After posting a YouTube video of his extreme body transformation, David Laid rose to fame. In just three years, a 14-year-old David grew from 5 ft 7 and 98 lbs to 6 ft 2 and 190 lbs, so does this mean steroids can make you grow taller?
His jaw-dropping development had people speculating about his steroid status. To uncover the truth, I looked back on the young bodybuilder's history and examined his physical attributes for any steroid signs.
Read on to find out whether David Laid is natural or not.
Quick Summary
- David Laid isn't on steroids, but regular workouts, and the use of legal supplements have helped him attain his shredded body.
- There are no physical signs on David's body that suggest that he previously used any form of steroid.
- David Laid seems to take a healthy diet, which supplies his body with the required nutrients to attain such a body from exercises.
Is David Laid Natural?
Based on my analysis, I've concluded that David Laid may have relied on anabolic steroids in the past.
The guy has been working out since he was a teenager, and his body is natural-looking, but some evidence indicates he might have used steroids.
- David's muscles appear more pumped than usual in many of his photos, which can be a sign of water retention in the muscles—a common steroid symptom.
- David gained roughly 70 lbs of muscle in six years, which is beyond the expected gains of the average male.
- David wore a "Half Natty" hoodie to an Arnold Expo, suggesting that he isn't all-natural.
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David Laid Stats
- David Laid Age - David was born in Estonia on January 29, 1998. He is currently 23 years old and lives in New Jersey.
- David Laid Height - David stands 6 ft 2 tall (188 cm) and weighs about 185 to 195 lbs (84 to 89 kg). The bodybuilder/fitness model isn't only shredded; He can bench press 390 lbs and sumo deadlift 635 lbs.
- David Laid Girlfriend - David is reported dating Julia Jackson, a fitness trainer, model, and dancer. The pair have kept their relationship low-key over the years.
David Laid Career Highlights
David Laid weighed only 90 pounds and was diagnosed with scoliosis as a young teen, making him a target for bullies.
David Laid's three-year natural transformation video went viral in 2015 and made him an instant internet celebrity at such a young age.
So far, the nearly five-minute footage has racked up a staggering 43 million+ views, with it showing a scrawny 14-year-old David turn into a muscular alpha male at 17.
His impressive physique has earned him a significant fanbase of over a million followers on Instagram and YouTube, quickly cementing his status as one of the top bodybuilders in the industry.
David's stardom has also landed him a sponsorship deal with apparel company Gymshark.
The social media personality also sells a 9-week workout program called the "DUP Program" or the Daily Undulating Periodization Workout Plan that can be purchased from his website.
Evidence That David Laid Is Natural
With his pretty face and muscular physique, David Laid ranks among the hottest lifters in bodybuilding right now, but is he all-natural?
Let's take a look at the evidence.
1. Size
David Laid doesn't have a ton of muscle mass, but he looks huge because he is shredded.
In reality, he isn't inhumanely massive, so it's possible to look like him naturally if you've got decent genetics.
But if you have average genetics and work hard at the gym for several years, you can look as good as David. However, it will require plenty of consistency and dedication.
2. Outright Denial
In his viral 2015 video, David Laid specifically wrote "natural transformation" in the title, thus implying that he is natty.
And in another video where he talks about steroids, the fitness model vehemently denied taking steroids.
A fan asked him: "Do you think you'd ever consider using steroids?" David's response was, "For me, it ended up not being worth it at any point."
However, it's also worth noting that David came to the defense of those who take steroids in the same video, saying that they're "not a bad person" for doing so.
For someone who claims to be natural, his statement seems quite defensive. He also tried to paint steroids in a good light by saying, "they're not good or bad," which isn't true as steroids have been proven to lead to serious, long-term health issues when misused [1].
3. Condemns Steroid Users
David Laid also criticized two types of people who take steroids:
- Those who claim to be natty then use that to sell their products
- Those who compete in drug-tested organizations
It's possible to build up the natural looking physique that David has without using steroids. However, finding the right workout roadmap and and eating habits is key to making this happen. To maximize your full potential without using steroids, watch our Free "Saiyan Unleashed" Masterclass. In this video, Total Shape coach Benedict Ang reveals exactly how to get incredibly shredded and insanely muscular without being a slave to the gym or restrictive diets.
Related: Is David Laid Vegan?
Evidence That David Laid Uses Steroids
Despite his natural-looking physique, denial, and condemnation of certain steroid users, David Laid shows some signs of steroid use.
Here's some evidence suggesting that he may have taken steroids.
Steroid Symptoms
When looking at David Laid's body, you won't spot any obvious steroid symptoms. He has no protruding midsection, no enlargement of breasts, and no bloating.
However, we can't automatically conclude that he's natural on those observations. I have analyzed bodybuilders who look natural but are most certainly taking steroids in the past.
One thing that stands out on David's body is his muscle fullness.
He has some pictures going in and out of the gym, looking much bigger than his old photos. David's muscles appear fuller than usual, suggesting he might be in the middle of a cycle when they were taken.
The full appearance of his muscles could indicate fluid retention, which is a common sign of steroid usage [2].
Timeline of Progress
One foolproof way to tell if someone is on steroids is by looking at their gains timeline.
I gathered several photos of David Laid to compare the state of his body when he first started lifting weights at 14 versus what it looks like now, and it's clear that he gained a significant amount of muscle from hitting the weights, which I estimate to be around 70 lbs.
I've been in the fitness industry for a long time, and I have never seen anyone put on that much muscle mass at a rate like that.
Even if David started training at a very young age, achieving such gains naturally would be tough. Maintaining them could even be tougher, considering the amount of work needed when it comes to working out and dieting.
Based on these observations regarding David’s progress, there is a chance that he has used steroids to become more massive.
Half Natty Shirt
David Laid wore a hoodie emblazoned with "Half Natty" during the Arnold Classic expo despite his vehement denial of steroid use.
Being half natty could mean two things: either they were using steroids before, and they're now natural, or; they're taking low doses of the substance.
Either way, a half natty isn't 100% natural. Wearing it could indicate that he has used steroids, or David could have just worn it for fun. We really can’t be sure.
To add, Matt Ogus, founder of the Half Natty clothing brand, is also someone who might have taken steroids. Matt had a gains timeline similar to David's, going from skinny to rip in a matter of years.
His Potential Steroid Stack
David Laid might have taken any/all of the following steroids:
- Dianabol
- Deca Durabolin
David has put on a ton of muscle so that he may have taken Dianabol, one of the best muscle-building steroids [4].
He could have also used Deca Durabolin, which can increase lean body mass [5] because he has many photos where he looks massive and full. When someone cycles this steroid, it gives them the kind of muscle fullness that no other steroid could.
When taking Deca, you'll always appear like how you would when you're pumped at the gym.
Our Verdict
The timeline of David’s progress is stereotypical to someone who has taken performance-enhancing drugs to boost their bodybuilding results.
However, in my research, it appears that he has never been tested for the substance, so we can only speculate.
There’s no doubt that David Laid has worked immensely hard to build his body composition. And from our experience, regular training and the use of legal and natural steroid supplements for men can help you bulk up like David Laid.
References:
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/steroids
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20124795/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7018798/
- https://www.nps.org.au/medicine-finder/deca-durabolin-solution-for-injection
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