Before exploding in popularity on social media, Alex Eubank grinded away quietly in the gym like any other passionate recreational trainee. Fast forward several years though, and Eubank now boasts elite status as an inspirational natural bodybuilder, garnering sponsors with his phenomenal physique. However, with striking muscle gains made in near-record time, many now question if Eubank has truly achieved his remarkable transformation without performance enhancers.
Alex Eubank – The Rise of A Natural Bodybuilding Influencer
Making his first YouTube video at age 19, Alex documented his fitness journey from a scrawny 155 pounds. Training rigorously over the next two years, Eubank amazed audiences by packing on over 70 pounds to reach 225 pounds shredded. Growing explosively not just in size, but also notoriety, Eubank quickly cultivated an audience across platforms.
As of 2023, over 30,000 subscribers now closely track his high-production workout clips and vlogs. Garnering tens of thousands of views routinely, Eubank monetizes his passion as a full-time content creator. Sponsors like Gymshark and Ghost Lifestyle financially back him, provided he maintains his popularity and jaw-dropping physique.
Seen as an inspiration, Eubank attracts followers with his intense training ethic, squeaky-clean bulk diets, and no-nonsense workout programs. He credits simple, compound lifts like squats and deadlifts for building his phenomenal frame, alongside sports supplementation only.
Before & After Comparison
| Metric | 2015 (Before) | 2023 (After) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 17 years old | 23 years old |
| Weight (pounds) | 155 | 225 |
| Bench Press (pounds) | 165 | 315 |
| Squat (pounds) | 225 | 405 |
| Instagram Followers | 0 | 65,000 |
| YouTube Subscribers | 0 | 32,000 |
However, as physical stats exploded into elite territory, so too did the questions around just how legitimate Eubank’s natural status claims hold up.
Troubling Bloodwork Raises Suspicion of Chemical Enhancement
The first red flags emerged when fellow influencer Greg Doucette collaborated with Derek of the More Plates More Dates channel to analyze Eubank’s bloodwork. Displaying Eubank’s total testosterone at a reading of 932 ng/dL, the level proved staggeringly higher than normal limits.
Examining reference ranges, most adult males exhibit total testosterone between 280 to 1200 ng/dL naturally, depending heavily on age and fitness levels. However, to reach the upper thresholds requires strict dieting discipline, systematically optimized training programs, and likely solid genetics as well.
Furthermore, intricate feedback loops in the endocrine system prevent testosterone exceeding set boundaries for healthy individuals without an external stimulus.
Bodybuilders evidencing total test measurements approaching the maximum ceilings invariably stimulate suspicion of administering exogenous testosterone or related compounds. Eubank landing at 932 ng/dL at just age 21 without chemical assistance makes little scientific sense. The values simply contradict what research confirms possible concerning natural production.
Making matters more suspicious, Eubank’s bloodwork shows accompanying sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels of just 13 nmol/L – far below expectable ranges. This protein binds to hormones like testosterone, regulating the concentration actively circulating throughout bodily tissues.
Low SHBG translates into increased free (unbound) testosterone remaining bioavailable. Most natural bodybuilders exhibit SHBG levels between 30-50 nmol/L without administering additional testosterone or related compounds.
Rapid Gains Raise Skepticism from Natural Bodybuilding Community
Documenting his inspiring journey publicly on social media, Eubank’s visual changes in such a short time prove nothing short of extreme. While robably possessing great genetics as a starting point, packing on over 70 pounds whilst also staying shredded arouses skepticism.
The community busts with rumors of “fake natties” utilizing performance enhancers on the down-low while proudly proclaiming natural status. For genuine drug-tested athletes striving away daily just to gain fractions of Eubank’s increases, such rapid transformations make little sense biologically.
| Year | Max Weight (lbs) | Est. Body Fat % | Transformation | Time Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 155 | 15% | – | – |
| 2017 | 185 (+30 lbs) | 10-12% | Moderate Lean Bulking | 2 Years Training |
| 2018 | 205 (+50 lbs) | 8-10% | Blows Up Overnight | 1 Year |
| 2019 | 225 (+70 lbs) | Sub 8% | Shocking Size/Conditioning | 1 Year |
Note the extreme spikes in muscular weight accrual from 2018 onwards whilst staying incredibly lean. The :1 year” time spans stand out as highly improbable for unassisted gains.
For drug-free devotees, gaining 10-12 pounds of lean body mass yearly while increasing strength constitutes incredible progress. Eubank packing on significantly greater muscular weight whilst exhibiting granite hardness and paper-thin skin every year seems fantastical.
Potential Substances Taken to Enable Rapid Physical Changes
Several candidate compounds potentially utilized by Eubank could explain his eye-popping statistics and physical recomposition occurring so expediently.
Clomiphene functions as a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), balancing testosterone and estrogen levels. Bodybuilders running steroid cycles use clomiphene during post cycle therapy to kickstart natural testosterone production after being suppressed.
However at micro doses, clomiphene also demonstrates potency for elevating testosterone measurements to heightened levels in a practice called “testosterone replacement therapy” (TRT). Anti-aging clinics prescribe clomiphene off-label to middle aged men seeking physical rejuvenation and performance enhancement specific contexts.
Eubank’s bloodwork showing sky-high testosterone coupled with low SHBG aligns suspiciously with clinical research examining clomiphene for hormonal optimization.
Other possibilities including SARMs (selective androgen receptor modulators) also rank as prime suspects. This class of compounds stimulate anabolic effects similar to traditional steroids but with superior safety profiles concerning side effects.
Well-known examples like Ostarine (MK-2866) and Ligandrol (LGD-4033) assist muscle building and recovery tremendously while avoiding harsher outcomes like testicular shrinkage or estrogen conversion from excess testosterone.
Ultimately no definitive confirmation exists whether Eubank has taken such substances. But for devoted natural lifters, realizing such blinding progress without chemical enhancement seems almost unimaginable given entry level genetics and a few short years lifting.
Reference Ranges for Key Hormonal Markers
| Metric | Normal Range | Elite Natural BB | Eubank’s Levels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Testosterone | 250-1100 ng/dL | 700-900 ng/dL | 932 ng/dL |
| Free Testosterone | 5-21 pg/mL | 18-21 pg/mL | Unknown |
| SHBG | 10-50 nmol/L | 30-50 nmol/L | 13 nmol/L ⬇️ |
| Estrogen (E2) | 10-40 pg/mL | 20-30 pg/mL | Unknown |
Health Considerations Around Hormone Optimization
If Eubank has incorporated exogenous hormonal stimulation, safe medical practices become crucial for monitoring overall health. While offering alluring benefits like accelerated recovery, fat loss, and tissue building, considerably elevating testosterone levels raises safety concerns as well.
Potential adverse effects include infertility, testicular atrophy, prostate swelling, lipid imbalance, gynecomastia, and cardiac implications. Implementing screening protocols around blood pressure tracking, lipid panels, prostate exams and electrocardiograms (EKGs) proves wise.
Moderately dosed testosterone generally shows high tolerability for most users. However running cycles without professional medical oversight gets discouraged, especially long-term. Awareness must occur around the emerging research on cardiovascular and neuroendocrine effects of anabolic substances.
With social media careers contingent largely on maintaining a striking physique, the temptation to utilize chemical enhancement no doubt persists. But prioritizing health should take precedence over turning profits or portraying a “fake natty” facade solely for views.
External Incentives and Pressures Promoting PED Use Among Fitness Influencers
For social media athletes like Eubank, substantial financial incentives and career pressures tempt looking toward extreme measures for physical enhancement. Maintaining visibility as a fitness authority centers significantly on continually impressive audience members with a phenomenal physique.
Furthermore, income depends directly on sustaining an aspirational image and idealized body proportions. Failing to consistently look the part threatens earning potential and relationships with sponsors. When livelihoods tie so closely to aesthetics rather than health or longevity, utilizing illicit performance enhancers starts making rational sense for some.
While Eubank deserves credit for his immense work ethic, skepticism invariably results when People transform seemingly overnight from amateur hobbyists to professional cover models claiming lifetime natural status. The community bears well-founded doubts when drug-tested competitors work tirelessly for years on end barely reaching a novice’s statistics.
No judgment requires passing on personal choices, but transparency allows for realistic standards. With celebrities like Dwayne Johnson and Kumail Nanjiani showing trails exists for acknowledging pharmaceutical assistance, space opens up for nuanced dialogue.
Differing Perspectives in the Fitness Realm Concerning Enhancement
Plenty of room remains for debating Eubank’s situation given unusual responders and anomalies always emerge especially among elite performers. Several thought leaders in the bodybuilding space speculate Eubank possesses extraordinary androgen receptor density and sensitivity translating to unprecedented muscular gains from mundane training stimuli.
A small percentage of “genetic freaks” certainly walk among us. Coupled with Eubank’s relentless work ethic, his apologists argue focusing should occur on the 99% directly within our control. Perhaps his phenomenal response simply results from optimizing controllable variables to the absolute maximum.
Of course, skepticism still stands about the unlikelihood such rapid recomposition occurred without some element of chemical supplementation – whether direct steroid administration or ancillary compounds manipulating hormones like clomiphene.
Eubank also emphasizes the controversial bloodwork followed an arduous lower body session depleting him fully, alongside lax diet tracking. Valid points, but still failing to fully explain the profound elevations over normal ranges.
No definitive judgements make sense without concrete failed drug tests. And as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “no one can hurt me without my permission.” For natural athletes, the most constructive path forward involves keeping eyes straight ahead while striving relentlessly toward self-improvement rather than enviously fixating sideways at competitors. Eubank‘s remarkable success at a young age should arouse inspired motivation rather than accusations without basis.
Practical Applications – Standards for Transparency & Judicious Supplementation
The ongoing controversies and allegations will likely continue swirling around high profile fitness gurus like Alex Eubank when phenomenal physics get built rapidly. For enhanced lifters, operating ethically involves transparency around supplementation regimes.
No shame exists in pharmaceutical enhancement given proper medical guidance and bloodwork monitoring. Lying solely damages trust in the industry. Honesty allows fair expectations to emerge around realistic transformations timelines and novice gains.
If utilizing banned substances under performance pressures, safe medical practices cannot drift from focus. Moderately dosed testosterone and similar compounds demonstrate reasonable safety for most, but require diligent screening.
For natural athletes, perspective must take hold around sensible pacing meeting genetic potential. Social media notoriously distorts reality, showing carefully curated fitness peaks built over years distilled down to 30 second clips. Expecting similar leaps without chemical aid pre-programs failure and frustration. Focusing inward on incremental progress over the long-haulwhile tuning out comparisons paves the most reliable path towards self-improvement.