Did Liver King use TRT specifically?

Johnson used testosterone as part of a much larger stack, but his protocol was not therapeutic testosterone replacement. TRT refers to physiologic-dose testosterone prescribed for diagnosed hypogonadism. His admitted regimen included trenbolone, growth hormone, hCG, and other compounds at doses designed for muscle hypertrophy, not hormone normalization.

Is trenbolone safe for human use?

Trenbolone has no FDA approval for human use. It was developed as a veterinary product for cattle. There are no controlled human clinical trials establishing safe dosing, and the compound carries significant cardiovascular, hepatic, and psychological risks based on available preclinical data and case reports.

Can you build Liver King's physique naturally?

The degree of lean mass Johnson displayed, particularly at his age (mid-40s during peak visibility), exceeds what most exercise physiologists consider achievable without pharmacological assistance. His own admission confirmed that his physique was not the product of diet and training alone.

What is the difference between TRT and steroid abuse?

TRT uses testosterone at doses that restore levels to the normal physiologic range (typically 400 to 700 ng/dL) under medical supervision. Anabolic steroid use for bodybuilding typically involves multiple compounds at supraphysiological doses without the same medical oversight. The risk profiles are substantially different.

What happened to Liver King's supplement business?

Ancestral Supplements continued operating after the steroid admission. Johnson faced a class-action lawsuit alleging consumer fraud related to the misleading claims about his physique. The legal proceedings and their outcomes are matters of public record separate from the clinical questions addressed on this page.

Brian Johnson (Liver King) and TRT: The Documented Public Record

By HealthRX Medical Team

Published May 25, 2026Updated May 25, 2026Last reviewed May 25, 2026

At a glance

Status: Confirmed. Johnson admitted to anabolic steroid and hormone use in a December 2022 video statement.
Compounds confirmed (by his own admission): Testosterone, trenbolone, human growth hormone (hGH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), deca-durabolin (nandrolone), and additional peptides.
Duration of denial: Approximately two years of public claims attributing his physique solely to diet, training, and "ancestral living."
Trigger for disclosure: Leaked emails published by fitness YouTuber Derek of More Plates More Dates in November 2022, containing detailed steroid cycle information sent by Johnson to a coaching service.
Estimated monthly spend (per leaked emails): Reported at approximately $11,000/month on pharmaceuticals.

The Public Timeline

Brian Johnson emerged on social media in 2021 with a striking physique and a brand built on nine "ancestral tenets," including eating raw organ meats, cold exposure, and sun exposure. He repeatedly denied steroid use in interviews, social media posts, and direct responses to audience questions throughout 2021 and 2022.

The denials were categorical. In multiple TikTok and Instagram videos, Johnson stated that his physique was the product of lifestyle choices, not pharmaceutical intervention. He built a supplement company, Ancestral Supplements, around this narrative.

In November 2022, Derek from More Plates More Dates published leaked emails that Johnson had sent to a bodybuilding coach. The emails contained specific drug names, dosages, and cycle schedules. The detail was granular enough to remove plausible deniability.

In December 2022, Johnson posted an apology video on YouTube confirming the substance of the leaks. He acknowledged using testosterone, trenbolone, growth hormone, hCG, and other compounds. He stated he had been "dishonest" and expressed regret for misleading his audience.

What the Leaked Emails Revealed

The emails, as reported across multiple outlets including the New York Post and fitness media, described a multi-compound protocol that went far beyond therapeutic testosterone replacement. The reported stack included:

Testosterone (base compound, supraphysiological doses)
Trenbolone (a veterinary-origin anabolic with no FDA-approved human use)
Human growth hormone (hGH)
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (used to maintain testicular function during exogenous testosterone use)
Deca-durabolin (nandrolone decanoate)
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) peptides

The reported monthly pharmaceutical cost was approximately $11,000, a figure Johnson did not dispute in his apology.

Clinical Context: TRT vs. What Was Actually Used

This distinction matters. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is an FDA-approved treatment for men with clinically diagnosed hypogonadism, defined as total testosterone consistently below 300 ng/dL with associated symptoms. Therapeutic TRT doses typically range from 100 to 200 mg of testosterone cypionate or enanthate per week, titrated to bring levels into the physiologic range of 400 to 700 ng/dL.

What Johnson described using is categorically different from TRT. His reported protocol included multiple anabolic agents at doses designed to push testosterone and anabolic signaling far above physiologic ranges. A few key clinical distinctions:

Testosterone at supraphysiological doses. A landmark NEJM study by Bhasin et al. (1996) demonstrated that 600 mg/week of testosterone enanthate (three to six times a standard TRT dose) produced significant increases in fat-free mass and muscle size, even without exercise. The gains were dose-dependent, but so were the risks: erythrocytosis, dyslipidemia, and hepatic strain all increase with dose.

Trenbolone. This compound has no approved human indication. It was developed for use in cattle to promote lean mass before slaughter. Trenbolone binds the androgen receptor with roughly five times the affinity of testosterone. It does not aromatize to estrogen, which reduces some estrogenic side effects but introduces others: night sweats, insomnia, cardiovascular strain, and significant suppression of endogenous testosterone production. There is no clinical dosing guideline for humans because no regulatory body has approved it for human use.

Human growth hormone. Recombinant hGH is FDA-approved for specific conditions including adult growth hormone deficiency, but not for anti-aging or bodybuilding purposes. At supraphysiological doses, hGH can cause fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and may increase insulin resistance. Long-term cardiovascular and oncologic risks at high doses remain under investigation.

hCG. In the context of anabolic steroid use, hCG is administered to maintain intratesticular testosterone production and preserve fertility while exogenous androgens suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This is a legitimate clinical application in TRT management, though the doses and context in a multi-compound bodybuilding stack differ from standard fertility preservation protocols.

The HealthRX Medical Team Take: Why the TRT Label Matters

The HealthRX Medical Team considers the Liver King case a textbook example of why the term "TRT" requires precision in public discourse.

Johnson's protocol was not TRT. Calling a multi-compound anabolic stack "TRT" distorts public understanding of what testosterone replacement actually involves. Legitimate TRT is a monitored medical therapy for a defined endocrine condition. It involves regular bloodwork (CBC, lipid panel, PSA, hepatic function, estradiol), dose adjustment based on trough levels, and ongoing assessment of cardiovascular risk factors.

The clinical risk profile of a single-compound, physiologic-dose TRT protocol is meaningfully different from a stack that includes trenbolone, supraphysiological testosterone, growth hormone, and ancillary agents. Conflating the two creates two problems: it stigmatizes men who genuinely need testosterone replacement, and it minimizes the real health risks of polypharmacy-level anabolic use.

The denial period is also clinically relevant. For roughly two years, Johnson promoted a narrative in which dramatic muscular development in a man over 40 was achievable through diet and lifestyle alone. While training and nutrition are critical variables, the degree of lean mass Johnson carried is, in the assessment of the HealthRX Medical Team, not physiologically consistent with natural attainment at his age. His eventual admission confirmed what exercise physiologists and endocrinologists widely suspected.

Health Risks of Multi-Compound Anabolic Use

The compounds Johnson admitted to using carry overlapping and compounding risks. A non-exhaustive clinical summary:

Cardiovascular. Supraphysiological androgens suppress HDL cholesterol and may raise LDL. A 2017 JAMA study found that anabolic steroid users had significantly more coronary artery plaque than non-users. Trenbolone in particular has been associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in animal models. Growth hormone compounds the issue through fluid retention and potential cardiac remodeling.

Hepatic. While injectable testosterone is less hepatotoxic than oral 17-alpha-alkylated steroids, the combined metabolic burden of multiple compounds increases hepatic workload. Monitoring via ALT, AST, and GGT is standard in clinical settings.

Endocrine disruption. Prolonged use of exogenous androgens suppresses the HPG axis. Recovery of endogenous testosterone production after cessation is not guaranteed, particularly after extended cycles at high doses. Some users require permanent TRT because their natural production never recovers.

Psychological. Anabolic steroids, especially trenbolone, are associated with mood disturbances, irritability, and in some cases, aggression. These effects are dose-dependent and vary between individuals.

What Happened After the Admission

Following his December 2022 apology, Johnson continued to post content on social media. He has stated publicly that he reduced or discontinued some compounds, though the specifics of his current protocol have not been independently verified. His supplement business, Ancestral Supplements, continued operating.

The Liver King case prompted broader public discussion about transparency in the fitness industry. Several other fitness influencers subsequently disclosed their own use of performance-enhancing drugs, though whether Johnson's situation directly caused these disclosures is speculative.

As of 2025, Johnson has not released detailed bloodwork or medical records confirming his current hormonal status. His public statements about reducing use should be taken as self-reported and unverified.

Frequently asked questions

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References

Bhasin S, et al. "The effects of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone on muscle size and strength in normal men." N Engl J Med. 1996;335(1):1-7. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199607043350101
FDA Drug Safety Communication: Testosterone products. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-fda-cautions-about-using-testosterone-products-low-testosterone-due
FDA: Human Growth Hormone. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/human-growth-hormone-hgh
Baggish AL, et al. "Cardiovascular Toxicity of Illicit Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use." JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177(9):1290-1296. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2604140
Budoff MJ, et al. "Testosterone Treatment and Coronary Artery Plaque Volume in Older Men With Low Testosterone." JAMA. 2017;317(7):708-716. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2688585
Mulhall JP, et al. "Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline." J Urol. 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31368142/
Pomara C, et al. "Anabolic-androgenic steroid use and body image in men." Psychol Health Med. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25461682/
Coviello AD, et al. "Effects of graded doses of testosterone on erythropoiesis." J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22395943/
Vicari E, et al. "hCG in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism." J Endocrinol Invest. 2005. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15713727/