopped soon after to avoid liver and kidney damage. His blood work displayed high prolactin levels — a polypeptide hormone that is responsible for lactation and breast development — when he ran trenbolone. (2)(3)

Heath’s preferred PEDs were Winstrol — a tradename for Stanozolol, an anabolic-androgenic steroid used “for improved energy, appearance, and physical size” — and growth hormone. (4) Still, Heath exercised moderation, maintaining low doses to add the final touches to his physique leading up to a show. He suggested that a lack of social media platforms during his competitive heyday allowed him to limit his steroid use.

A professional bodybuilder has to decide if they are an influencer or a bodybuilder.

Per Heath, current pro bodybuilders compete with social media fitness influencers for sponsorships and, as a result, decide to run steroids throughout the year, jeopardizing their health without achieving the quality of physique displayed by their predecessors.

Reference

1. Patanè, F. G., Liberto, A., Maria Maglitto, A. N., Malandrino, P., Esposito, M., Amico, F., Cocimano, G., Rosi, G. L., Condorelli, D., Nunno, N. D., & Montana, A. (2020). Nandrolone Decanoate: Use, Abuse and Side Effects. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 56(11), 606. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56110606
2. Yarrow, J. F., McCoy, S. C., & Borst, S. E. (2010). Tissue selectivity and potential clinical applications of trenbolone (17beta-hydroxyestra-4,9,11-trien-3-one): A potent anabolic steroid with reduced androgenic and estrogenic activity. Steroids, 75(6), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.steroids.2010.01.019
3. Al-Chalabi, M., Bass, A. N., & Alsalman, I. (2023). Physiology, Prolactin. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
4. Karimooy, F. N., Bideskan, A. E., Pour, A. M., & Hoseini, S. M. (2019). Neurotoxic Effects of Stanozolol on Male Rats’ Hippocampi: Does Stanozolol cause apoptosis?. Biomolecular concepts, 10(1), 73–81. https://doi.org/10.1515/bmc-2019-0009

Featured image: @philheath on Instagram