Pa O’Dwyer provided a detailed account of the extensive performance enhancing protocol prescribed by his professional bodybuilding coach in what would become one of his final videos discussing training and supplementation.
O’Dwyer who had recently transitioned from strongman competition to pursue professional bodybuilding decided to hire what he described as “one of the most respected coaches in the world” to guide his preparation for a show scheduled for May. His ambition was to compete at Mr. Olympia.
The health supplementation list he was given immediately raised concerns.
“Jesus I was like how can you expect a person that works because there’s a lot of bodybuilders it’s a poor man’s sport again unless you make the very top. How can you expect a person to work nine to five have kids and take all of this?”
The daily regimen included curcumin, three capsules in the evening only; Omega Pro, two capsules by 5 p.m.; one magnesium capsule with each meal; a vitamin B complex; glutathione, 200 mg taken fasted; PQQ, 30 mg taken fasted; vitamin D3 and K2 at 12,000 IU in the morning; Osteopro in the morning and evening; vitamin C, 3,000 mg in the morning with a beverage and 1,000 mg before bed; one serving of Dream Sleep before bed containing 10 to 50 mg of melatonin; Vital Support, four capsules in the morning and evening; Love Heart, two capsules in the morning and evening; Heart Care, two capsules in the morning and evening; vitamin E, 1,000 IU in the morning; and Insure, two capsules with the first meal.
On the low end this would cost between $300 and $500.
He then detailed the pharmaceutical protocol he was advised to follow.
“We have Test E, we have Mast E, we have Primobolan, both of which you can’t get anymore because China has shut down and they don’t make them anymore. We have growth, we have Lantus, which is insulin, we have T4, we have T3.”
Testosterone enanthate is the hormonal base, raising overall androgen levels to support muscle growth, strength, and recovery. Masteron enanthate and Primobolan are milder anabolic ster***s often used to add a harder, drier look by improving muscle density and limiting water retention rather than driving large weight gain. Growth hormone works through a different pathway, supporting tissue repair, fat metabolism, and long-term changes in body composition. Lantus is long-acting insulin, which in this context is used to push nutrients into muscle cells and amplify the muscle-building signal, though it carries significant risk if misused. T4 and T3 are thyroid hormones that increase metabolic rate, commonly included to drive fat loss and keep metabolism high, with T3 being the more potent and immediate-acting of the two.
He continued listing additional compounds.
“Clenbuterol, PP, thyroid support, Proviron, Telmisartan, Metformin, injectable L carnitine, morning and pre workout.”
O’Dwyer said the volume alone made the decision clear.
“I’ve obviously refused to do any of that because even if I want to be a pro bodybuilder I feel like that amount of stuff would end me in a short time. I’m 40 years of age. It’s downhill from here lads.”
Addressing the long standing debate over which athletes use more compounds bodybuilders or strongmen O’Dwyer was blunt.
“It’s funny because if you compare it you know the old age question who takes more the bodybuilders or the strongmen and I can tell you strongmen aren’t touching this. I’ve spoken for myself a lot of the time and I’ve spoken to other strongmen and it’s the same thing. They wouldn’t go near some of this stuff.”
He explained that when strongmen push their limits too high it often backfires.
“They feel terrible and it affects their performance based training. It’s not the same as bodybuilding prep.”
For O’Dwyer the contrast clarified why professional bodybuilding reaches such intense levels of size and conditioning. Pa O’Dwyer passed away a week ago due to a heart attack.
