There's no doubt that Greg O'Gallagher, aka Kinobody, has achieved some fantastic success from taking his shirt off on YouTube. And that kind of success always draws attention from people who immediately say it's all down to steroids.
While steroid use is widespread in the bodybuilding and fitness industry, I find that making such comments without doing research is unfair to the guy.
That's why our team at TotalShape spent a few weeks going through his social media accounts and many hours of interviews to see if there's any truth to the claims that his physique isn't natural.
Is Kinobody Natty, Or Does He Take Steroids?
Kinobody has claimed natural muscles since he started his journey as a health and fitness influencer.
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And by the time he was 24 years old, he had a Hollywood body and a multi-million dollar online business.
He recalls when he was 15 years old and first started lifting weights, he didn't find the environment with bigger and older guys intimidating.
And by working with strength coaches from the start, he quickly learned how to adjust his training to keep growing muscle.
His point has always been that he achieved his physique through consistently hard work at the gym and focusing on the quality of every set.
Based on those statements alone, there could be truth in his claim to being natty, but we did a bit more research to see if we could confirm it.
Related Article: Kinobody Program Review
Why Do People Believe Kinobody Takes Steroids?
I researched five key areas that would give away steroid use to answer this question.
Extreme Vascularity
Guys that head to the gym to get a ripped body always look for those popping veins. They're a great indicator of how much muscle and little fat you have.
Based on a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), certain types of steroids will cause those vascular veins even when you're not at the gym and working out [1]. To see if this side effect applies to Kinobody, we took a look at hundreds of photos to test the theory.
Yes, he's got very noticeable veins in many of those photos, but those tend to be taken when he's working out. Other photos from when he's just relaxing don't seem to show the same effect.
There are also supplements that improve vascularity and make veins pop up. You can check our in-depth article about the best supplements for vascularity.
Large Breast Tissue
According to insights from the Mayo Clinic, steroids that boost testosterone and growth hormone levels have also been tied to men developing enlarged breast tissue [2]. It's important to understand that large and ripped pecs are not the same thing, and this issue is more about soft breast tissue in the form of body fat.
I don't think that anyone can say that Kinobody has man-boobs, and we didn't notice this issue in older photos either.
But that doesn't mean that he didn't have it at one point before he started showing off his physique in public.
Fast Bulking Process
This is where you can catch out pretty much every fake natty.
No matter how good your genetics are and how much professional coaching you get, building up muscle takes time.
And to look like Kinobody would take many years. According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the only way to significantly speed things up is through performance enhancing drugs [3].
Since Kinobody started training when he was 15 years old, it's not unreasonable for him to have achieved a superhero body by the time he was 22.
Skin Conditions Like Acne
Sudden fluctuations in testosterone are one of the reasons teenage boys get acne. And the same thing can happen when adult guys take anabolic steroids.
This is often a very noticeable and sudden change in the skin and not easy to hide, especially if you're constantly on camera for the next marketing ploy in social media videos.
Maybe he took a low enough dose to avoid this problem, but I couldn't find any picture that showed his facial skin with any signs of acne.
Hair Loss
Per a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of the most common problems with anabolic steroids is that they might increase facial hair growth at the expense of the hair on top of your head [4]. Some athletes find this easy to hide with a tightly cut hairstyle.
But Kinobody keeps his hair long, and there are no signs of him balding or having a receding hairline.
Kinobody's Body Transformation?
If you look at old photos of Kinobody when he was a teenager, you'll notice that he was slim to start with.
That meant that he didn't have to battle with weight loss to get fit and ripped.
I've heard him say in interviews that by the time he was in his late teens, he had already worked with a few fitness and strength coaches.
That helped him better understand how his body responded to changes in his routine when he hit a bulking plateau.
Combine good genetics with a great diet and workout routine over a five-year period, and most people will be able to achieve this kind of transformation.
Kinobody's Stats
- Born: September 21, 1991
- Height: 5'10"
- Weight: 185 lbs
What Would It Take To Bulk Up Like Kinobody?
There are two key elements when it comes to bulking up consistently without resorting to taking bulking steroids for muscle.
Diet & Supplements
From a calorie perspective, you'll need to eat a lot more healthy food to provide your body with enough energy for working out five times a week.
One other thing that I've heard Kinobody talk about a few times is that he does intermittent fasting for his cutting phases to stay on top of his BMI.
It’s just a tool that helps him avoid body fat buildup.
"You have to be in a calorie deficit consistently to achieve significant fat loss. If you have over 10-15 pounds of fat to lose, the process is going to take a while; and, no matter how sustainable, being in a constant calorie deficit takes its toll on you over time."
- Kinobody
Based on a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for the right macronutrient split, bulking phases should ideally involve 50% calories from carbs and about 30% from protein [5]. This is the ideal combination to fuel all the workouts and provide amino acids for a faster recovery.
And for natural bodybuilders to get some faster results, there's also the option of supplements that help to boost testosterone production and physical endurance.
These legal steroids use natural herbs, minerals, and amino acids to trigger your body’s own testosterone production and increase muscle growth.
Tough Training
Even with the right genetics, bodybuilders will have to plan for five workouts a week and then consistently execute that for five or more years. And that's why so many people fail in getting that kind of Kinobody chiseled appearance.
Was Kinobody Tested For Steroid Use?
I spent a few days searching through different national and international bodybuilding and powerlifting federation websites to see if I could find any information that Greg O'Gallagher had competed in them.
Most of these events have strict drug testing protocols and would indicate that he would have had to complete a carbon isotope test.
From what I can tell, he hasn't competed in such events, and I haven't heard him talk or post about competitions either.
FAQs
Does Kinobody Have an App?
Yes, Kinobody has an app that is available on Android and iOS. It's one of his main revenue streams and there he provides several different training plans as well as information about diet planning.
Does Kinobody Have Health Issues Due to Steroids?
No, there is no evidence that Kinobody has health issues due to steroid usage. If he had been a long-term steroid user like some people claim, then he would likely have developed anything from skin conditions to kidney damage.
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12500264/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gynecomastia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351793
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10589853/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8018303/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15107010/
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