Is Hugh Jackman's physique possible without steroid use? Analysis of the Wolverine star amidst the PED fiasco

Hugh Jackman may enjoy playing the ferocious Marvel comic book hero (Image credit: Getty/Elisabetta A. Villa / Contributor/Instagram/hughjackman)
Hugh Jackman has enjoyed playing the ferocious Marvel comic book hero. (Image credit: Getty/Elisabetta A. Villa / Contributor/Instagram/hughjackman)

Hugh Jackman is getting ready to reprise his role as 'The Wolverine' in the upcoming movie 'Deadpool 3'. Jackman has one of the physiques in Hollywood.

Some speculate that he bulked up his physique for his most famous role as Wolverine using performance-enhancing drugs. That's because most celebs tend to keep their performance-enhancing drug use under wraps.

Jackman may enjoy playing the ferocious Marvel comic book hero Wolverine, but it's not enough to put up with chronic pain, mood swings, or even a shorter life span. These are all common side effects of a wide range of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) grouped under the umbrella term steroids.


Why people think Hugh Jackman is on steroids

Jackman's externals raised questions about whether or not he's using steroids. (Still from The Wolverine)
Jackman's externals raised questions about whether or not he's using steroids. (Still from The Wolverine)

Some of Jackman's externals raised questions about whether or not he's using steroids:

Flushed Skin

His skin in Days of Future Past appears to be quite flushed. His chest and neck are exceedingly red in some scenes.

Flushed skin is usually caused by a high body temperature, which also indicates a high level of thermogenesis activity in the body. This is known to be caused by steroids.

Clenbuterol is well-known for having this effect. Clenbuterol users experience an increase in body temperature and blood pressure as a result of central nervous system stimulation.

That could imply Jackman was using steroids at the time, but it's impossible to be certain.


Vascularity

His look at his peak was distinguished by his highly vascular appearance. (Photo by 20th-century Fox)
His look at his peak was distinguished by his highly vascular appearance. (Photo by 20th-century Fox)

Hugh Jackman's look at his peak was distinguished by his highly vascular appearance. Not only did he gain muscle, but he also had bulging veins, indicating a low body fat percentage.

It's possible to achieve a vascular appearance naturally, but Jackman put on a good amount of muscle for his age while losing a lot of body fat. Jackman's more vascular look in the aforementioned films could indicate steroid use.


Getting more jacked while getting older

If you compare Jackman's body composition in the first X-men film (around his early 30s) to his 2014 role (at 45 years old), his body fat percentage in the former appears more skinny, natural, and achievable.

According to research, one of the many reasons for low testosterone is ageing (after t-levels peak in the 20s). As ageing is a major factor in testosterone levels dropping, it makes more sense to see a noticeably thicker Jackman in the earlier films than in the later ones.


Hugh Jackman's movie preparation

Hugh Jackman claimed that working out with light weights helped him get a ripped look, which aided him to prepare again for the higher weight he had to lift later.

"If the bar ain't bendin', you're just pretending," Jackman says.

He also said that to stay lean, he had to go through arduous workout sessions, diets, and even dehydration.


Is Hugh Jackman's transformation into Wolverine possible without use of steroids?

It's possible that Hugh Jackman might have looked like himself in previous roles. If you want to look like Wolverine, you will need to follow a strict diet, count your calories, shred calories, and build (and maintain) muscle with strenuous weight training.

You will also need a genetic predisposition to mimic Wolverine's muscular shape and appearance.

What he said in a recent interview

In a new interview on HBO's Talking to Chris Wallace, the actor addressed claims about using steroids to transform into the character. People have wondered over the years, according to the journalist, "Did he juice?"

Jackman responded:

"No, I enjoy my job. I also adore Wolverine. I have to be careful what I say here, but I've heard anecdotally what the side effects are. 'I don't love it that much,'.
So, no, I’ve done it the traditional way. And I tell you, I've eaten more chickens than I care to admit — my sincere apology to all the vegans, vegetarians, and chickens all around the world. Karma is literally not great for me. I'm in big trouble if the god has anything to do with chickens.”

So did Hugh Jackman take steroids or not?

Hugh Jackman showed some signs of steroid use. (Photo by Marvel/20th Century Fox)
Hugh Jackman showed some signs of steroid use. (Photo by Marvel/20th Century Fox)

Hugh Jackman showed some signs of steroid use if you compare his early photos to those from 2013.

His capillary density and flushed skin ended up making him a possible clenbuterol candidate. His increased lean muscles at an older age could also indicate PED use.

It's also possible for him to achieve his Wolverine appearance naturally: by optimizing diet, and when it comes to exercise, starting light and working your way up.

Taking safe and legal steroid alternatives is one way to boost performance and accelerate your progress towards looking like Wolverine. Just make sure to get your cardio in to burn off that fat.

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