BODYBUILDERS have been warned by a coroner of the dangers of injecting insulin to enhance their physique.

Speaking at the inquest into the death of Paul Ward, 35, Sunderland coroner Martin Shaw warned of the deadly effects that dabbling with insulin or steroids can have.

The plant operator died from a heart attack earlier this year - a seizure aggravated by a steady intake of insulin that lowered his blood sugar level.

His death is thought to be the first of its kind in the North-East. The inquest heard that Mr Ward had been a gym addict for 20 years and had started taking insulin once or twice a week to help him eat more and gain weight.

Before his death in September, Mr Ward, of Alexandrina Street, Seaham, County Durham, visited Sunderland Royal Hospital a number of times with health problems related to his training, insulin and steroid intake, but the inquest heard that he failed to heed the warning signs.

On the day he died, he almost certainly went training before returning home via a pub. He later suffered a heart attack and was found by his wife, Alice, lying on the floor. He was taken to hospital, but after several resuscitation attempts failed he was pronounced dead.

Mr Shaw said: "Anyone who is thinking of trying insulin in this way should be aware that they can have this dreadful result."

Bodybuilders use insulin to increase their muscle bulk, but dangers lie in the fact that a sudden rise in insulin can lead to a drop in blood glucose, causing confusion, aggression and unconsciousness.