The controversy surrounding Brian Johnson, known as “Liver King,” erupted in late 2022 when it was revealed that he had been using steroids, despite consistently denying these claims. Liver King had built a massive following by promoting an “ancestral” lifestyle, which included extreme workouts and consuming raw animal organs, while attributing his muscular physique to this lifestyle and his branded supplements.

However, the situation took a turn when emails were leaked, allegedly showing that Johnson was spending upwards of $11,000 per month on human growth hormones (HGH) and other steroids, which he had previously denied using. These revelations were exposed by Derek from the YouTube channel More Plates More Dates, sparking widespread backlash across the fitness community. The evidence from these emails led Johnson to post an apology video on YouTube, where he admitted to lying about his steroid use. In this video, titled “The Liver King Confession…I Lied,” Johnson expressed regret for misleading his audience and explained that his use of steroids was managed by hormone clinicians.

Johnson claimed that he initially justified the use of steroids because he believed it didn’t interfere with his message about ancestral living. He stated that the “Liver King” persona was meant to raise awareness about mental health, particularly issues like depression and low self-esteem. He later acknowledged that his lies had caused harm, especially to the younger followers who idolized him oai_citation:3,Brian “Liver King” Johnson Admits to Steroid Use After Allegations Spark Industry Backlash | BarBend oai_citation:2,Liver King confirms steroid use in apology video: “I lied” – Dexerto oai_citation:1,Liver King Confesses to Steroid Use After Leaked Email: ‘I Lied, Fu**ed Up and Misled A Lot Of People’ – Fitness Volt.

Despite the scandal, Johnson continued to promote his message, while accepting full responsibility for his actions, pledging to be more transparent moving forward.