Popeye oyl

Bodybuilders seeking more impressive physiques are turning themselves into living versions of the cartoon character Popeye by injecting a form of synthetic oil into their muscles.

The substance, produced by various companies but known colloquially as synthol, binds with the muscle fibres creating a freakish, bloated appearance. Without any weight training, recipients of the injections can end up with arms larger than their legs.

Synthol is said to be attracting the interest of British gym-goers looking for instant “bulk” and unconcerned about any associated health risks.

Jim McVeigh, of the Centre for Public Health in Liverpool, said: “In the last year I have heard of a few cases of people using synthol here. There is a lot of chatter on the internet throwing out questions saying, ‘Have you heard about this drug?’ so there seems to be a lot of interest.”