'Brazilian Popeye' Arlindo de Souza dies aged 55 after years of injecting synthol - mineral oil and alcohol - to inflate his muscles
A man dubbed the Brazilian Popeye has died aged 55 after becoming famous for injecting mineral oil into his arms to create an extreme muscular appearance.
Arlindo de Souza, 55, who was widely known as 'Popeye Brasileiro', died after suffering serious kidney complications in the city of Recife, in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, on January 13.
Relatives said he died following complications linked to renal failure after being hospitalised in December. According to his nephew, Denis Gomes de Luna, one of his kidneys stopped functioning before the other failed around the week of Christmas.
He said fluid then began to accumulate in Arlindo’s lungs and he suffered a cardiac arrest before he could begin haemodialysis.
Denis said an official death certificate had not yet been issued, but doctors believed the cause was multiple organ failure. Arlindo died during the early hours of Tuesday at Otavio de Freitas Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment.
Born in the city of Olinda, Arlindo lived in the Aguas Compridas neighbourhood and worked irregular jobs as a builder’s labourer. He became widely known in the early 2000s after appearing on television programmes across Brazil to show off his exaggerated physique.
He later gained renewed national attention around 2014 and appeared on shows including Programa Silvio Santos, Hoje em Dia and SuperPop.
Arlindo said in past interviews that he injected mineral oil and alcohol, a concoction commonly known as synthol, into his arms himself despite being aware of the health risks. Reports at the time also said his muscles had been the product of a self-administered cocktail, made up of mineral oil and alcohol.
Doctors have repeatedly condemned the practice, warning that injecting substances to increase body size is dangerous and can lead to severe health complications.
His nephew said Arlindo began training seriously as a teenager alongside his brother, who later died after being the victim of a robbery. After his brother’s death, Arlindo became more focused on bodybuilding and began injecting oil with others from his neighbourhood until his arms became dramatically enlarged.
He was known locally for proudly displaying his biceps, which reportedly reached around 73 centimetres in circumference.
Arlindo was unmarried and had no children, and lived with his elderly grandmother, who relatives said had not yet been told of his death due to her fragile health. His burial took place yesterday at the Aguas Compridas cemetery.
Story: Newsflash