Bodybuilder and fitness influencer Gabriel Ganley has died aged 22

A Brazilian bodybuilder whose insanely ripped physique gained him millions of followers and turned him into a fitness influencer has died at the age of just 22.

Gabriel Ganley, known to his internet fans as 'Bbzinho', grew to viral fame after sharing his jaw-dropping 500kg (1100lbs) leg press and sharing his eye-popping progress bulking up with his fellow fitness fanatics.

But his sponsors, supplement firm Integralmédica, confirmed his death on Saturday, May 23, declaring the dead young man their 'eternal Bbzinho', who had racked up two million followers on Instagram by sharing his grueling daily routine.

The Rio de Janeiro had started weightlifting at the age of 15, according to an interview with Brazilian sports outlet ge, although his mother banned him from going to the gym more than three times a week, out of fear he would injure himself.

News of the high-profile young bodybuilder's death caused an outpouring of grief from others in fitness enthusiast community, with fellow lifter Ramon Dino sharing how Ganley was 'always happy, always playful, always making those around him laugh.'

Integralmédica wrote: “Today the pain speaks louder. With great sadness, we say goodbye to our eternal bbzinho, who lived intensely and with whom we had historic and unforgettable moments in our family.”

Fellow Brazilian bodybuilder Gabriel Zancanelli called him a 'unique personality' in their world, adding: "May God comfort his family and friends. Rest in peace Bbzinho."

But some publications have highlighted a supposed recent trend of anabolic steroid use by Ganley, with the influencer promoting 'natural gains' on social media during his early career, which has allegedly taken a turn in recent years.

O Povo reported that Ganley shared his increasing use of steroids to boost his physical gains in 2025, when he also began withdrawing from public competitions citing pneumonia as the reason.

In medical science, this is referred to as 'bodybuilder's pneumonia' due to its prevalence among people who are using anabolic steroids to increase their muscle gain.

Using these drugs weakens your respiratory system in two ways, with the ingestion of the chemical itself causing direct damage to your lungs by triggering oxidative stress and even leaks in the tiny blood vessels that exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen.

This is then compounded by an increased weakness to pneumonia infections caused by the dehydration and intense training regimen required ahead of any bodybuilding competition. This weakens them to infections like pneumonia.

Ganley's cause of death is yet to be confirmed publicly, but it has already renewed an active debate in the bodybuilding community about 'natty' muscle gains the old fashioned way, and steroid-boosted performance.

One member of the R/Bodybuilding subreddit, responding to Ganley's death, sadly asked 'how can we prevent this?'.

Another member argued: "By posting/promoting more natty competitions, warning anyone you know that’s actively on gear to be careful, and stopping the promotion of drug usage to minors and young adults."