AN EIGHTEEN stone body builder died as a result of injecting anabolic steroids to boost his muscle bulk.

An inquest heard that Blackburn gymnasium owner Nigel Anthony Dix was well aware of the potential dangers of using the body building drug but chose to ignore them because of what he saw as the advantages.

Mr Dix, 30, of Oban Drive, Blackburn, died of heart failure due to an enlarged heart caused by anabolic steroids.

Mr Dix's partner, Lisa Parker, told the inquest he had suffered from asthma, and in the five months before his death the attacks had got worse. He went to the doctors two days before his death and was prescribed an inhaler and steroid tablets which were totally different from anabolic steroids.

Miss Parker said that over the next two days Mr Dix returned from his gym in Hall Street at about 4.30pm and said he had been fine apart from struggling with hiccups.

About 7pm he was preparing a meal when he said the smoke from the pan was getting on his chest. Having tried an inhaler he told Miss Parker to phone a doctor then almost immediately told her to call an ambulance. Before the medics arrived he was semi-conscious and had turned blue.

Miss Parker said ambulancemen had difficulty getting Mr Dix through the door because of his size and struggled to carry him to the ambulance.

Dr Richard Prescot, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said Mr Dix's heart had been very much enlarged.

Tests had shown the presence of cannabis in the body and tests carried out by Professor Cowan at Kings College, London, had revealed the presence of anabolic steroids.

Acting coroner Michael Singleton said that as a body builder Mr Dix had been intent on injecting himself with anabolic steroids to build up his muscle mass.

"That is something that has a number of side effects and we have heard that Mr Dix subsequently developed asthma and was being treated for that," said Mr Singleton. "It is clear the cause of death was the taking of anabolic steroids and I must conclude the verdict of misadventure.

"Mr Dix knew, or ought to have known, of the side effects but chose to assume the risk that was inherent in the injection of steroids."

A friend of Mr Dix, who was not named in court and refused to give his name after the inquest, questioned whether doctors had done all that they should to help Mr Dix, especially in relation to checking his heart.

But Mr Singleton said it was not for the inquest to consider whether his medical advisers should have gone further than they did.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.