Times have changed, and so has the modern bodybuilding landscape. However, Phil Heath is questioning whether the physiques are still up to par with the bar their generation set.

In a May 12 Instagram post, Heath tackled the site enhancement oils (SEO) use controversy, which has multiplied in recent years. The 7x Mr. Olympia, tied with Arnold Schwarzenegger, claimed that their era showcased real muscles, as compared to the enhanced physiques of today.

As a competitor who redefined muscle mass and a 3D physique, he noted that athletes today have dents in their muscles.

“We’re the best 46-year-olds in the world, with that real muscle. None of that oil. Ain’t none of them dents in the physique. You can actually see the striations," Heath exclaimed.

Following his claims, fans actually reported having noticed dents in Mamdouh 'Big Ramy' Elssbiay's quads while he was actively competing in the 2022 Mr. Olympia, adding fuel to the speculation.

Moreover, after the 2025 Mr. Olympia, athletes like Derek Lunsford and Natalia Coelho were also accused of SEO and PMMA use.

'The Gift' continued that the only "oil" they have got is from God's blessings, further solidifying his distance from synthetic use.

And Heath is far from the only bodybuilder raising this issue.

Retired bodybuilders take hits at SEO use

Besides Phil Heath, 13x Mr. Olympia competitor, Shawn Ray, also flagged the problem with the modern bodybuilding scene's pivot to artificial physique enhancers like synthol.

Encouraging a more natural approach and arguing for the integrity of the sports, Ray shared, “If you leave the bodybuilders to their own devices to cannibalize the sport, we can’t ill afford one of our champions to go down for the count.”

But it's not just a question of virtue or the future of the sport. Recent medical literature has consistently recorded severe negative effects on one's body, including painful muscle fibrosis, granulomas, severe infections, and necrosis.

With surveys pointing to a 5% of all bodybuilders resorting to injecting synthol into their muscles, which is a conservative figure, the issue remains a widespread phenomenon, sabotaging both the sport and the athletes.

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil