I’ve known about Matt Ogus and have followed his progress as a fitness influencer for almost ten years. And I have a tremendous amount of respect for any bodybuilder who decides to give away loads of bodybuilding advice.
Athletes like Matt often face the same problem once they gain a large following, and that’s people questioning their physique. But, truth be told, Ogus did fuel some of that suspicion over the years.
To find out if he is natty, I spent a few weeks going through all his old social media posts and photos to see if there’s some evidence of what people may believe about his physique.
Here’s what I found out.
Does Matt Ogus Take Steroids?
Matt Ogus made a public statement on Instagram in 2016 that he was taking steroids.
Most people didn’t realize that he posted it on April 1, 2016, and later updated it to say that it was an April fools joke.
But all the trolls and haters jumped on the opportunity and called him a half natty.
I don’t believe any of them looked for clear evidence that all that muscle mass might be natural like he has always claimed.
Why Do People Believe That He Takes Steroids?
Taking anabolic steroids comes with many different side effects. But looking at five of the most common ones can tell you whether Matt’s body is natural.
1. Extreme Vascularity
One of the most common things you can see with bodybuilders who use steroids is extremely prominent veins even before they walk into the gym. This increased vascularity has been shown in a study from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to be directly linked to steroids [1].
It’s important to understand that this is different from those popping veins you get when you’re halfway through your workout, and your muscles are pumping.
Now, if you look at Matt’s body composition and muscle definition in photos outside of the gym when he’s just relaxing, then I’d say that he doesn’t have unnatural vascularity.
2. Large Breast Tissue
Medical research has also revealed that anabolic steroids can lead to the development of soft breast tissue in men [2].
This process is known as gynecomastia, and it is a temporary condition.
It’s vital to understand the hard and massive pecs bodybuilders usually have are very different from this soft breast tissue.
With that in mind, I took a look at photos of Matt’s body over the years to see if he ever struggled with fat around his chest. There’s no evidence that he encountered this issue, from what I can tell.
3. Fast Bulking Process
Most bodybuilders dabble with bulking steroids to build up muscle mass a lot faster than is natural. According to NIH, with the right steroid usage and growth hormone combination, it’s possible to see muscle growth within weeks, even without changing their diet or workout routine [3].
Matt started muscle building when he was in High School. His football coach taught him at that young age how to best approach strength training.
That gave him a solid foundation for his body to progress towards bodybuilding in his late teens and early 20s. From my own experience, I have to say that this isn’t unrealistic muscle growth that would indicate steroid usage as some trolls suggest.
“Fortunately, it was through an educated strength and football coach whom I learned the basics from. Results came fast as newbie gains.”
- Matt Ogus
Related Article: How To Bulk Up Fast (14 Hacks)
4. Skin Conditions Like Acne
Bodybuilding acne, as it’s often called, is one of the more common side effects of taking steroids [4].
To assess this as a possible reason to believe that Matt isn’t natty, I gathered hundreds of photos from a 10-year period and closely inspected his face.
None of my research revealed any acne scarring or even discoloration that might indicate that he has taken steroids.
5. Hair Loss
The ironic thing with steroid use is that it may cause facial and body hair to grow faster, but, according to NIH, the hair on top of your head could start to fall out and get patchy [5].
I took the same approach as for the steroid acne research above and looked carefully at Matt’s hair over the years.
To me, it seems like he might have started receding a bit a few years ago, and he now keeps his hair a bit longer at the front.
Since he’s not that old, natural aging doesn’t apply. So this could indicate that he did use steroids at some stage.
Matt Ogus’s Stats And Accomplishments
- Born: March 21, 1991
- Height: 5’6”
- Weight: 190 lbs
Matt Ogus hasn’t participated in competitive bodybuilding or powerlifting events, with his entire focus being on his online presence.
That involves a popular YouTube channel and Instagram account with more than 500k followers on each. He has also created several workout programs that focus on muscle building and achieving a completely shredded appearance.
Is Matt Ogus’s Transformation Possible Without Drugs?
Yes, as a personal fitness trainer and strength coach, I think what Matt Ogus has achieved is possible without steroids. Your typical anabolic steroid user bulking up to that extent would have shown at least some adverse effects mentioned above.
You could argue that he started strength training when he was 15 and then became big and lean in his early 20s.
That’s 6 or 7 years where he was training regularly with coaches that instructed and educated him on what to do for good and consistent results.
That’s very different from achieving the same physique in a year or two while training on steroids.
What Would It Take To Bulk Up Like Matt Ogus?
There are three things that you need to keep in mind to get a body like Matt’s.
Diet
You could argue that what you do in the kitchen dictates what your body will look like. And that means not just eating more calories, but getting used to always balancing macro and micronutrients as well.
That, according to NIH, means the majority of your calories are from complex and healthy carbs and eating a lot more than you ever have before [6]. You’ll also need to add a lot more protein for muscle recovery and building.
Supplements
There are several ways to avoid anabolic steroid use altogether and still get positive results for your strength, endurance, and testosterone levels. With the right supplement stack, you can achieve that kind of boost through vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and scientifically proven herbs.
These types of natural testosterone boosters could make quite a difference over the months to get you to your goals faster.
And to get an extra boost for your efforts, I would also suggest considering taking natural legal steroid substitutes for men.
Tough Training
One thing you have to prepare yourself for as a natty is that your body will build up muscles at a much slower pace. With steroids, you could see changes in muscle mass within weeks, but it will take many months as a natty [7].
That means heading to the gym five days a week and getting used to every muscle being in pain by the time you’re finished.
Adequate Rest and Recovery
Muscle growth occurs outside the gym. Ogus understands the importance of rest, including sufficient sleep and recovery days.
This allows muscles to repair and grow stronger. Overtraining can be counterproductive, leading to fatigue and injury.
Balance intense workouts with restful periods to optimize muscle growth.
Was Matt Ogus Tested For Steroid Use?
As far as I can see from my research, it looks like Matt Ogus didn’t compete in any events where mandatory or random drug testing was in place. These would typically be events held by organizations like the WNBF, where there are stringent rules around testing [8].
This is typically the best way to tell if a bodybuilder has used steroids, but it’s important not to jump to conclusions just because someone hasn’t entered such a competition.
I think there are many good reasons why Matt hasn’t gone down this path, one of which is the fact that he’s dedicating a lot of time to his online businesses, and there isn’t much left to prepare for a professional bodybuilding event.
FAQs
Is Matt Ogus Vegan?
No, Matt Ogus isn’t a strict vegan. But he has posted videos where he talks about the fact that he relies on plants for shredding and cutting.
Does Matt Ogus Have Health Issues Due to Steroids?
No, Matt Ogus doesn’t seem to have health issues due to steroids. Common issues are steroid acne and even kidney and liver problems. But I don’t think there is any evidence that Matt has had to deal with these.
How Do You Know if Someone Is Natty?
Determining if someone is "natty" (natural, not using performance-enhancing drugs) involves observing physical changes, understanding realistic muscle growth rates, and considering genetic potential. However, without testing, it's often speculative and not definitive.
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10325953/
- https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=85&contentid=P01118
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2439518/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325997
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8018303/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15107010/
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6265-steroids-boost-performance-in-just-weeks/
- https://www.worldnaturalbb.com/drug-testing-banned-substances/
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