Bruce Lee May Have Died From Drinking Too Much Water, Claims Study

The researchers suggested that Lee had multiple risk factors for hyponatremia.

American martial arts legend and actor Bruce Lee may have died from drinking too much water, scientists claim in a new study. The actor ‘Long vs Tiger Fighting’, who helped bring martial arts into popular culture, died in July 1973 at the age of 32 of cerebral edema, swelling of the brain. At the time, doctors believed that the swelling in the brain was caused by taking painkillers.

Edema, according to a team of researchers, is caused by hyponatremia. In their study, published in the journal Journal of clinical nephrologyResearchers believe that Bruce died because his kidneys could not excrete more water.

The findings are very different from older theories about how to die, such as those related to gangster assassinations, jealous lover poisoning, curses and heatstroke.

According to scientists, the actor may have died from hyponatremia, a disease that develops when sodium levels in the body are diluted by drinking too much water. Cells in the body, especially those in the brain, swell due to imbalance.

The researchers suggest that Lee has multiple risk factors for hyponatremia, such as drinking a lot of water, behaviors that can increase thirst, such as marijuana use, and behaviors that impair ability water excretion by the kidneys, such as using prescription drugs, drinking alcohol, having had kidney damage in the past, or having low solute levels.

The scientists conclude: “We hypothesize that Bruce Lee died of a specific form of kidney dysfunction: the inability to excrete enough water to maintain water homeostasis, the primary function of the kidneys. Weak is the function of the renal tubules.”

They continue: “This can lead to hyponatremia, cerebral edema (swelling of the brain) and death within hours if fluid intake is inconsistent with urine excretion, which is consistent with timeline of Lee’s death”.

Linda Lee Cadwell, Lee’s wife, once referred to his “carrot and apple juice” liquid-based diet. Bruce Lee’s daily water intake is frequently mentioned by Matthew Polly, author of the 2018 book Bruce Lee: A Life, especially in the period before Bruce fell ill. . New York Post Office report.

“I think we drank some water… that probably made him a little tired and thirsty. After a few sips he seemed a bit dizzy… Immediately after feeling faint, Bruce complained of pain. first,” the author writes in the book.

The researchers concluded: “Ironically, Lee famously said ‘Be my friend’, but the excess water apparently ended up killing him.”