Alan Ritchson, the star of Amazon’s drama series Reacher, has spoken candidly about the physical toll his role took on his body.
The actor, who portrays ex-military MP Jack Reacher in the show based on Lee Child’s popular books, revealed that he had to take a supplement to maintain the muscular physique required for his character.
In an interview with Men’s Health UK, Ritchson shared that he achieved his look for the first season through natural bodybuilding, but the strain it put on his body, combined with the demands of the role, meant he needed additional help for subsequent seasons.
Ritchson, now 41, had to gain 30lbs of muscle in just eight months for the first season, which he accomplished by building a gym at home.
However, he described the process as brutal, leaving him with a broken acromioclavicular (AC) joint in his shoulder and a significant hormone imbalance. By the end of the first season, Ritchson said he was so stressed and fatigued that there was ‘no testosterone’ left in his body.
He admitted: “Getting on testosterone was huge for me.”
He added: “I’m a big advocate of it, especially for people in their forties or above. [Men aren’t] aware that it’s out there, but it could be really life-changing. It could be a mood stabiliser for people… It can do a lot more than just help you be buff, but it certainly helped in my journey”, reports Bristol Live.
Ritchson noted: “‘It definitely helps with muscle growth. If you take a little bit and then you work your ass off in the gym like you normally would, you’re going to see huge results.”
In the UK, testosterone is only available on prescription, which means you’ll need a doctor’s approval. They can send you for blood tests to check your levels, and if you’re deficient, you might get a prescription for gel, jabs, patches or implants, which you use daily.
That said, you can give your testosterone a helping hand without medical help, by eating foods such as avocados, lean meats, beans, olive oil, and whole grains.