Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman‘s health appears to be improving following another round of stem cell treatment. In a recent YouTube video, Coleman revealed that his continued therapy has helped reduce his painkiller usage by more than half.
After claiming the Mr. Olympia throne in 1998, Coleman held the title for almost a decade, having captured eight Sandows. He is tied with Lee Haney for the most wins on the Mr. Olympia stage ever. While competing actively, Coleman was revered for his massive proportions, fullness, and vascular conditioning.
Coleman faced the who’s who of the Open class during his tenure, pushing the limits of his body against names like Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, and Dexter Jackson. In 2006, Coleman was finally dethroned by his long-time rival Jay Cutler and later retired in 2007.
Coleman was also celebrated in the bodybuilding community for his jarring power. During the height of his career, Ronnie recorded some incredible feats of strength, including a 2,300-pound leg press and an 800-pound deadlift.
It’s no mystery that Coleman has suffered several health issues since his bodybuilding departure. His back has been operated on more than 10 times and Coleman struggles to walk without assistance. He hopes his latest string of stem cell treatments will direct him toward a healthier and more active life.
Ronnie Coleman Cuts Painkillers by 50% After Stem Cell Treatments: ‘I’ve Made Some Major Improvements’
When asked about his progress, Coleman had the following to say:
“I’ve made some major improvements since I’ve been coming here. I was in a lot of pain when I first started. Now, my pain levels are like almost – almost – eight, nine somewhere in there and you guys got it all the way down – I’ve been coming here almost two years I think; somewhere in there. I found the more I was coming, the better I was getting.
Now it’s been like nine months and I saw that you know it tried to increase a little bit but I see now that I have to come more often to get the treatments because when I come more often I know my improvements will get better and better and better. The way they were before. The key here I see now is more treatment, the better off you’re going to be,” Ronnie Coleman shared.
The medical staff revealed that the stem cell treatments are intended to help Coleman’s nerve damage over the course of a few years.
“What we’re looking for Ronnie, is to improve the nerve damage, which he has had after all of these years, it takes a while, it depends on every patient but at least around two years to have nerve recovery,” the medical assistant explained.
After two years of stem cell treatments, Coleman said the numbness in his arms and shoulders subsided.
“When I had my surgeries and that numbness in my arms and shoulders, my doctors told me it was going to take two years for the nerve damage to go away and it was two years exactly to the date from my last surgery that the numbness went away.”
“I’m very hopeful that this is going to be the same thing,” said Coleman. ”
“When I was coming like every three to four months, I noticed that my numbness would get a whole lot better but I noted that it came back a little bit more when I like skipped all those months and in had been like nine months now, I know it was trying to come back on me. As I was saying earlier, the more that I come, the more consistent I am with my treatment, the better off I am.”
Coleman highlighted that the stem cell treatments have reduced his need to take painkillers by more than 50%.
“When I first came in I was doing like 30 milligrams like four times a day, I think after… like you said, two or three treatments, I was going down to 15 milligrams three times a day,” Coleman said. “Yeah [it helped with the doses], I was lucky.”
Coleman’s IGF-1 Score: 85.3*
The doctor explained that Coleman’s IGF-1 score is in the proper range for his age group.
Before wrapping up for the day, the facility had Coleman train in a hyperbaric chamber.
“What’s up guys, Big Ron here, I want to thank Danny G and their Regenamax team and everything they’ve done for me, yeah buddy.”
In addition to keeping fans informed about his health and well-being, Coleman offered his take on the upcoming 2023 Mr. Olympia competition this November. According to the eight-time winner, former 212 Olympia Derek Lunsford will take out Hadi Choopan at the upcoming show.
As one of bodybuilding’s most beloved figures, the community would treasure nothing more than to see Coleman’s health back to 100%. With his stem cell treatments showing promising results, he may soon achieve his goal of walking unassisted.
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Watch the full video below from Coleman’s YouTube channel:
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