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A leading cardiologist has suggested that Joe Rogan‘s ‘bubble gut’ could be a result of insulin resistance in this exclusive new Plant Based News video.
The leading podcaster and comedian’s physique has been the subject of much scrutiny since he revealed all during a weigh-in last October, with a video of the event being circulated widely online.
In the video, Rogan – who has openly spoken about taking Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and testosterone in the past – appears to have a dramatically different physique than in the past – with a noticeably protruding torso.
‘Bubble gut’
Acclaimed cardiologist Dr. Joel Kahn spoke to PBN‘s Klaus Mitchell about the prevalence of the ‘bubble gut’ phenomenon (aka Palumboism) in the bodybuilding community – and the potential causes.
“This particular video and the side view where his abdomen looked – not just a bit protuberant, but perhaps having this bubble gut appearance of growth hormone and insulin users in the serious professional weight-lifting world, has raised a question,” said Dr. Kahn.
“[He] has said many times that he’s taken testosterone for over a decade…and he’s said in the past that he’s taking growth hormone, whether he is now or not I don’t know, he hasn’t mentioned it recently…But there has been an explosion of discussion on Reddit and other channels that Joe Rogan is suffering from the same thing he’s pointed out in bodybuilders as being sort of an unattractive consequence of abusing agents that shouldn’t be abused.”
Growth hormone and insulin resistance
According to Dr. Kahn, HGH is important for children who have a growth hormone deficiency – but it does cause insulin resistance.
He said: “There has been amongst the bodybuilding community and those that critique the bodybuilding community a theory that the excess GH, the excess other steroid building properties and agents that are used may cause insulin resistance, may involve and deteriorate the normal musculature and nerve supply to some of the abdominal muscles around the lateral side of the belly and allow the belly to get this very unusual but distorted shape – this roid gut, this bubble gut, this Palumboism.”
Distended
The cardiologist isn’t the only one linking bubble guts with HGH. YouTuber More Plates More Dates made a video Rogan’s appearance, in which he discussed the connection.
He said: “As insulin resistance starts to set in, their chronically high blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage in the limbs. The more nerve damage the limbs get, the more atrophied the look, and as well, as more distended the stomach will look. This is the traditional cause of Palumboism and while many would say why the hell would JR have insulin resistance, it probably doesn’t have to do with his diet necessarily, it probably has more to do with his chronic use of growth hormones.”
The YouTuber added that some bodybuilders appear to have significant bloating as a result of digestive issues, but that this is typically reversible via diet mainpulation. He does not believe this is the case with Rogan.
“Now I’m not trying to say it’s bad…this is simply what happens with chronic growth hormone abuse and this is what you see – that traditional acromegaly look or Palumboism look, you have the continued progression of bone growth, collagen deposition, connective tissue growth, and this is all a result of chronic GH abuse,” he concluded.
‘Too much pasta’
Joe Rogan himself recently said he has put on weight – and that he carries extra weight on his torso as well as his face.
Speaking during a podcast with Bryan Callen, Eddie Bravo, and Brendan Schaub, he suggested the weight gain was a result of what he has been eating before trialing the carnivore diet (which he is doing throughout January).
“Before I went on this diet, I went off the rails a bit – too many carbs, too much pasta,” he said.
