A 16-year-old fitness influencer known online as Braden has drawn renewed attention after revealing that he was treated for chest pain, amid growing concern over his use of anabolic roids and testosterone at such a young age.
Braden reportedly began using PEDs at 15 and has built much of his social media presence around documenting his testosterone and peptide use. He has also claimed that a private doctor prescribed him testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
In one of his videos, Braden said his natural testosterone level had measured around 250 in March before rising significantly after beginning TRT.
Questions have since been raised about whether a single testosterone reading is enough to justify TRT for someone as young as 16. Testosterone levels can fluctuate considerably depending on factors such as the time of day, sleep, diet and other aspects of a person’s health and lifestyle. A low reading, by itself, does not necessarily establish a need for long-term testosterone therapy.
The concern intensified after Braden discussed an encounter with a doctor following his chest pain. He said he was taking 275 milligrams of testosterone and administering injections every other day. According to his account, the doctor suggested that the injection frequency could be contributing to his chest pain and advised him to reduce it to no more than once a week.
The situation has also raised questions about how a minor was able to access PEDs and continue using them while building a public fitness following. His diet and training practices have attracted scrutiny as well, particularly the large amounts of carbohydrates and food he has shown himself consuming around his workouts.
Braden has previously sparked controversy through social media videos in which he appeared to mock teachers for not using roids. He later posted an apology in which he said that some of his comments had been exaggerated for entertainment.
His approach to nutrition has also been compared with that of professional bodybuilders. Elite competitors often rely on relatively simple meals built around protein, carbohydrates and other nutrient-dense foods, rather than extremely large quantities of processed carbohydrate sources.
At 16, Braden is still in a stage of significant physical development, making the long-term implications of testosterone and anabolic roid use particularly concerning. Unlike adult professional bodybuilders, teenagers generally have no need for exogenous testosterone to build muscle. Proper nutrition, training, recovery and naturally occurring hormones are already capable of supporting substantial physical development during adolescence.
