Khaberni - Sudden cardiac death is responsible for an unusually high percentage of fatalities among female bodybuilders worldwide, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal.
Sudden cardiac death occurs when someone dies suddenly and unexpectedly due to a heart issue. It is generally rare among young people who appear healthy.
The study found that the greatest risk is faced by those competing in professional contests.
According to "Medical Express", this is the first large-scale study to systematically investigate the deaths of competitive female bodybuilders, and was led by Dr. Marco Viciato from the University of Padova in Italy.
Training strategies
He said, "Bodybuilders, both female and male, often engage in intense training and use fasting and dehydration strategies to achieve peak physical fitness. Some also consume performance-enhancing substances. These strategies can cause significant damage to the cardiovascular system."
In the study, the researchers compiled the names of 9447 female bodybuilders from official competition records and an informal online database.
All of them participated in at least one event for the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness between 2005 and 2020.
High risk rate
The researchers found 32 deaths among the women, with an average age at death of about 42 years.
Sudden cardiac death was the most common cause of death, accounting for 31% of the fatalities.
The risk of sudden cardiac death was more than 20 times higher among professional female bodybuilders compared to amateurs.
