In the world of bodybuilding, TRT is controversial at best and completely taboo at worst. But a normal drop in testosterone levels as you age can make it impossible for even bodybuilding’s most well-decorated vets to maintain their shape as they age.
Your T levels start to dip around your mid-thirties, which can lead to debilitating side effects like low energy and libido, muscle loss, and weight gain. If you’re used to being shredded like a bodybuilder, those changes can be even more stark.
These four bodybuilding vets are crushing the stigma and taking TRT to boost their athleticism and longevity as they age. Here’s why.
Samir Bannout
As one of the most recognizable faces of bodybuilding’s glory days in the 80s, the pressure is on for 1983 Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout to preserve his athletic build—even at 67.
In a recent interview, Bannout says TRT is a “no-brainer” for him and other guys looking to stay active as they age.
It is one hundred percent healthy to do. We’re not doing it to become Arnold or Sergio Oliva or winning. If you do [TRT], it will improve your health,” he says. “You will be healthier when your testosterone is in the middle range or slightly above the middle. But if your range is way too low, you’re stupid if you don’t.”
For healthy guys around Bannout’s age, T levels typically fall around 196–859 ng/dL (1). On the lower end of that range, you’ll really start to feel the effects of hypogonadism—or low T.
“You’ll be feeling all of the symptoms of low testosterone at 200 ng/dL. You’d be barely able to function with that. You’d not be sleeping well, you’d have no sex drive, you’d be fatigued, you’d have no muscle mass, you’d have uncontrolled glucose levels and more,” Danielle McDevitt, M.D., a physician who specializes in hormones previously told the Edge.
Boost Your T
Victor Martinez
The 49-year-old Dominican Dominator calls his TRT use a “loophole of not juicing,” since he’s sworn off the more traditional bodybuilding approach of cycling on-and-off anabolic steroids.
“At the end of the day, nothing beats knowing by having your blood work and knowing what your levels are because that will ultimately let you know what you’re deficient in,” he said.
While testosterone is technically an anabolic steroid, when guys talk about “gearing up” they’re probably referring to the mainstream misuse of synthetic anabolic steroids. These illegal meds have doses 10 to 100 times more than what you’d get from the TRT you’re prescribed after reviewing blood test results with a doctor.
Jay Cutler
The 49-year-old four-time Mr. Olympia winner is ditching Tren for 200mg of testosterone cypionate—a prescription TRT injection—as part of his personal “Fit for 50” transformation challenge.
“I think honestly, I literally could transform this body, no drugs, nothing. I mean, obviously, I’m going to use my TRT,” he says about going natty. “I’m on 200mg of cypionate a week. I have no reason to lie.”
While you might have gains-envy, Cutler’s dose isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your doctor will prescribe you the right amount of T to boost your levels to a healthy range—this can also depend on how active you are, according to McDevitt.
Rich Gaspari
This bodybuilding vet took to Instagram to smash the TRT taboo, revealing that he’s been taking testosterone for over ten years.
“I want to talk about something that was regarded as highly taboo years ago but is now being accepted by the general public more and more to try to stay young,” Gaspari writes. “I’ve been on TRT for close to ten years and I feel amazing. I stay muscular as people can see. I continue training in the gym. I stay lean. I have no side effects from it because I’m being monitored by a doctor.”
At 59 years old, Gaspari still maintains a competition-ready physique 26 years after his last run—all while building his supplement brand, Gaspari Nutrition. He also urges guys who are interested in TRT to take their blood work seriously and points out the difference between free and total T levels. Needless to say, we’re impressed.
“I get extensive blood work done to make sure that my health indicators are all at normal range; that’s your liver, kidneys, cholesterol, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, and much more that a doctor will do the right test,” he said. “When you do your testosterone, you’re not only testing for total testosterone but you’re testing for biological free testosterone, and that’s very important to know. You should have a doctor do this.”
