Every sport is subject to evolution and strength sports are no exception. As the years passed by, bodybuilders gradually began chasing after muscle mass. However, three-time Mr. Olympia winner Frank Zane has a different opinion than most. Further, The Chemist is known to focus on proportions, symmetry, and conditioning. In an interview, the 80-year-old, who still works out, talked about testosterone use during his bodybuilding days as well as the risks associated with it.

During his prime, Frank trained the according to his physiology and emulated the aesthetics angle to bodybuilding. While the three-time champion said he wasn’t up-to-date with today’s steroid protocols, Frank also revealed why he is under medication to reduce testosterone.

Frank Zane exposed the risk of taking testosterone

The Bodybuilding icon appeared on Lisa Alastuey’s YouTube channel for an interview to talk about various aspects of bodybuilding. Lisa said she had heard Frank say in an interview why he didn’t hop on testosterone replacement therapy. Upon recollection, Zane said that he didn’t want to increase the risk of prostate cancer. “Is that still the case?” asked Lisa.

Zane agreed. However, he sought to add more details. “I take medication to keep my testosterone low because cancer feeds on testosterone,” said Zane. The bodybuilding legend said testosterone acts as the fuel for cancer. So, if someone takes the hormone from external sources, they’re serving food for cancer. “You’re feeding cancer. So, that is a concern,” said Zane. 

The interviewer said bodybuilders today take more steroids than in the 70s. Lisa picked his brain to get an insider’s view on how much steroid use has increased over the past four decades. Oblivious to what bodybuilders are using today, he revealed that even top bodybuilders didn’t have access to a lot of steroids back in the 70s.

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Adding further, The bodybuilding aesthetician talked about the then-prevalent oral and injectable steroids, such as Dianabol and Anavar. One of the most popular injectable steroids was “straight testosterone,” said the bodybuilding icon.

The everlasting influence of the King of Aesthetics

During the 70s, bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and later, Lee Haney popularized the idea of an aesthetic-balanced physique. In fact, many fans call Frank Zane the King of Aesthetics. Today, their philosophy has become so revered and iconic that the IFBB created an entirely new division to bring back the look of Frank Zane’s era.

Today, the Mr. Olympia Classic Physique division gives the open category a run for its money in terms of popularity. In fact, three-time Classic Physique winner Chirs Bumstead has over 12 million followers on social media. That’s over twice as many as current open bodybuilding champion Big Ramy. 

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