A former bodybuilder who went because of his bizarre diet claims taking steroids for ‘bigger biceps’ wasn’t worth it – as he’s now infertile.
Danny Andrews, now 37, went viral for his strict diet of fish and rice cakes. His recollection of his regimented food intake, complete with his strong regional accent, made him a viral hit.
The former bodybuilder has now opened up about his former steroid use and warned other young men against it.
Danny said he began taking steroids in 2008 when he was 18 due to the pressures of bodybuilding.
He’s now admitted he never expected the side effects would affect his future.
But after realising he was only taking them because he was ‘insecure’, Danny stopped them five years later in 2013.
But after young men reached out to him to get advice, he shared his experience online.
He now admits it wasn’t worth it for ‘bigger biceps’ and now trains for longevity and health and is speaking out to raise awareness.
Danny said: ‘I realised I was taking them because I was insecure and wanted to be bigger and more muscular.
‘Was it worth it for a bigger bicep to not have a family when you’re older? It wasn’t worth it. I train for longevity and try to keep healthy and fit.’
‘I just want to create awareness that men are not alone because they will not talk about it. It is even worse now for young lads because they’ve got the pressure of social media and steroids are so accessible.
‘You hear all the benefits but you don’t hear all the side effects, and when you do, you don’t think it will ever happen to you. I’m worried about young lads who take them. You can get it all online, it’s crazy.’
Danny said that after trying to start a family for two years, he went to his GP for a semen analysis in 2015.
Shocked, Danny claims doctors told him he was infertile due to steroids, which affected the mobility of his sperm, and that it was ‘highly unlikely’ for him to have children naturally.
Danny, from Preston, Lancashire, said: ‘People wouldn’t understand; they’d joke and say, ‘you can have one of my kids’. Nobody understood that a man would want kids; I used to feel like my body was broken.
‘The doctors said it was because of the steroids. I cried my eyes out, they said it’s highly unlikely I will have kids naturally.’
Now engaged to Sadie Bass after meeting on E4 dating show Love Triangle, Danny’s tried medication and freezing his sperm and is due to start IVF soon with his partner.
His partner Sadie, a 30-year-old influencer, said: ‘I felt bad for him because he had said he really wants to be a dad and have a family. When we were chatting, he was checking that I also wanted kids.
‘It was quite an emotional moment, and I was impressed he opened up, and it made him more attractive because he was being open and vulnerable. If anything, it made me feel more connected to him. I like the person for who they are, not for whether we’re going to have kids or not.’
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