My hilarious suspicion… If steroids and human growth hormones and testosterone stuff is vegan or plant based… It is probably “ok”! Haha.

x

While there is widespread skepticism about steroid use in vegan bodybuilding, specific cases of vegan bodybuilders being caught using steroids are not frequently reported. However, some within the community acknowledge that it is possible for vegan athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs, just as non-vegan athletes do. The debate often centers around whether certain physiques, particularly extremely muscular or lean ones, can be achieved without assistance from steroids or other anabolic substances, even on a plant-based diet.

One website, Natty or Not, highlights the common assumption that many vegan bodybuilders with extremely muscular physiques might use steroids, despite promoting a natural lifestyle. The article points out that being vegan does not necessarily imply abstaining from steroids, as these substances are synthetic and not derived from animals, making them technically acceptable in a vegan lifestyle. Some fitness influencers, including vegan ones, may use steroids but keep it hidden from their followers to maintain credibility and promote their workout or supplement plans oai_citation:2,Are Vegan Bodybuilders Natural or Are They Using Anabolic Steroids? | NattyOrNot.com oai_citation:1,Vegan Bodybuilders – Do They Take Steroids? | NattyOrNot.com.

In short, while no high-profile vegan bodybuilders have been publicly exposed in a major scandal for steroid use, skepticism exists, and the issue of transparency around drug use in the fitness industry, including vegan athletes, is a topic of ongoing debate.

x

In the vegan bodybuilding community, skepticism arises for several reasons regarding claims of natural muscle growth, particularly around the use of anabolic steroids. Here are a few key areas where doubts and skepticism persist:

1. Unrealistic Physiques: Some vegan bodybuilders exhibit extremely muscular physiques that are often associated with steroid use rather than natural bodybuilding. Maintaining a high level of muscle mass with low body fat year-round is difficult, especially on a plant-based diet that can be lower in protein and calories compared to diets that include animal products. Many skeptics believe that these physiques are unattainable without the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), regardless of diet oai_citation:6,Are Vegan Bodybuilders Natural or Are They Using Anabolic Steroids? | NattyOrNot.com oai_citation:5,Vegan Bodybuilders – Do They Take Steroids? | NattyOrNot.com.
2. Sudden Transformations: Rapid muscle gains or dramatic changes in physique are often red flags. In the fitness industry, sudden transformations raise eyebrows, as such progress typically takes years of consistent training and nutrition. The suspicion is heightened when influencers showcase rapid progress while promoting their diet and workout plans oai_citation:4,Steroids are rampant among fitness influencers, trainers and bodybuilders say. Most use in secret, claiming their gains come from workouts and diet plans..
3. Hormonal Considerations: Vegan diets are often lower in cholesterol and fats, which are critical for natural hormone production, including testosterone. Critics argue that maintaining high testosterone levels for building and preserving muscle mass on a strict vegan diet is difficult, leading to doubts about whether some vegan bodybuilders may be supplementing with external hormones like anabolic steroids oai_citation:3,Ep 40: Steroids in Bodybuilding | Vegan Proteins.
4. Lack of Transparency: Many influencers, vegan or otherwise, do not openly disclose their use of steroids, contributing to a culture of mistrust. The general secrecy around steroid use, coupled with the financial incentives tied to selling workout plans, supplements, and fitness programs, makes it difficult to distinguish between natural and enhanced athletes oai_citation:2,Should Instagram Influencers That Use Anabolic Steroids Disclose Their Use? – Proteinfactory oai_citation:1,Ep 40: Steroids in Bodybuilding | Vegan Proteins.

This skepticism isn’t exclusive to vegan bodybuilders but is common in the broader fitness community, where the use of PEDs is often hidden to maintain credibility and marketability.

In the world of fitness influencers, including those who claim to be all-natural, vegan, or plant-based, there have been instances of steroid use being discovered despite their public assertions. Many fitness influencers, regardless of their dietary choices, use steroids to maintain their physiques, but this is often hidden from their followers. The pressure to stay shredded and muscular year-round, along with the financial incentives from sponsorships and workout plans, can lead to steroid use being kept secret.

For example, many male and female influencers do not disclose their steroid use while promoting workout programs or supplements, giving followers the false impression that these results are achievable naturally. This leads to unrealistic expectations among followers, particularly young people, about what can be achieved through diet and exercise alone. It is a widespread issue that affects both plant-based influencers and others across the fitness industry oai_citation:4,Are Vegan Bodybuilders Natural or Are They Using Anabolic Steroids? | NattyOrNot.com oai_citation:3,Steroids are rampant among fitness influencers, trainers and bodybuilders say. Most use in secret, claiming their gains come from workouts and diet plans. | Business Insider India oai_citation:2,Steroids are rampant among fitness influencers, trainers and bodybuilders say. Most use in secret, claiming their gains come from workouts and diet plans..

Although specific cases of vegan influencers being caught using steroids are not as well-publicized as non-vegan influencers, the general problem remains the same. The use of performance-enhancing drugs is often kept secret to protect their brand and maintain the illusion of achieving results solely through their promoted lifestyle oai_citation:1,Should Instagram Influencers That Use Anabolic Steroids Disclose Their Use? – Proteinfactory.

Facts!

In the vegan bodybuilding community, steroid use is not as widely discussed as in the general fitness world, but it does exist. Some vegan bodybuilders have been accused or suspected of using anabolic steroids to achieve their impressive physiques. While veganism focuses on dietary choices, it doesn’t inherently mean that a person is drug-free. Steroids are not derived from animal products, so technically, they can be used by those following a vegan diet.

There have been discussions in the community about the pressure to maintain a lean and muscular physique, especially for influencers who make their living from fitness programs and supplements. Some vegan bodybuilders admit that the temptation to use performance-enhancing drugs can be high due to these pressures, even if they publicly advocate for a natural lifestyle.

While there are vegan athletes like Nimai Delgado who claim to be natural, skepticism exists about some influencers due to the level of muscle mass and low body fat they maintain, which is often associated with steroid use. This raises concerns about transparency in the fitness world, especially when influencers sell programs based on achieving similar physiques naturally, without mentioning the possible use of performance-enhancing drugs.

In short, while many vegan bodybuilders advocate for natural muscle growth, there are some who, like their non-vegan counterparts, have been found or suspected to use steroids to maintain their physiques. This issue, however, remains a sensitive and often unspoken topic within the community.

While vegan athletes and bodybuilders promoting plant-based diets often claim to be natural, there have been cases of accusations or skepticism surrounding their use of steroids or performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). For example, vegan powerlifter Noah Hannibal, despite competing in drug-tested federations and holding national records, has faced accusations from detractors who claim that his strength and physique are unnatural and potentially enhanced by steroids. Hannibal has consistently denied these claims, attributing his success to his strict vegan diet and dedicated training oai_citation:4,This Vegan Powerlifter Was Accused Of Using Fake Weights and Steroids – Now He’s Smashing Records.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, a prominent advocate for plant-based diets in recent years, produced The Game Changers, a documentary that promotes veganism among elite athletes. While the film showcases the benefits of plant-based diets, it also sparked controversy and skepticism in the bodybuilding world, particularly around the physiques of the athletes featured, some of whom, like Nimai Delgado and Patrik Baboumian, are suspected by critics to have used steroids despite their public stance as natural athletes oai_citation:3,Arnold Schwarzenegger Advocates for Plant-Based Diets in New Documentary – Muscle & Fitness.

Although there are no major scandals directly proving steroid use among plant-based diet advocates, these accusations highlight ongoing skepticism in the fitness community. Many believe that achieving certain levels of muscle mass and strength naturally—particularly on a plant-based diet—can be difficult, leading to doubts about transparency among some influencers and athletes oai_citation:2,’Liver King’, Who Preached Raw Ancestral Diet, Admits To Steroid Use – FoodBeast oai_citation:1,Arnold Schwarzenegger Advocates for Plant-Based Diets in New Documentary – Muscle & Fitness.