Valdir Segato from Sao Paulo, who was inspired by the physiques of Arnold Schwarzenegger and fictional characters like The Hulk, used synthol injections for years despite risking strokes and infections to produce hulking biceps, pectorals, and back muscles.

According to Mail Online, Segato was warned he faced amputation or nerve damage, and muscle disfigurement six years ago but continued to use the injections to bulk himself out.

Speaking in 2016, he said: ‘They call me Hulk, Schwarzenegger and He-Man all the time and I like that. I’ve doubled my biceps but I still want to be bigger.’

He proudly posted images and videos to social media, calling himself ‘Valdir Synthol’ on Instagram.

According to local media, he died after after being taken to hospital complaining about shortness of breath

One man named Moisés da Conceição da Silva said on the day Segato died, he had asked his mother for help, complaining about a shortness of breath.

‘It was around 6 am, more or less. He came crawling through the back house and came to the front. Then he knocked on my mother’s window, knocked, knocked, then she woke up and he said ‘help me, help me because I’m dying,” Moisés said, according to Brazil’s Globo news publication.

He was taken to the North Emergency Care Unit (UPA) – a medical facility in the city but could not be saved.

They put him in the car and then the neighbour went to the UPA. He arrived at the UPA, he fell at the reception, having a heart attack. I think he had a heart attack’, Moisés told the news website.

Moisés’ brother, Jadson da Conceição, told Globo that this was not the first time Segato

had to be rushed to hospital, and had previously complained of shortness of breath. The first time, he said, they were able to get him to the hospital on time. This time, he said, there was no saving him.