Bodybuilder dies at 35 after taking 'career ruining' muscle growth injections which led to organ failure and heart attack
A 35-year-old bodybuilder has died after injecting a muscle growth oil which then caused his organs to fail.
Nikita Tkachuk's muscles became huge thanks to the oil - but he soon came to regret using it when hard granules began to form on his organs.
The star was said to have wanted to stop using the oil, but he had signed a strict contract which meant he wasn't allowed to stop.
The bodybuilder was rushed to hospital and place in intensive care with lung and kidney failure, and was later put into a medically-induced coma after suffering a heart attack.
His wife Maria Tkachuk, age 36, who is also a bodybuilder, broke the news of her husband’s death online. Alongside a black and white photo of her husband, she wrote: “Nikita, my beloved husband, has died,” she wrote. “His kidneys failed, [he suffered] pulmonary edema, and his heart gave out.
“There were many trials over the years. [His] resources ran out. There are no other words for now, only shock."
Nikita had been famous on Russia’s bodybuilding scene for more than a decade. When he was 21-years-old he won the title Master of Sports in Russia with a 350kg deadlift, a 360 kg squat and a 210kg bench press.
Later in his career, he started to take synthol injections and signed a contract with a pharmaceutical company to advertise their products. He was reportedly banned from stopping the injections under the terms of his contract.
Injecting synthol directly into muscles causes a them to instantly bulk up – akin to quickly inflating a balloon. This process is known colloquially as fluffing. But it can be dangerous.
The muscles may look larger, but the person using the oil isn’t able to lift anything heavier than what they could previously. The injections can also lead to pain, if if the injection site hits a nerve the pain can be permanent. The injection site can also become infected.
Two years ago, Nikita admitted that he deeply regretted taking the synthol injections, and begged his fans not to follow his path as he said doing so had “ruined his career”. He said in a video posted online: “I'd advise you to think again, weigh it all up, think about it.
“I just don't get it - well, if your arm is 18 inches or 20 inches, what will it change in your life? You're going to lose a lot of health. It's not worth it. If I could back to 2015-2016, I would not do it. I basically ruined my whole sporting career.
“If I hadn't done the injections and stayed in bodybuilding, I think I would be at a fairly high competitive level now.”
Tkachuk’s health deteriorated and got even worse after he caught coronavirus. He got an autoimmune disease on his lungs and his legs swelled with calcium formations.
In a health update posted online, he said: “The same formations were found in the hip joint area. They did an MRI and realised that the blood vessels and kidneys were clogged with calcium.”
He was then diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a rare condition that causes small patches of swollen tissue, called granulomas, to develop in the organs of the body according to the NHS.
Tkachuk underwent multiple surgeries and tried to get back to training. But, he died on Saturday May 17.
The Ukhta Power Sports Federatio, said following his death in St Petersburg: “We express our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and wife Maria on the sudden death of our dear friend and talented athlete Nikita Tkachuk.
“For many years, Nikita achieved success in powerlifting, extreme strength, and bodybuilding, inspiring those around him with his determination and perseverance.