Bodybuilder influencer, 26, dies in sleep just weeks after complaining ‘head is swollen like a steam bun’

A POPULAR bodybuilding influence has tragically died just hours after speaking to his friends.

Bi Jiaqi, 26, discussed his plans online other bodybuilding competition on Wednesday night before he died suddenly in his sleep.

The Chinese fitness mogul – who was known for his grueling workouts and muscular physique – also joked that his “head was swollen like a steamed bun” when he posted a selfie earlier this month.

Jiaqi’s friends also noted that he did not seem well in the days leading up to his death.

While going through recent photos, they noticed his lips looked purple and his eyes were tired, but attributed the symptoms to fatigue from training.

The cause of Jiaqi’s death has not yet been released.

His friends said they also saw abnormally bulging blood vessels in his neck, indicating a lack of oxygen and circulation problems.

Similar symptoms can lead to cardiac arrest, but his training partners thought it was a normal response to extreme fat loss and pre-competition dehydration.

It is common for athletes to reduce their body fat percentage to single digits using extreme water and salt restriction in order to make their muscles more defined.

According to Zhang Yu, a cardiologist from Fuwai, this method can put a heavy strain on the heart HOSPITAL in Shenzhen.

“In particular, the dehydration and fat reduction methods that bodybuilders commonly use before competitions can thicken the blood, greatly increasing the risk of thrombosis,” he said.

“Exercise is a double-edged sword – both inactivity and excessive exercise are bad for the heart.

“Long-term overload training can lead to myocardial fibrosis and myocardial hypertrophy, which can increase the risk of sudden death.”

From Ningbo, China, Jiaqi recently bought a new house and promised to host a dinner for his friends after he moved in.

In a heartbreaking twist of fate, he died before it was reconstructed.

The bodybuilder’s Weibo followers were shocked by his sudden death.

Many said they thought he was “invincible”.

Jiaqi’s body will undergo an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.