Joey Swoll has found himself back in the hospital after a “rough” health scare, and some fans are now pleading with the fitness influencer to slow down.
The “Gym Positivity” advocate revealed on Monday, October 5, that he had been rushed to the hospital on Saturday morning after experiencing heart issues.
The latest health update quickly reignited concern among followers, with some now urging him to take his health more seriously amid questions about his intense bodybuilding lifestyle.
Highlights
- Joey Swoll revealed his “rough” health battle after being rushed to the hospital with heart issues.
- The fitness influencer has previously opened up about genetic heart irregularities and a terrifying six-hour procedure.
- Fans are now debating whether bodybuilding and performance-enhancing medications could be affecting his health.
“Dog, this is like the 3rd post you've made the last couple years with a hospital stay because of heart issues. Really need to get off that gear and stop pretending it's all good,” one commenter wrote.
Fans are urging Joey Swoll to take his latest “rough” heart-related hospitalization seriously
Joey Swoll did not reveal a specific diagnosis or explain exactly what happened during his latest hospital visit.
Instead, he focused on reassuring his followers after what he described as a difficult few days.
“I was rushed to the hospital Saturday morning for my heart. It’s been a rough few days,” he wrote in his health update.
He added, “I’m still here, but doing better. Please send love and prayers.”
His hospitalization prompted an immediate wave of concern from people who have followed Swoll’s career and his previous health scares.
“D*mn Joey you are a great content creator and enjoy the reaction videos, but if you don’t slow down whatever you’re on that’s f**kin with your heart, you ain’t gonna live very long. Do a 360 my guy, it’s not too late,” one person commented.
Another wrote, “Get off the gear man, looking good in the mirror ain’t worth your life! Don't scare us like that big bro. Get better.”
A third added, “Cut all the unnatural stuff out and eat clean and don’t overexert yourself. We unfortunately are not getting any younger our bodies pay for what we do. Hope you get better! Take your time!”
Joey has faced terrifying heart problems in the past, including a six-hour emergency procedure to save his life
Others expressed, “Time to get off the gear, brother. Your family and life is more important than being insanely huge! God bless and glad you are ok.”
“Time to take care of your health brother. Everything else is secondary…”
The latest hospitalization is particularly worrying to some followers because Joey has previously spoken openly about serious problems involving his heart.
In January 2023, the fitness influencer revealed that he had been experiencing chest pain and tightness before doctors discovered genetic irregularities involving his heart.
He later underwent surgery that lasted several hours and told followers he felt much better.
Later, in April 2024, Swoll underwent what was supposed to be a routine diagnostic angiogram.
Some commenters are blaming “gear,” but there is no evidence that steroids caused Swoll’s health problems
The procedure was expected to take around 30 to 45 minutes, but something went badly wrong when a piece of a surgical tool broke off inside his heart.
He revealed that the complication caused him to crash and turned what should have been a short procedure into a roughly six-hour emergency operation.
At one point, he said, a pump was needed to keep his heart and body functioning.
“Had a little scare this week with what was to be a routine 30-45 min heart surgery ended up being 6 hours on the table,” Swoll wrote afterward.
“In the end I made it, I’m home, and I’m 100% for the first time in years. My heart is the best it’s ever been.”
The fitness influencer has also previously updated followers about another emergency-room visit in December 2025, later saying that the episode was not a heart attack.
Many online have linked Joey’s latest hospitalization to speculation about anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing d**gs.
However, there is no evidence that anabolic steroids caused Swoll’s heart problems, and his documented history includes the genetic heart irregularities he has previously discussed.
The 43-year-old bodybuilder previously revealed that he has genetic heart irregularities
A 2025 study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation found that anabolic-androgenic steroid users had substantially higher risks of several cardiovascular problems compared with non-users.
The risks include heart attacks, blood clots, abnormal heart rhythms, cardiomyopathy, and heart failure.
The researchers also pointed to factors including high blood pressure, unfavorable cholesterol changes, and structural changes to the heart as potential contributors to cardiovascular harm.
Swoll has also previously spoken about his approach to bodybuilding and performance-enhancing medications.
He has pushed back against the idea that d**g use alone determines someone's physique, saying, “There’s literally thousands of people that take the same d**gs, if not more, and look like absolute sh*t. Truth is, d**gs or no d**gs, hard work is hard work.”
For now, Joey has not publicly disclosed a specific diagnosis related to his latest hospitalization.
“Dude, get off the juice. It’s not worth it. We will still watch even if you are Joey Shrunk!!” wrote one supporter online
