Nsima Inyang is a natural bodybuilder and black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, who has emerged as a vocal advocate for young athletes to resist the pressure to use PEDs.
During a recent appearance on the Danny Jones podcast, Inyang shared his unfiltered perspective on the rising trend of TRT and st**oid use among young fitness enthusiasts.
The 33-year-old strength athlete has competed professionally in natural bodybuilding, placing top five in the world, and has achieved impressive feats including a 755 lb deadlift and 625 lb squat without ever using PEDs.
His blood work, which he openly shares online, consistently shows natural testosterone levels around 750-760, with healthy LH and FSH markers that confirm his natural status.
“I want to push that back for a long time,” Inyang said when asked if he would ever use TRT. He explained that after interviewing countless professionals on the Power Project, he’s witnessed how quickly people turn to TRT before addressing fundamental health factors.
He stated, “I think people turn the testosterone knob too quickly before addressing their sleep, their activity, their supplements, their nutrition, all these levers that can be pulled to affect your hormone levels positively.”
Inyang expressed particular concern for younger generations who face unprecedented pressure from social media fitness influencers. “Now you got young guys hopping on TRT in their early 20s, mid-20s because they see young kids like Alex Eubank and all these other fitness influencers,” he noted.
Inyang continued, “I don’t think people are being realistic with the health ramifications that come from using these tools and the dependency that you’re going to have mentally, psychologically and physically to these tools where you’re not going to want to come off.”
The movement coach emphasized that when he started lifting at 13, there was no YouTube and minimal discussion about PEDs in fitness spaces. “Early days of YouTube, there wasn’t as much st**oid and testosterone talk as there is now,” he reflected.
The current environment creates unrealistic expectations where young athletes seek rapid results rather than dedicating years to learning proper movement and training fundamentals.
Inyang also addressed the concerning trend of young athletes using other PEDs without proper medical supervision. He shared his own experience trying L-carnitine, which proved effective but uncomfortable. “I asked Mark about this. I’m like, why the f**k does L-carnitine burn when it goes in? It burns. I’m like, is this normal? He’s like, nah, just L-carnitine. But my rolls felt great. I had a lot of energy.”
However, his anxiety around needles ultimately led him to discontinue the practice, illustrating his philosophy of being extremely careful about what enters his body. “I’m very careful about the things that I put into my body and I need, I’m still kind of iffy about TRT in terms of being like an absolute health benefit,” he explained.
Perhaps most compelling was Inyang’s discussion of long-term consequences. He cited the example of fitness influencer Shawley Coker, who after five to seven years on testosterone is now struggling to conceive children and working to restore his natural hormone production.
“Some people cannot,” Inyang warned about the potential for permanent shutdown of natural testosterone production.
The athlete’s message to young fitness enthusiasts is clear: focus on fundamentals first. “Really think hard. If you’re just trying to get big and jacked, can you just spend time and train and figure out ways to enjoy movement instead of just seeking this look?”
He emphasized that many athletes who achieve impressive physiques through enhancement later realize there is much more to movement and athleticism than size and strength alone, pointing to bodybuilder Chris Bumstead’s recent acknowledgment of needing to rebuild functional movement abilities.
Inyang’s core message remains consistent: build a strong foundation naturally, exhaust all lifestyle optimization strategies, and only consider PED interventions as a last resort under proper medical guidance after years of dedicated training.
