Sports Medicine
Do You Think Bodybuilding Is Unhealthy
Q. What do you say to the statement “Bodybuilding is not about health?”
A. I would like to make the distinction between competitive and non-competitive bodybuilding. I would say non-competitive bodybuilding is very healthy because the person is training frequently, has a low body fat level, eats very clean with little processed foods, and is usually taking a number of supplements. You can’t get any healthier than that. Competitive bodybuilding is a whole different story. Usually, bodybuilders gain a lot of weight in the offseason and put a lot of stress on the digestive and cardiovascular system. Then, 16 to 20 weeks out, they start on a very restricted diet with a high volume of training to bring the body fat levels down to an extreme low level, and before contest day, the water is decreased dramatically. This doesn’t take into account the polypharmacy of drugs they are on to get this extreme condition. So no, competitive bodybuilding is not healthy—it’s a sport. Just like competitive professional football is not healthy—it’s a sport. My beliefs are the same. High-level competition in any sport is not healthy.
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Photo By: Garry Bartlett