Deceptive Fitness Influencers: Liver King’s Legacy as a Fake Natty

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Introduction

The revelation that Brian Johnson, known as Liver King, used anabolic steroids, peptides, and human growth hormone was hardly news for readers of MESO-Rx. As another ‘fake natty’ influencer gaining traction on social media, his steroid admission nonetheless sparked concern over the potential harm that such deceptive practices could inflict on more naive mainstream followers. Such deceit can mislead individuals into believing they can naturally achieve similar physiques, leading to psychological distress and risky behaviors.

Researchers Nicholas Gibbs and Timothy Piatkowski recently took a scholarly interest in this topic. They emphasize the importance of addressing these issues to safeguard the mental and physical well-being of fitness enthusiasts vulnerable to the misleading messages of ‘fake natty’ influencers. They suggest collaborative harm reduction strategies within the digital fitness community to combat these deceptive practices and mitigate their repercussions.

Who is the Liver King and What is the Controversy All About?

Johnson is a figure who commands attention with his primal appearance. His highly muscular physique is impossible to ignore. Johnson’s persona is built around performing and sharing primitive tasks such as hunting and consuming raw meat, particularly liver, in social media videos. He promotes a lifestyle he calls ‘ancestral living,’ guided by his brand’s ‘Ancestral Tenets.’

Johnson’s message has a particular appeal to young men who are distrustful of modern medical institutions and are grappling with what he describes as a ‘masculinity in crisis,’ echoing other male personalities who advocate for traditional male roles.

Since launching his brand in October 2021, Liver King has quickly amassed a substantial following, with 237,000 subscribers on YouTube, 1.7 million followers on Instagram, and 3.8 million followers on TikTok. He advises consuming raw meat and rejects ultra-processed foods, presenting himself as a ‘natural’ trainer who does not use anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and performance- and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs).

However, the façade began to crumble on November 29, 2022, when fitness YouTuber More Plates More Dates released a video exposing Liver King’s use of anabolic steroids. This revelation was supported by leaked emails showing Johnson’s correspondence with an anabolics coach.

The scandal forced Johnson to respond with a widely-viewed apology video.

What is Ancestral Health and Primordial Masculinity?

The ancestral health movement is grounded in the belief that health can be improved through evolutionary lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity. Johnson has carved out a niche within this movement by attracting males who are keen on performance enhancement through ancestral health.

Johnson leverages his bodily capital to share diet, lifestyle, and health advice, thereby maximizing his audience and revenue. Johnson aims to ‘put back what the modern world has left out,’ promoting strength and happiness through his version of ancestral living.

Liver King emphasizes a profound connection with his followers, who he refers to as Primals. These young men, vulnerable to misinformation and influence, often reach out to Johnson, expressing admiration and a desire for guidance. His teachings resonate deeply with them, offering a sense of direction and belonging.

At the core of Johnson’s brand are the Ancestral Tenets, which include sleep, eat, move, connect, cold, sun, fight, bond, and fun. These principles align with traditional notions of hegemonic masculinity, emphasizing traits such as autonomy, competition, and aggressiveness.

Ironically, the very ideals that Liver King promotes may exacerbate the masculinity crisis he aims to address. The hegemonic masculine ideals he espouses often lead to gender role conflict and feelings of inadequacy. The pursuit of the ideal masculine physique—lean and muscular—can increase body dissatisfaction among men.

Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok amplify the visibility of the idealized male body, exacerbating body dissatisfaction. Liver King’s hyperbolic physique embodies this muscular ideal, influencing his followers. His false claims of naturality predispose them to physical and psychological risks, as the disconnect between their reality and the fantasy presented online becomes evident.

The Use of Social Identity Theory to Examine the Liver King Controversy

Gibbs and Piatkowski explain the dedication of Liver King’s followers by examining social identity. Johnson’s case illustrates how social identity frameworks can help explore the factors contributing to feelings of deception among his followers.

Young men often turn to social media to develop and reinforce their identities, particularly when it comes to muscularity. Social Identity Theory (SIT) provides a framework to understand how adhering to a masculine identity on social media can lead to psychological distress.

According to SIT, self-concept is significantly influenced by social group memberships. People tend to behave in ways that align with their ingroup’s norms, based on social categorization and shared memberships. This group identification offers structure and a clearer sense of self, which is particularly appealing to those experiencing self-uncertainty. Liver King exemplifies this dynamic in his paternalistic role toward insecure teenage boys, guiding them through his version of ancestral living.

However, such strong group identification can lead to extreme behaviors, like consuming raw liver and engaging in excessive workouts. Social media amplifies these behaviors, increasing the internalization of group identities. While these identities can offer comfort, they can also cause distress if based on extreme or deceptive norms.

The Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) further explains how identity is relational and continuously redefined through social interaction. This theory sheds light on how Johnson’s followers construct their identities through the shared ethos and language of his Ancestral Tenets. These shared beliefs, norms, and cultural products reinforce group identity, with Johnson’s messaging, such as “9 Tenets, 1 Mission,” indicating a broader cultural infrastructure.

Distinctive norms within this community include ‘simulated hunts’—exercising before meals—and the use of language like “Tribe” and #AncestralLiving. Followers emulate Johnson to fit the group prototype. Johnson’s lean and muscular physique stands as an iconic component of group identity, with achieving this body ideal being crucial for conveying group membership and reinforcing internal identity.

Managing social identity involves navigating social norms, audiences, and psychological burdens. This burden intensifies when the identity is based on deception, as in Johnson’s undisclosed use of performance-enhancing drugs (PIEDs). The absence of any Ancestral Tenets addressing PIED usage meant that Johnson’s enhancement methods remained undisclosed to his followers.

How Did Liver King Rationalize Lying About His Steroid Use to His Followers?

Behind Liver King’s hypermasculine facade was a secret: the use of PIEDs. When this secret was exposed, Johnson’s followers were left grappling with the revelation. But how did he justify his deception?

In their seminal work, sociologists Gresham Sykes and David Matza identified five strategies, termed ‘techniques of neutralization,’ which individuals use to justify deviant behavior. These include:

1. Denial of Responsibility,
2. Denial of Injury,
3. Denial of the Victim,
4. Condemnation of the Condemners, and
5. Appeal to Higher Loyalties.

These techniques have been used to explain the rationalizations of various deviant groups, from marijuana users to cyber attackers.

Johnson employed these techniques in his public apology video, where he admitted to lying about his steroid use. The video, marked by a tone of contrition, saw Johnson attempting to rationalize his actions through several of these techniques.

Firstly, Johnson’s Denial of Responsibility was evident. He portrayed himself as a victim of his sudden rise to fame and his own naivety. He cited personal insecurities and self-esteem issues as driving forces behind his excessive workouts and subsequent reliance on PIEDs. This narrative painted him as helplessly propelled towards drug use, framing his actions as almost inevitable given the circumstances.

In his Denial of Injury, Johnson claimed his PIED use was managed responsibly by a trained hormone clinician. He emphasized that his hormone levels were below normal despite taking numerous supplements and peptides, suggesting that only human growth hormone brought his levels to a therapeutic range. This portrayal aimed to minimize the perceived harm of his actions.

Johnson also employed the Denial of the Victim technique by positioning himself as a non-competitive user of PIEDs, questioning who he was cheating if he was not in competition. He framed his drug use as a medical necessity rather than a means to gain an unfair advantage, thus trying to justify his actions as a form of self-care.

In condemning his critics, Johnson shifted the focus from his own deviant behavior to the motives and actions of those who questioned him. He dismissed the fitness community’s scrutiny of his PIED use as unproductive, arguing that it distracted from his higher mission of promoting ancestral living.

Finally, Johnson appealed to higher loyalties, asserting that his focus on ancestral living and his tenets outweighed the significance of discussing PIEDs. He suggested that his drug use was irrelevant to the broader, more important message he was promoting, thus attempting to elevate his cause above the controversy.

However, this framework of neutralization does not fully address why Johnson persistently denied his PIED use. In the fitness community, anabolic steroid use is relatively normalized, with many figures openly admitting their use. Johnson’s adamant denials likely stemmed from his deep commitment to his brand’s image of an all-natural, ancestral lifestyle. His muscular physique was central to this brand, and admitting to drug use would have undermined the very foundation of his persona.

Johnson’s case warrants further investigation to fully understand the implications of his deception and its impact on his followers. For Johnson, the choice to uphold his brand’s integrity ultimately took precedence over the well-being of those who looked up to him.

Research Recommendations for Harm Reduction Strategies in Online Steroid Community

The relentless pursuit of the ideal body has led many young men to equate muscularity with masculinity, driving them toward the use of PIEDs. Researchers have identified significant concerns about this trend, noting that users of PIEDs often report higher levels of body dissatisfaction and symptoms of eating disorders. This dissatisfaction is frequently linked to psychological issues such as lower self-esteem, prompting individuals to adopt extreme muscle-building behaviors, including rigorous exercise routines, strict diets, and supplement use. Within muscularity-centered subcultures, these practices have become normalized.

Social media platforms amplify peer pressure, pushing young men to engage in behaviors aimed at achieving an ideal physique. Influencers, in particular, can propagate harmful messages that contribute to risky behaviors. Although some research suggests a weak link between social media and PIED use, the influence of figures like the Liver King should not be underestimated.

Body Image Dissatisfaction

Followers of Liver King may experience cognitive dissonance—a psychological conflict resulting from the disparity between the natural limits of their bodies and the idealized images they consume online. Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that individuals strive for consistency, which may lead them toward PIED use in an attempt to reconcile this conflict. Public health policymakers are urged to consider the psychological impacts and risks associated with social media content.

The implications for policy are clear. Social media content significantly influences body image perceptions and health behaviors. Therefore, restrictions and regulations on health advice shared online should be considered. Emphasizing the contrived nature of social media content might reduce the allure of using PIEDs to achieve unrealistic body ideals.

Harm Reduction for Steroid Users

In terms of PIED consumer health, there are notable opportunities for harm reduction. Digital fitness influencers wield considerable influence and could play a crucial role in promoting honest disclosures and best practices. While PIED use is openly discussed on social media, public health initiatives have yet to effectively tap into this discourse.

PIED consumers often seek advice from peers and coaches rather than medical professionals. Established community members, who possess both bodily and social capital from lived experience, are trusted sources. Influential figures like former Mr. Olympia winner Dorian Yates have provided harm reduction advice by openly discussing their PIED use.

Looking forward, harm reduction initiatives should leverage the involvement of established peer leaders to disseminate accurate health messages. A collaborative pilot program that includes the voices of PIED consumers, researchers, and industry partners could be a starting point. This type of initiative could evolve into an effective framework for disseminating health information.

The Liver King scandal underscores the critical importance of harm reduction and public health messaging in the digital fitness culture. The case highlights the dangers posed by undisclosed PIED use among high-profile figures. Followers of influencers like Liver King are particularly at risk due to the justifications these figures use to normalize PIED consumption.

There is potential for significant harm reduction within the online PIED community. Digital coaches and influencers could be key allies in this effort. By collaborating with public health initiatives, these figures can promote realistic and ethical health information, fostering more informed discussions and better support for current and prospective PIED users.

References

Gibbs, N., & Piatkowski, T. (2023). The Liver King Lie: Misrepresentation, justification, and public health implications. International Journal of Drug Policy, 114, 103979. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.103979