Celebrity bodybuilder Rich Piana collapsed and hit his head in an apartment in August, leading to him being placed in an induced coma.
Three weeks later he was dead, with his autopsy revealing he had 'significant heart disease' and that his liver weighed twice the average amount for an adult male.
When emergency services arrived at the home of the 45-year-old, they allegedly found a powdered substance. A new death report, obtained by TMZ, has found that it was pre-workout powder, which Piana would allegedly snort like cocaine.
Stating the obvious, pre-workout is a supplement that people take to give themselves extra energy before a workout. Almost all of them contain caffeine and users usually get a massive rush of energy when it starts to kick in.
However, there has been no concrete reason that has revealed what caused him to collapse earlier this year. Investigators also found around 20 bottles of steroids in his Florida apartment, but it's unknown how much of a role that played.
The bodybuilder was open about his steroid use and said it's difficult for others to be competitive without them, saying in a video: "If you want to become a professional bodybuilder, guess what - you're probably going to have to fucking do 'em. You're not going to have a choice."
His death sparked a huge outpouring of grief in the bodybuilding world, with many current and former athletes posting on social media about their heartache. His ex-wife, Sara Piana, wrote on Instagram: "I am so saddened & heartbroken that he didn't make it. I just want to say THANK YOU Rich for teaching me so much about life, whether it was the easy or the hard way.
"We had our ups and downs but we sure had an awesome time in each other's presence along with us fighting through some dark times together."
When Deadspin profiled him last year they claimed the giant-sized man ate nine meals per day and drank huge protein shakes.
They wrote of his lifestyle: "His world is one of excess. His homes are sprawling fortresses. His multiple cars are expensive and highly modified.
"His meals give a normal person sympathetic stomach aches just to look at. His workouts are gruelling and intensive.
"His steroid doses are so big that other bodybuilders make videos pleading with him to stop."
The website drugabuse.gov also adds that using anabolic steroids can have 'adverse side effects', including: acne, breast development in men, heart attacks and liver cancer.
Advert
Topics: Celebrity, Bodybuilding