Liver King accused of fueling muscle dysmorphia in young men – while hiding his own steroid use
Experts accuse social media stars like the “Liver King” of causing many young men to develop “muscular dysmorphia” and use dangerous steroids.
Brian Johnson, 45, is known as the Liver King on social media and has five million followers across his social media platforms.
Known for his love of raw meat, bulking muscles and primal lifestyle, he became an online sensation. However, he has come under fire for hiding his use of steroids, claiming that his nine “ancestral principles” were responsible for his physique.
The influencer is now facing a $25 million class action lawsuit from customers who bought his supplements and products hoping it would help them reach his level.
He, and other social media stars like him, have also been blamed for fueling a mental health crisis among young men who believe they have to reach impossible levels of fitness to be considered healthy.
Brian Johnson (pictured), 45, is a social media fitness influencer who goes by the name ‘Liver King’. He promotes eating raw meat and living a ‘primal life’
In an interview with ABC, the Liver King is seen chasing and killing a cow which he and his family then ate raw. He also walks around barefoot
In an interview with ABC/Nightline, Mr. Johnson said he adopted his bizarre lifestyle because of medical issues his children were dealing with.
One of his children suffered from a pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections, known as PANDAS.
The disease is caused by a Strep A infection in a child’s childhood and causes a child to suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder.
“My kids were really sick. When they went to the hospital, they couldn’t breathe,” he told ABC.
“I learned about these whole ancestral living things. We introduced liver, egg yolks, bone soups, they got better.
“For years our children have been through this, and now they live a life that is much better than them [previously] lived.’
He also points to his children for the nickname Liver King he goes by.
“The name is Liver King because liver is king. If this is one thing you can do right now that is doable, you can do this immediately, you can get liver in your life and you will feel the difference,” he said.
The Liver King rose to prominence in 2021, when he started posting absurd videos of himself on social media, walking around barefoot and shirtless, drinking blood and eating raw meat and bugs.
He received particular attention for eating raw bull testicles and liver from freshly slaughtered animals.
“Why should I have veggies when I can eat testicles,” he famously said in past videos.
He told ABC he didn’t want to use social media at first, but saw it as a platform to promote his supplement brand.
“If I don’t get a million followers in six months, I’m not doing this,” he said when he first launched his accounts on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
He would reach the 1 million mark within months and take off in the world of fitness influencers.
The Liver King promotes nine ancestral teachings: sleep, eat, move, protect, connect, cold, sun, fight, and bond.
He called his followers his fellow “primals,” and others the “sub-primals.” His tattered body served as the main marketing tool.
“What we’re selling is a vision of the ancestral lifestyle,” he said.
Liver King claims to live by nine ancestral principles that are responsible for his incredible physique. However, it was revealed last year that he spends up to $11,000 a month on steroids to fuel his workouts
The Liver King previously claimed eating raw meat was responsible for his stature, but now admits he lied and used steroids before
Despite many vocal critics pointing out that his physique seemed impossible to achieve, the Liver King vehemently denied ever taking anabolic steroids.
The house of cards came crashing down in late 2022, when it was revealed that he was spending about $11,000 a month on performance-enhancing drugs.
In a video entitled ‘The Liver King Lie’by YouTuber More records More dates, the secret of the Liver King was revealed.
Mr Johnson quickly admitted to taking steroids and admitted in response that the revelations were true video titled ‘I Lied’.
“It couldn’t be more visceral,” he said of how he felt watching the video of him being unmasked.
‘My heart collapsed. I was shocked. I could not believe it.
“I thought of all the people who believed in me… I looked them in the eyes and I lied to them.”
Greg Doucette, a professional bodybuilder and fitness YouTuber who has admitted to taking steroids himself, told ABC, “If you knew anything, you would have known that that physique isn’t natural.”
Mr Johnson explained the steroids he had been on and said, ‘I’ve tried a few steroids. I have been taking testosterone for four to five years. I have used growth hormone for about a year and a half.’
He said he turned to steroids after feeling he needed more to fulfill his role as an entrepreneur, father and influencer.
Greg Doucette (pictured), a fitness influencer who has admitted to taking steroids, says the Liver King’s lies were dangerous for young people who look up to him
‘Do I feel like I’m not good enough? Yes,’ he said.
“I was deceitful because I took these performance-enhancing drugs and led people to believe that it was only these nine ancestral principles that got me here.
“I was wrong… it’s one of the biggest regrets of my entire life.”
The last time he used steroids was January 2, he said.
“I’m healthier than ever. If it wasn’t, I guarantee I’d still be working on that stuff.’
Experts warn that the facade the Liver King put on it was harmful to young men.
“Young people view influencers as their idols the way earlier generations viewed movie stars, musicians,” Emily Hand told ABC.
Mr Doucette said: ‘If I had to describe the perfect male body, it really has changed over the years. Now more than ever, it’s slimmer. It has a very low fat content. Have 6-pack abs.
“Muscles popping out everywhere.”
He continued, “There is more pressure than ever to look good. It more often leads people to think ‘how can I improve myself’.
“They may think, ‘I can do something with my diet or go to the gym and work out,’ but they think it’s not enough.”
“Many of these people actually resort to taking performance-enhancing drugs.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 4.9 percent of men and 2.4 percent of women have used steroids in high school, calling it a “dangerous combination.”
“This is a major public health problem,” Harrison Pope, author of The Adonis Complex, told ABC.
Steroid use can cause hair loss, cyst development, and acne. In the worst cases, it can cause significant and potentially deadly heart problems.
Experts also say it fuels a condition called “muscular dysmorphia,” in which a person will believe they are too small no matter how much muscle they put on.