Tag: Palumboism

While the classic bodybuilding aesthetic once featured a tight, tapered waist, many elite modern bodybuilders exhibit a protruding abdomen despite low body fat. This phenomenon, often called 'bubble gut' or 'HGH gut,' has complex and concerning causes beyond simple bloating.

First named after 1990s bodybuilder Dave Palumbo, the condition known as Palumboism, or what causes bodybuilders to get bubble gut, is a phenomenon involving an unnaturally distended abdomen despite low body fat. It's a visible and controversial side effect tied to extreme muscle-building practices.

According to the Hospital for Special Surgery, steroids can affect your metabolism and how your body deposits fat, potentially causing weight gain and extra fat deposits in your abdomen. Understanding the nutritional triggers and metabolic shifts is key to knowing **how to prevent steroid belly** and manage its visual effects. This guide provides practical, diet-focused strategies to help minimize abdominal distension while on corticosteroid medication or during bodybuilding cycles.