MIKE MATARAZZO: ''I blame the roids for my health problems!''

[New Hank Wood]

From Musclemag:

Reporter:There are some guys who claim steroids arent dangerous, while others say using them is like playin roulette. Do you personally feel that steroids were a major factor in what happened to you?

Mike: I know it was the drugs that caused this to happen and I dont care what anyone says. All the gurus and self proclaimed steroid experts who try to down play the risks are talking out there asses. They have no idea what will happen to people. Nobody in my family EVER had heart problems it WAS the steroids I took. Anythime you put a artficial drug in your body your takin a chance. Most guys think nothing will ever happen to them just watch I bet we will be seeing more serious heart problem and worse when they get to there 40's.

[Method101]

[New Hank Wood]

Mike also would eat a shitload of red meat!

[New Hank Wood]

Mike also ate a jar of peanut butter every day.

[Method101]

[New Hank Wood]

Mike suffered a heart attack and two bypass operations by the time he reached the ripe old age of 40!

[musclehedz]

Why is only mike having problems? 

Probably weak organs who were failing anyway. Steroids just made it happen sooner.

[LatsMcGee]

Next he's going to blame gangster rap.

[webcake]

5lbs of beef per day...

[KillerMonk]

Intellegent Bodybuilders megadosing have a Doctor by there side making sure the patient does not encounter disatarous side effects.

[240 is Back]

steroids did play a part, no doubt.  So did the 40 ounces of red meat he bragged about eating every day.

Attributing it all to gear makes him look bitter and ignorant.  Next he'll be telling us it was only 1 shot of Primo every two weeks, and it made him all dizzy and stuff...

[LatsMcGee]

steroids did play a part, no doubt.  So did the 40 ounces of red meat he bragged about eating every day.

Attributing it all to gear makes him look bitter and ignorant.  Next he'll be telling us it was only 1 shot of Primo every two weeks, and it made him all dizzy and stuff...

I wonder how much Mike weighs these days?

[Playboy]

steroids did play a part, no doubt.  So did the 40 ounces of red meat he bragged about eating every day.

Attributing it all to gear makes him look bitter and ignorant.  Next he'll be telling us it was only 1 shot of Primo every two weeks, and it made him all dizzy and stuff...

Bullseye.

[El_Pajero]

Ramzan chilling with Mike.

[Swedish Viking]

Do you guys really think that red meat and peanut butter is worse for your heart than excessive(which is a garuntee) steroid usage along with any number of other drugs this IFBBer probably took?

[240 is Back]

Do you guys really think that red meat and peanut butter is worse for your heart than excessive(which is a garuntee) steroid usage along with any number of other drugs this IFBBer probably took?

It might be 80% diet, 20% steroids.
It might be 20% diet, 80% steroids.

We know that most of the 90s guys are still healthy today.  What makes Mike different?  Was his drug use any different from the other guys? 

It was primarily either his genetics, or the diet.  If it was "all because of the drugs", we'd see a lot more guys with health problems.  Of course, if Mike is looking for work, shitting all over gear use is what he wants to do.  Maybe he can earn a few bucks speaking at high schools or something.

[shootfighter1]

My educated guess is that the megadoses he took were likely the most significant factor leading to eventual heart disease.  Nearly 20 yrs of anabolics.  I don't know if he did any other drugs but cocaine also causes significant heart problems.  As does eating those huge quantities of red meat and being nearly 300lbs on a 200lb frame.

[shiftedShapes]

We know that most of the 90s guys are still healthy today. 

do you really know this?  I would bet that most of the guys close to the top have or had some major health complication.

[oldtimer1]

While examples of heart problems can be found in any sport it's shocking the number of pro bodybuilders with heart problems.  This is a small subculture of a "sport" and if you know it's history there are many bodybuilders who were pros who are now in their late 40's,50's and 60's with heart problems.  The rationalization of young guys using drugs doesn't diminish the risk involved.  You can smoke a life time and use heroin yet live to an old age. That exception doesn't diminish it's risk to health concerning the odds of ill health. 

Lifting weights and doing cardio type exercise is good for health and anyone who thinks that using a syringe isn't a risk to health is a fool.

[SAMSON123]

From Musclemag:

Reporter:There are some guys who claim steroids arent dangerous, while others say using them is like playin roulette. Do you personally feel that steroids were a major factor in what happened to you?

Mike: I know it was the drugs that caused this to happen and I dont care what anyone says. All the gurus and self proclaimed steroid experts who try to down play the risks are talking out there asses. They have no idea what will happen to people. Nobody in my family EVER had heart problems it WAS the steroids I took. Anythime you put a artficial drug in your body your takin a chance. Most guys think nothing will ever happen to them just watch I bet we will be seeing more serious heart problem and worse when they get to there 40's.

It always amazes me that these guys, while taking the steroids, NEVER concern themselves about the possible repercussions while they are competing, winning trophies and a large and in charge....then as soon as somethign happens they all of a sudden want to scream from the roof tops about the dangers of said drugs....

If he were still in good condition do you think Mike would be screaming about the DANGERS of steroid abuse???

Is there anyone who has used lower dosages and never suffered any side effects? I ask becasue I wonder whether use of steroids or ABUSE of steroids causes these issues? Football, players, hockey players, basketball players and BB from the 70s and 80s seem to be without complications and the main difference between them an dtodays BB is the massive amount of steroids BB today use....

WHAT SAY ANY OF YOUS...

[emn1964]

what rec drugs was he doing?

[njflex]

i hope he lives a long life,its a shame,but ya think he cared then when he was guest posing and sticking out his tongue and people shouting freak when he hit a bi pose no...

[HotRodMan]

Why is only mike having problems? 

Probably weak organs who were failing anyway. Steroids just made it happen sooner.

Don't know whether drugs are to blame, but Mattarazzo isn't the only guy from his era who had/has health problems.

Mike Francois
Flex Wheeler
Don Long
Andreas Munzer
Orville Burke
Dennis Newman
Curtis Leffler
Don Youngblood
Sonny Schmidt
Mohammed Benaziza
Tom Prince

May be others...

[musclehedz]

The funny thing is that bodybuilders are still humans.

Thousands of "normal" non bodybuilding types have the same kind of problems. However when these people become ill we just blame genetics. When bodybuilders become ill it's always the steroids 

[titusisback]

Andreas Munzer
Don Youngblood
Sonny Schmidt

Yeah, death is a pretty serious health problem