There are few entertainers who work as hard as John Cena. During the recent Writers Guild of America strike, he pivoted from shooting movies to suplexing his opponents in a critically acclaimed return to WWE. Now, Cena is back in Hollywood and promoting movies such as Argylle, and the “You Can’t See Me” star has made a headline grabbing appearance along the way on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show. During the fascinating interview, John Cena on the Howard Stern Show answered direct questions on whether he has ever taken steroids, and what his current relationship is like with his embattled former boss Vince McMahon.
Has John Cena Ever Taken Performance Enhancing Drugs?
Appearing on The Howard Stern Show on February 22, 2024, Cena, who has squatted upwards of 600 pounds was asked by Stern whether he’d ever taken performance enhancing drugs:
“And John, you always say, you were all natural, which is unusual,” said the host, who was interrupted by Cena, who confirmed that he was “still” that way. Asking Cena to imagine how large he could have gotten if he’d used “that stuff,” Stern was met with a direct answer. “So, you know, there’s risk/reward there,” said the 16 times world wrestling champion. “If you hit the gas peddle too early, you can get a lot of bad stuff happen long term.” Stern pushed further, asking if Cena had ever been advised to take steroids by an agent. “Not really,” answered the big man. “Hell, I’ve been 225 pounds since I was 17 years old. So, I always filled out my frame okay. I started lifting at thirteen. And, I guess that’s why I’ve never needed it.”
Still the Peacemaker didn’t rule out that a time might come when he may need to increase his testosterone levels. Testosterone is, of course, essential for maintaining muscle mass and staying strong. One consensus of opinion states that a normal testosterone level is anywhere between 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). “I’m not ruling that out,” Cena said. “They’ll come a time, time is undefeated, and I get my bloodwork done 3 times a year, and my testosterone’s fantastic for a 47-year-old. I’m talking when it falls below 300 (or) 250, I want to be able to use science to help me get that back in the bracket. But, I’m so far from that now. So, I’ve gone 46, 47 years without it, I have it in the bank, like as a fire escape thing to break open and hopefully give me another 20 years of fitness.” The fire escape that Cena speaks of is likely medically supervised testosterone therapy rather than performance enhancing drugs.
How is John Cena’s Relationship with Former WWE Boss Vince McMahon?
Stern also asked the WWE icon about his current relationship with the promotions’ founder, Vince McMahon, whom he has known for more than 20 years. McMahon has exited his roles at WWE following allegations of sexual trafficking. While troubled by the horrific nature of the complaint, Cena says that he is trying to remain a loyal friend to a man who is yet to be found guilty of a crime. “There’s the saying of ‘you don’t know who your friends are until the s**t hits the fan’ or your back’s against the wall,” said Cena. “That doesn’t make any of what’s going on any easier to swallow, but just telling somebody like, ‘Hey, I love you. Man, this is going to be a hill to climb. We’re going to see what happens and that’s that.’”
