A FORMER bodybuilder who went viral for his bizarre diet has opened up about a devastating health struggle, claiming taking steroids left his body “broken”.
Danny Andrews – better known as ‘fish and a rice cake’ guy – started taking steroids for “bigger biceps” when he was just 18.
The 37-year-old first rose to fame in 2007 after featuring in the BBC Three documentary ‘Baby Faced Bodybuilders’ where he revealed his diet consisted entirely of fish and rice cakes.
But Danny has now shared that taking steroids to enhance his body “wasn’t worth it” as they affected his ability to become a dad.
After trying to start a family for two years, the former bodybuilder went to the doctor and claims he was told the steroids had made him infertile.
“They said it’s highly unlikely I will have kids naturally,” he said.
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic substances that mimic the effects of testosterone.
They are often used by gym goers to increase muscle mass and help them achieve a more muscular physique.
But one of the many risks of taking these drugs is that they can reduce men’s sperm production and sometimes even halt it altogether.
It must be noted, however, that this does not happen to everyone taking steroids and its effects are sometimes only temporary.
In Danny’s case, he started taking steroids in 2008 when he was just 18 to help with his bodybuilding physique.
He explained: “I used to do it all naturally and then felt the pressures of growing up and being in the bodybuilding world.
“I realised I was taking them because I was insecure and wanted to be bigger and more muscular.
“Was it worth it for a bigger bicep to not have a family when you’re older? It wasn’t worth it.”
Danny, from Preston, Lancashire, was 26 and in a previous relationship when he first started trying for a family.
But after trying for two years with no success, he decided to go to the doctors for a semen analysis.
And there, the results were sadly not what he had hoped for.
Danny said: “They told me I was infertile and I took it really bad. I’ve tried everything, medication, frozen my sperm – it’s the motility of the sperm that’s not very good.
“I was like, ‘why me?’ I used to get jealous of my little sisters having families.
“People wouldn’t understand, they’d joke and say ‘you can have one of my kids’.
“Nobody understood that a man would want kids, I used to feel like my body was broken.
“The doctors said it was because of the steroids. I cried my eyes out, they said it’s highly unlikely I will have kids naturally.”
“I rang my mum to say I won’t be able to give her grandchildren. My future didn’t look like I had planned it in my head.”
Now engaged to 30-year-old influencer Sadie Bass after meeting on the E4 dating show Love Triangle, the couple want to have children and are having to go through IVF.
Speaking about Danny’s fertility struggles, Sadie said: “I felt bad for him because he had said he really wants to be a dad and have a family. When we were chatting, he was checking that I also wanted kids.
“It was quite an emotional moment and I was impressed he opened up and [it] made him more attractive because he was being open and vulnerable.
“I do want kids but I have a more open-minded approach. Hopefully it happens for us but if it doesn’t, I can still see a version of my life where I’ll be happy without kids.
“I’d be open to adopting, it doesn’t have to be a standard family. I’m nervous about IVF because it sounds like a gruelling, emotionally-taxing process.
“If it doesn’t work out, I don’t want him to be upset.”
Despite knowing about his infertility for years, Danny said he kept it a secret at first as he was embarrassed.
He said: “I’ve known for over 10 years but I didn’t tell anybody, I was embarrassed. I didn’t feel like a man, I felt ashamed. I felt like it was my fault but I was an 18-year-old.
“Men don’t talk about it, you only see women talking about it. It’s taken me 10 years to come to terms with the fact I may not have a family.
“It used to affect all my relationships. I thought ‘why would someone want somebody that can’t have kids?’.”
Danny took steroids for five years before stopping them in 2013.
He now says he trains for “longevity” and to try and “keep fit and healthy”.
“I just want to create awareness that men are not alone because they will not talk about it,” the former bodybuilder said.
“It is even worse now for young lads because they’ve got the pressure of social media and steroids are so accessible.
“You hear all the benefits but you don’t hear all the side effects, and when you do, you don’t think it will ever happen to you.
“I’m worried about young lads who take them. You can get it all online, it’s crazy.”
Danny now hopes he’ll have a family before he’s 40, saying “I feel like I’d make a great dad”.
