There is no verified test result or admission showing that Dwayne Johnson currently uses steroids.
What is on the public record is narrower, and it matters. Johnson has said he tried steroids briefly when he was 18 or 19. Apart from that period, he has said his physique comes from training and diet, and he has pushed back against claims that it comes from drugs.
That distinction is the short answer. The rest of this article separates what Johnson has said himself from what other people have claimed about him.
What Johnson Said in 2009
In a 2009 interview with MTV, Johnson spoke openly about a short trial when he was younger.
“I tried it. Me and my buddies tried it back in the day when I was 18 or 19. Didn’t know what we were doing.”
At that time, he was playing college football for the University of Miami. He presented it as a brief experiment from his teenage years, not as part of his later wrestling or film career.
What He Has Said Since
In a 2014 Fortune profile, Johnson was clear that, apart from that early experiment, he had led a steroid-free life.
He also addressed the suspicion directly. He said people who doubted his preparation wanted to “negate the hard work” he put in.
That is his stated position: one brief trial as a teenager, and no steroid use after it. His later training is described by him and his long-time trainer in terms of heavy lifting, cardio, and high-protein meals, adjusted for each role.
The Accusations, and What They Do Not Prove
In December 2022, podcaster Joe Rogan said Johnson should “come clean” about steroid use. The comment came after fitness personality Brian “Liver King” Johnson admitted steroid use after repeated denials.
Rogan’s remark was an accusation, not evidence. It did not come with a test result, a medical record, or an admission from Johnson about current use.
A large or changing physique, on its own, does not prove drug use. Lighting, camera work, training blocks, diet, age, and role preparation all change how a person looks on screen. None of those factors, alone or together, settles the question.
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Johnson tried steroids at 18 or 19 | Confirmed by Johnson himself, MTV, 2009 |
| Johnson uses steroids now | No verified test result or admission supports this |
| Rogan’s 2022 “come clean” remark | An accusation, not proof |
| Physique alone proves use | It does not |
Why His Physique Has Changed Over Time
Johnson’s size has gone up and down for roles, which he has discussed publicly.
For action roles, he has trained for bulk and muscle. For his 2025 film The Smashing Machine, in which he played MMA fighter Mark Kerr, he changed his build again for the character.
He later said he was slimming down further for another role, as a much older character, and joked that it meant “eating less chicken.” Those changes were presented by him as role preparation, through training and diet, not as evidence for or against any drug claim.
The point is simple: a body built for one role will not look the same as a body built for the next. Role changes explain a great deal of the variation fans notice.
Who Is Dwayne Johnson?
Johnson, known in wrestling as The Rock, moved from professional wrestling to film and became one of the most recognisable actors in the world.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Dwayne Douglas Johnson |
| Born | 2 May 1972, Hayward, California, United States |
| Father | Rocky Johnson, a Canadian-born professional wrestler from Nova Scotia |
| Citizenship | United States by birth; Canadian citizen since 2009, through his father |
| Wrestling name | The Rock |
His first film role was as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns (2001). His first leading film role followed in The Scorpion King (2002).
He later played Luke Hobbs in the Fast & Furious franchise, starting with Fast Five (2011). He voiced Maui in Moana (2016) and returned to the role in Moana 2 (2024). He played the title role in Black Adam (2022) and has led the Jumanji films.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Dwayne Johnson ever admitted using steroids?
Yes, for one brief period only. In 2009, he said he tried steroids with friends when he was 18 or 19. He has not admitted steroid use in his wrestling or film career.
Has he denied using steroids as an adult?
Yes. In 2014, he said that apart from that early experiment, he had led a steroid-free life. He has attributed his adult physique to hard training and diet.
Does Joe Rogan’s claim prove Johnson uses steroids?
No. Rogan’s 2022 comment was an accusation made on a podcast. It was not backed in that discussion by a test result or an admission from Johnson.
Is Johnson American or Canadian?
Both. He was born in California, in the United States. He gained Canadian citizenship in 2009 through his Canadian-born father.
Bottom Line
The verified record is this: a brief steroid trial at 18 or 19, admitted by Johnson himself in 2009, and denials of steroid use since then.
Everything beyond that is claim, speculation, or argument about how he looks. None of it, on its own, proves current use, and it should not be reported as if it does.
