A bodybuilding influencer has died suddenly in his sleep aged 26.
Bi Jiaqi recently bought a new house and promised to host a dinner party for pals when it was time to move in.
Tragically, the fitness content creator passed away this morning (30 Jan) before it was renovated.
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Bi, who was well known for his gruelling workouts and great physique, was chatting with his friends online just hours before his death.
The influencer was discussing plans for his next bodybuilding competition.
His pals said they noticed he didn’t seem right in the days leading up to his death but just put it down to training fatigue.
While sorting through recent photos, they noticed his lips appeared purple and he had tired eyes.
They also said that the blood vessels in his neck were bulging abnormally.
They said these symptoms seem to suggest oxygen deficiency and circulatory problems, which can lead to cardiac arrest.
The exact cause of his death has yet to be announced.
Earlier this month, Bi, who came from Ningbo in China, posted a selfie and joked that his “head was swollen like a steamed bun”, as reported by Need To Know.
His training partners thought it was a normal reaction to extreme fat loss and pre-competition dehydration.
Many athletes reduce their body fat percentage to single digits through extreme water and salt restriction to make their muscles more defined, but it can put severe strain on the heart.
Zhang Yu, a cardiologist at Fuwai Hospital in Shenzhen, said: “Long-term high-intensity fitness training can place a huge burden on the cardiovascular system.
“In particular, the dehydration and fat reduction methods commonly used by bodybuilders before competitions can make the blood thicker, greatly increasing the risk of thrombosis.
“Exercise is a double-edged sword – both inactivity and excessive exercise are bad for the heart.
“Long-term overload training may lead to myocardial fibrosis and myocardial hypertrophy, which may increase the risk of sudden death.”
The bodybuilder’s Weibo followers were shocked by his sudden passing.
Many said they thought he was “invincible”.
Bi’s body will undergo an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death.
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