76-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger continues his quest against misinformation in fitness through Arnold’s Pump Club. In the latest edition of his newsletter, the seven-time Mr. Olympia questioned the claims of a popular supplement – deer antler velvet. The supplement claims to boost IGF-1 to promote muscle gain.

The body naturally synthesizes Insulin-like Growth Factor – 1 (IGF – 1) in the liver with the help of growth hormone. Since Deer Antler Velvet claims to boost IGF-1, it would have to increase growth hormone production in the pituitary gland. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger raised red flags against their claim.

The bodybuilding legend gave the supplement the benefit of the doubt and ignored the first red flag. “Let’s ignore that most research suggests that benefits only occur in mice,“ Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote in the newsletter. However, he followed it up with an even bigger bombshell.

“Research suggests that to see results that would help you build more muscle, you would need to take 25 million nanograms per day,“ said the 76-year-old. The Austrian Oak wrote that the average seer antler velvet bottle contains only 3,000 to 5,000 nanograms of the supplement.

“Even if it did hypothetically make a difference, there’s no way to take enough of the supplement to boost your hormones,“ the five-time Mr. Universe said. Arnold Schwarzenegger also mentioned supplements that claim to boost testosterone levels. However, those aren’t effective either. So, the 76-year-old mentioned what Peter Attia said about increasing hormone production naturally.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has mentioned it numerous times 

During his conversation with fitness influencer Chris Williamson, Dr. Peter Attia explained that adequate sleep was the key to hormone health. Attia claimed that adequate sleep and stress reduction raise the body’s natural testosterone production. Arnold Schwarzenegger himself has highlighted the various benefits of quality sleep many times in the past.

Besides increasing testosterone production, adequate sleep also boosts growth hormone production. Studies have found that the body produces most of its growth hormone during sleep when it recovers. Proper sleep supports proper recovery and boosts performance in the gym. It also fends off diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and more.

So, Arnold Schwarzenegger believes that people shouldn’t rely on supplements that only reveal part of the truth. Instead, he believes people should foster good habits, follow a proper diet, and apply progressive overloading to make sustainable gains.