Liver King Exposed for Deceptive Raw Meat Diet and Steroid Use

18 May 2025

Credit : Liver King/Instagram

Brian Johnson, popularly known as the "Liver King," has been publicly exposed for misleading millions of followers about the authenticity of his raw meat diet and extreme fitness regimen. Johnson built a massive online presence and a multi-million-dollar brand by promoting a "primal" lifestyle centered around consuming raw animal organs, including liver, testicles, and fertilized eggs, combined with intense physical workouts such as underwater bench pressing. He claimed that this regimen was the key to his impressive physique and overall health, encouraging fans to buy his line of liver supplements and adopt similar habits.

Johnson also asserted that his approach brought health benefits to his family, particularly his sons, claiming that the primal diet played a major role in their well-being. His social media content often featured detailed explanations and visually striking demonstrations of eating raw animal products and performing challenging strength exercises, which captivated a global audience seeking natural and ancestral health methods.

However, this carefully crafted persona began to unravel when leaked emails from 2022 revealed that Johnson had been spending an estimated $11,000 per month on steroids and human growth hormones. This contradicted his repeated public denials of using performance-enhancing drugs and cast doubt on the authenticity of his claims. Despite initially maintaining that his transformation was entirely natural, Johnson ultimately admitted to steroid use after the evidence surfaced.

This scandal not only tarnished Johnson’s reputation but also shed light on broader issues within the fitness influencer community. His $300 million brand, built largely on the notion of natural health and primal living, came under scrutiny for deceptive marketing practices. The recent Netflix documentary "Untold: The Liver King" explores the rise and fall of Johnson, with the director, Joe Pearlman, describing him as a "marketing genius" for how effectively he built his empire.

The Liver King’s case highlights a disturbing trend in the influencer world, where some public figures fabricate or exaggerate their health and fitness journeys to gain followers and profit. Other fitness personalities, like UK coach Hannah Barry, have admitted to using fake workout videos and employing shadow coaches to maintain a facade of authenticity, further demonstrating the pervasive nature of deceit in this space.

This exposure has sparked a broader conversation about the importance of transparency and honesty among health influencers, and the potential dangers of blindly following unverified advice. Fans and followers are now urged to approach similar fitness and diet claims with caution and skepticism, emphasizing the need for evidence-based guidance in the wellness industry.

The Liver King saga serves as a cautionary tale about the allure and risks of influencer culture, reminding audiences that not everything shared on social media reflects reality especially when millions of dollars and personal brands are at stake