Alan Ritchson has explained why he began testosterone replacement therapy after filming the first season of “Reacher.” The actor said the demanding production schedule and physical transformation left him struggling to recover.
Alan Ritchson said intense filming left him fatigued before he started TRT
Us Weekly revisited Ritchson’s decision July 29, reporting that he turned to TRT after pushing his body through an intense first season. The Reacher actor had gained about 30 pounds in eight months to match author Lee Child’s description of Jack Reacher.
Ritchson originally told Men’s Health that the rapid transformation came at a cost. “I ravaged my body,” he said, explaining that he injured the acromioclavicular joint in his shoulder, underwent surgery and experienced a major hormonal imbalance.
Filming made maintaining that size even harder. Ritchson said he worked nearly seven days a week and could not sustain the two-hour daily training routine he had followed before production. By the time Season 1 ended, he felt “utterly fatigued and broken.”
A few months after filming wrapped, his doctor suggested testosterone replacement therapy. Ritchson said stress, fatigue, and the strain he placed on his body left him with what he described as no testosterone. He called starting TRT “huge” for his recovery and his ability to keep playing Reacher.
The actor rejected the idea that treatment replaced training. Ritchson said he still works out five days a week and puts considerable effort into maintaining his physique. However, he credited TRT with making that maintenance more manageable.
Ritchson views his approach as a long-term decision rather than a shortcut. He wants to continue leading “Reacher” for years without needing surgery after every season. He has also described himself as an advocate for medically supervised TRT, particularly for men in their 40s and older.
His experience does not amount to general medical advice. The FDA approves testosterone products only for men with low testosterone connected to an associated medical condition. Patients need proper testing and professional supervision because treatment can carry risks.
Ritchson continues to lean into the physical side of his career. He has joked about his ripped “grandpa bod”, prepared to return for “Reacher” Season 4, and joined a Netflix survival competition project. His comments underline the strain behind the action-star transformation viewers see onscreen.
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