You’ve probably noticed many bodybuilders, especially those who started in the 90s and after seem to age much faster than the average person. Obviously steroids and their dosages play an important role, but I’d look past them for this discussion, especially when you look back at the 70s and golden era bodybuilders seemed to keep all their hair and maintain facial aesthetics. This is likely due to a number of factors, including the use of growth hormones and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as an increase in calories consumed without any periods of fasting.

Acromegaly, is a condition where the body produces too much growth hormone after childhood, when there is too much growth hormone produced during childhood this leads to a different condition known as gigantism, and almost all of these people with gigantism – the tallest people in the world – die in their 30s or 40s from insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart failure. This is not a coincidence. Growth hormone will shorten your lifespan when exogenously administered as well.

People with Laron syndrome, a genetic condition that causes a malfunctioning growth hormone receptor, are practically invulnerable to cancer and diabetes and live very long lives. This isn’t because their bodies don’t produce growth hormone but instead their receptors don’t receive it, and thus lack growth hormone mediated signaling.

Another important thing is to fast. Time-restricted feeding, which involves restricting the hours that you eat to a window of a predetermined number. This gives your liver and pancreas a chance to rest and avoid insulin resistance. The second type of fasting is a 24-hour fast once a week. This gives your body a chance to repair itself and avoid metabolic syndrome. Very overlooked is that fasting can help remove visceral fat, which improves aesthetics.

Another important tip is to moderate your protein intake. While protein is important for muscle growth, consuming too much can lead to kidney damage and accelerate aging. Instead of replacing protein with carbs, which can also be inflammatory, I recommend increasing your fat intake. Fat is much less inflammatory than carbs and protein.

Also exogenous hormones can lead to inflammation and rapid aging. Many bodybuilders also tan, and UV rays can damage your skin and make you look older than you are. Even things such as the carrier oils used in AAS use cause inflammation and thus could cause aging.

Ultimately, there are a variety of factors that cause bodybuilders to visually age faster including the use of growth hormones and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as an increase in calories consumed without any periods of fasting, and higher doses of anabolic steroids than used in previous eras of bodybuilding.