TRT Trey
TRT TreyCurious…
Is Brian Shaw on steroids?
Then you’ve come to the right place. Inside, you’ll find the official Testosterone.org breakdown of whether or not Brian Shaw has ever used gear before…
Brian Shaw is one of the greatest strongman competitors of all time. He won the World’s Strongest Man competition an incredible 4 times in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Some of his other accomplishments include starting an incredibly popular YouTube channel, starting the annual Shaw Classic strongman competition, and starring in the History Channel series “The Strongest Men in History.”
Brian Shaw has always denied using steroids, but is it really possible to become the strongest man in the world without using drugs? Let’s find out!
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Brian Shaw Stats
| Age: | 40 Years Old |
| Height: | 6'8" |
| Weight: | 450 lbs |
| Estimated Body Fat %: | About 25 Percent |
| Nickname: | "The Giant Crusher" |
What are Steroids?
Anabolic steroids are man-made versions of hormones that are naturally found in the human body. Bodybuilders and other athletes sometimes use anabolic steroids to help them build muscle mass and improve their overall athletic performance.
The most common anabolic steroid is testosterone, although many other versions also exist.
Anabolic steroids are banned in the US and many other countries. However, they still find their way into the system. A meta-analysis study suggests that as much as 6.4% of men worldwide might have used steroids once in their lifetime [1].
Anabolic steroids have many potential benefits. For example, a recent meta-analysis found that steroids build muscle mass, improves cardiovascular endurance, and result in increased energy levels [2].
Unfortunately, long-term steroid use can be extremely dangerous.
According to medical studies, long-term steroid use can cause many life-threatening conditions, such as damage to the reproductive and cardiovascular systems [3]. A 2021 study shows how steroid abuse can seriously affect the brain, urinary organs, liver, and muscular system [4].
In the long term, steroid use can also weaken the immune system.
Signs Of Steroid Use
Steroids are popular among bodybuilders and other athletes who want to bulk up as fast as possible. If you want to spot a steroid user, then all you have to do is look for a few common signs in their physique.
Here are some of the most common signs of long-term steroid use [5]:
- Large Skull
- Square Shaped Body
- Strong, Pronounced Jawline
- Bloated stomach
- Extremely Muscular Features
Let’s take a closer look at each of these signs.
One of the most common signs of long-term steroid use is an extremely large skull. Research shows that some drugs, such as growth hormone, can actually increase the size of your skull! This may sound cray, but you only have to look at guys like Joe Rogan or Dwayne Johnson to see that it is possible.
Another obvious sign of steroid use is a large, distended stomach. Growth hormone and insulin can cause your stomach to stick out in front of your body even when you are lean, so if you see someone with a big distended belly, then they may be using anabolic steroids.
Other signs of steroid use include an extremely strong jawline, a square shaped body, and extremely muscular features. If someone has most or all of these signs, then they may in fact be using steroids.
Is Brian Shaw on Steroids?
Is Brian Shaw a natural athlete? Or did he use anabolic steroids to become the 4x World’s Strongest Man? Let’s take a look at the facts before jumping to any conclusions.
Brian Shaw has the following signs of long-term steroid use:
- Insanely Muscular Physique
- Super-Human Strength
- Massive Shoulders / Traps
The most obvious sign that Brian Shaw is using steroids is his insanely muscular physique. Brian Shaw is 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs an unbelievable 450 pounds! He also has 22 inch arms and an absolutely massive upper body. It’s hard to believe that someone could build that much muscle mass as a natural athlete!
Another big giveaway is Brian Shaw’s super-human strength. Brian is the 4x World’s Strongest Man winner and can easily deadlift over 1,000 pounds. We know that anabolic steroids are extremely helpful for building muscle mass and strength, and Brian Shaw’s super-human strength is a dead giveaway that he might be using steroids.
Of course, we can’t talk about Brian Shaw without mentioning his enormous shoulders and traps. His shoulders look like they belong on an IFBB professional bodybuilder! Research shows that the shoulders and traps have a very large number of androgen receptors.
Most steroid users find that their shoulders and traps grow much faster than the rest of their body, especially on their first few steroid cycles.
Brian Shaw has some very strong shoulders, and his training clearly played a big role in his overall shoulder development. However, his massive shoulders are another big giveaway that he might be using gear.
Brian Shaw has always denied using steroids, and he has never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. However, we think it’s pretty obvious that Brian is using steroids to compete as a professional strongman. Of course, Brian Shaw is one of the hardest working athletes in the world. He takes his training, nutrition and recovery very seriously.
Here is Brian talking about the crazy diet that he has to eat in order to recover from his workouts:
“It’s like a job. Seriously, there are times when you have to eat when you don’t want to eat. You’re just sick of eating. You don’t want to see any more food and you’ve just got to do it.”
It’s pretty obvious that Brian Shaw uses steroids, but that’s true for most professional strongman competitors. Brian’s work ethic and inner drive to be the best in the world is what really separates him from his competition.
Brian Shaw Before And After Steroids
Brian Shaw has many of the usual signs of long-term steroid use, such as an insanely muscular physique and massive shoulders / traps. But did he always look this way?
The truth is, Brian Shaw has always been a top athlete. He actually competed in college basketball starting his strongman career.
Of course, once Brian Shaw started competing in strongman he quickly blew up in size. At his peak Brian Shaw was a relatively lean 450 pounds!
Of course, it’s impossible for someone to get this big naturally, so it’s a safe bet that Brian Shaw has been using performance enhancing drugs to compete at the World’s Strongest Man competition every year.
Legal Steroid Alternatives?
Brian Shaw may have used anabolic steroids to become the 4x winner of the World’s Strongest Man competition, but that doesn’t mean they are a good idea for everyone.
Anabolic steroids cause major changes in your hormone levels, and can cause serious side effects if you are not careful. Besides, there are plenty of “legal steroid alternatives” that you can use to get better results in the gym.
One of the most popular muscle-building products on the market today is called ecdysterone.
Ecdysterone is a natural plant compound found in many everyday foods like spinach and quinoa. Ecdysterone has been shown to increase protein synthesis levels by as much as 20% [6]! This results in bigger, stronger muscles and faster recovery time between workouts.
In fact, ecdysterone has been shown to work better than many anabolic steroids, including dianabol [7].
Ecdysterone does exist in spinach and other foods, but you would have to eat upwards of 20-30 pounds of spinach per day to get an effective dose. Instead, most people prefer to supplement with 500 mg of ecdysterone per day to get these muscle-building benefits.
That is just one small pill in the morning or evening and you are good to go.
There are many companies selling ecdysterone, but one stands out from the crowd: Huge Supplements.
These guys manufacture ecdysterone right here in the United States in FDA-approved facilities. This means you are getting the highest-quality ingredients, rather than the cheap stuff used by other companies.
Testosterone Therapy vs. Steroids
Testosterone replacement therapy is a great alternative to traditional steroids. This is because testosterone therapy raises your testosterone levels to the high-end of the normal, healthy range, rather than to supra-physiological levels, as is the case with anabolic steroids.
Testosterone replacement therapy is also one of the most researched medical interventions in the world. Research shows that testosterone therapy is a safe and effective way to correct hypogonadism, or low T.
Most men report an increase in energy levels, muscle mass, strength, and sexual performance after starting testosterone therapy [8, 9, 10].
If you are looking for a great online TRT provider, then we strongly recommend Fountain TRT. They use a simple 3-step process to make it as easy as possible for you to get the prescription testosterone medication that you need.
Brian Shaw and Steroids | Verdict
What’s the verdict – does Mike Thurston use steroids?
We believe the odds are extremely high that Mike Thurston used performance enhancing drugs to build his incredible physique.
Mike has many of the signs of long-term steroid use, such as an insanely muscular physique, red / flushed skin, and extremely low body fat levels.
Mike stays completely ripped year-round, which is almost impossible for a natural bodybuilder to do, as men’s hormone levels start to decline when they are that lean. This isn’t a problem for Mike Thurston, and performance enhancing drugs may be part of the reason why.
Mike Thurston clearly worked hard to build his incredible physique. But performance enhancing drugs were probably part of the equation.