The hidden dangers of working out too much… as experts warn there is risk of ‘sudden death’
Women regularly doing extreme workouts could be at risk of ‘sudden cardiac death,’ a study warns.
Sudden cardiac death occurs when the heart suddenly stops functioning, leading to death within just a few minutes.
While it often occurs in people with underlying heart disease, it’s also the most common cause of death in elite athletes, including basketball star Reggie Lewis, Lebron James’ son Bronny and 20-year-old bodybuilder Jodi Vance.
It’s thought that intense exercise may exacerbate unknown heart conditions or cause irregular heartbeats, triggering cardiac arrest.
Now, researchers in Italy have shifted this focus to women, combing through competition and medical records from nearly 10,000 female bodybuilders, including three dozen who died within the 15-year study.
They found that, overall , nearly one in three deaths among the female bodybuilders was due to sudden cardiac death.
The risk of sudden cardiac death was also 20-fold greater for professional bodybuilders than amateurs.
And women in the bodybuilding space were four times more likely than their male counterparts to commit suicide or die by homicide, which the experts linked to social pressures such as body image expectations.
Bodybuilder Jodi Vance, pictured here, died earlier this year at age 20 from a sudden heart attack
The findings come after a landmark study from the same team last year showed 40 percent of deaths among male bodybuilders were due to sudden heart-related issues.
The researchers noted the overall risk of sudden cardiac death is still higher in male bodybuilders than female, which could be because men are generally at a greater risk of heart disease.
Dr Marco Vecchiato, lead study author and sports medicine expert at the University of Padova in Italy, said: ‘Bodybuilders, both female and male, often engage in extreme training, and use fasting and dehydration strategies to achieve extreme physiques. Some also take performance-enhancing substances.
‘These strategies can take a serious toll on the heart and blood vessels.’
About 400,000 Americans suffer from sudden cardiac death every year, making it one of the leading causes of death in the US.
Intense exercise increases heart rate and puts more strain on the heart, which may exacerbate underlying conditions and irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. These factors make it more difficult for the heart to effectively pump blood, raising the risk of cardiac arrest.
The study, published Tuesday in the European Heart Journal, looked at 9,447 female professional bodybuilders who had been in at least one competition between 2005 and 2020.
Of those, 32 women died in that timeframe at an average age of 42. The team found 31 percent (10) of the deaths in these women were due to sudden cardiac death, making it the most common cause.
The team found that the rate of sudden cardiac death in professional female bodybuilders was 54 per 100,000 compared to 2.5 per 100,000 for amateurs, a 20-fold increased risk.
Additionally, suicide or homicide accounted for 13 percent of deaths in these athletes, four times higher than the rate in male bodybuilders.
Chloe Burke went into cardiac arrest at 21 years old while cheering at the University of Houston due to an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. She survived but is now advocating for increased heart defect awareness
Intense exercise may exacerbate underlying heart conditions by putting more strain on the organs, experts suggest (stock image)
Dr Vecchiato said: ‘This striking difference suggests that, beyond cardiovascular risks, female athletes in this field may face unique psychosocial pressures, possibly linked to body image expectations, performance-enhancing substance use, or the extreme demands of the sport.’
The team cautioned that because findings are based on web searches and a cause of death could not be determined for 25 percent of the included deaths, more research is needed.
They also noted deaths among lesser-known bodybuilders may not have been reported.
Dr Vecchiato said: ‘For female bodybuilders, this research is a reminder that the pursuit of extreme muscularity and leanness, while often celebrated, may come at a cost to health, particularly cardiovascular health.
‘Awareness of these risks is essential to promote safer training practices, informed decision-making, and a more health-oriented approach to competitive bodybuilding.
‘We also need a shift in the sport’s culture, to raise awareness of the risks, not only within the professional ranks, but also in the broader community of women engaging in high-intensity strength training.’
