Bruce Lee's cause of death revealed: Was it caused by "drinking too much water"? Experts point to "hyponatremia" as possible culprit
Spanish experts reveal Bruce Lee’s possible cause of death was cerebral edema and renal dysfunction caused by hyponatremia
Hong Kong’s legendary martial arts superstar Bruce Lee is deeply loved by fans in Taiwan and abroad. The cause of his death is still shrouded in mystery and is a hot topic among many people. Now Spanish kidney expert Priscila Villalvazo and her team have published a preprint paper in the “Clinical Kidney Journal” alleging that Bruce Lee’s death may be related to “hyponatremia” caused by electrolyte imbalance in the body.
The research team said that on May 10, 1973, Bruce Lee was performing dubbing work in Hong Kong. On his way to the bathroom, he suddenly developed symptoms such as vomiting, headache, and body convulsions. After being sent to the hospital, he was diagnosed with “cerebral edema” and was treated with mannitol. (mannitol) medication, Bruce Lee immediately returned to work, but died unexpectedly about two months later.
The research team claimed that Bruce Lee may have had multiple risk factors for hyponatremia, such as excessive water intake, frequent thirst (such as smoking marijuana), weakened kidneys’ ability to excrete water (such as using prescription drugs, alcohol), and past kidney damage. Medical history, etc. In general, Bruce Lee’s death may be related to specific renal dysfunction, and hyponatremia and cerebral edema are key factors that accelerated his death.
Is it really poisonous to take in too much water? Poison experts explain: Caused by electrolyte imbalance in the body
Will excessive water intake really lead to poisoning or even risk of hyponatremia? Professor Zhao Mingwei, a toxicology expert and associate professor of the Department of Biotechnology of Chung Yuan University, said in the community that keeping the body well hydrated is indeed a good thing, but drinking more water is not beneficial at all times. Especially after exercise, if you just drink a lot of water, the body will accumulate a lot of water all at once, which will instantly cause an electrolyte imbalance in the body, which may lead to physical discomfort. In serious cases, it may even lead to “water intoxication”.
“Isn’t drinking water helpful for detoxification? Why is drinking water also poisonous? To put it bluntly, water is also a substance, and of course there will be problems with overdose!” Professor Zhao Mingwei said that although water helps the body function normally , regulate body temperature, maintain metabolism, and eliminate toxins, but excess water will dilute the salt in the body, destroy the balance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium ions, and reduce the normal blood sodium content from 135-145 mEq/L to less than 120 mEq/L.
Professor Zhao Mingwei further pointed out that the most worrying thing about water poisoning is “hyponatremia”, which most often occurs in long-term, low-intensity endurance sports, such as marathons, triathlons, cycling around the island, and mountain hiking. Wait for exercise. The cause may be excessive sweating caused by long-term (more than 2 hours) exercise, which leads to a large loss of electrolytes and the continued secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). However, if you only replenish water, it is likely to cause potential water intoxication. , is especially likely to occur in people with a BMI that is too high or too low.
What are the common symptoms of hyponatremia? How much water do you need to drink to get poisoned?
Professor Zhao Mingwei said that when the electrolytes in the body are imbalanced, the poisoning symptoms of hyponatremia will occur, including dullness, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, weakness, rapid heartbeat, etc. In severe cases, cramps may also occur. , body paralysis, coma or even life-threatening conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to control the dosage of water in the body, neither too little nor too much, to avoid the occurrence of the above symptoms.
As for how much water to drink, there may be a risk of poisoning? Professor Zhao Mingwei explained that according to Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare regulations, if a simple formula is used to calculate the water intake of adults (30 cc of drinking water per kilogram of body weight), a healthy adult of 70 kilograms needs a minimum of daily water 2100 cc. If you are engaged in high-intensity exercise or work, you need to increase your water intake according to your physical condition, but as a rule, it should not exceed 3500 cc.
“But if you must drink more than 1,000 cc at one time, it is not impossible, but please replenish salt in an appropriate amount immediately to avoid electrolyte imbalance!” Professor Zhao Mingwei said that people may wish to pay more attention to water in their lives. Dosage, when to drink water or how much water to drink, must be paid special attention to, so that you can drink it healthily and safely.
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“Can drinking too much water cause poisoning?” Yes, but it’s not easy! - Professor Zhao Mingwei
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