Bodybuilder risks his life by injecting oil to get Hulk-like arms

Bodybuilder risks his life by injecting oil to get Hulk-like arms

A young bodybuilder nearly lost his arms after injecting a deadly mix of oil and alcohol into his biceps to make them bigger.

25-year-old Romario Dos Santos Alves attained biceps measuring 25 inches from a dangerous practice colloquially called "fluffing."

He had injected Synthol, a substance made up of oil, painkiller and alcohol directly into the "bellies" of his arm muscles in order to inflate them.

The Daily Mail UK reported that the Brazilian was introduced to the lethal enhancement drug by his friends in the gym.

He said: "I got excited about the results - I lost control."

Although he effortlessly achieved a Hulk-like physique with the injections, the foreign substance in his arms caused him unbearable pain when they started to solidify.

His kidneys also began to fail due to the toxins.

The young man recounted: "I remember the doctor told me that they would need to amputate both arms - they said everything in there, all my muscles, were rock."

Fortunately, doctors found a way to save his limbs by extracting the Synthol rock deposits.

The Brazilian also resolved to quit his dangerous addiction after his then-pregnant wife threatened to leave him.

ABC News reported that the practice of injecting Synthol into muscles to quickly gain bulk is a practice that is gaining popularity in the bodybuilding community in recent years.

However, it is despised by bodybuilders who view it as the ultimate shortcut to achieve an impressive physique without training or adhering to a strict diet.

In addition, the substance is not regulated by the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and is freely available on the Internet, which poses a potential danger to many who are unaware of its adverse effects.

According to NYPost, Mr Alves still aspires to become a professional bodybuilder but is determined to stay clear of enhancement drugs.

The young man has shared his story in the hopes of warning fellow bodybuilding enthusiasts of this risky practice.

minlee@sph.com.sg

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