HONG KONG - JAN 15, 2015: Evening view of Bruce Lee statue in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong Avenue of Stars
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Bruce Lee: Doctors Now Say He Died From Drinking Too Much Water

Doctors believe they have uncovered the mystery behind the death of martial arts master and actor Bruce Lee, who died suddenly at the age of 32. A group of researchers now say he died from drinking too much water.

Bruce Lee’s death: An enduring mystery

Ever since the sudden death of martial arts legend Bruce Lee on July 20, 1973, the question of what caused the hyper-fit 32-year-old athlete and actor to die has remained a matter of ongoing speculation. Many people have floated theories–including assassination.

Symptoms first began occurring on May 10, 1973, when Lee was in Hong Kong working on an automated dialogue replacement session for the movie Enter the Dragon. He suddenly collapsed and began having seizures and headaches. Lee was rushed to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with cerebral edema.

On July 20, 1973, Lee experienced another headache and took a nap. When he did not arrive for a scheduled dinner, producer Raymond Chow went to Lee’s apartment and was unable to wake him. Lee was rushed to the hospital and declared dead on arrival. His death was officially ruled a “death by misadventure,” as an autopsy found Equagesic in his system, which contains the tranquilizer meprobamate. Lee was said to have an allergic reaction to the drug. However, the autopsy also noted that Lee’s brain had considerable swelling, at least 13 percent above normal.

Medical experts have long theorized that Lee died from cerebral edema from overexertion and heatstroke. But now, a new theory has emerged.

New research says Bruce Lee’s cause of death was drinking too much water

In an article that will appear in the December edition of the Clinical Kidney Journal, researchers believe they have identified the cause of Bruce Lee’s death, attributing it to an excessive intake of water.

The new research shows that Lee likely died of hyponatraemia, a condition in which there is a low concentration of sodium in the blood. This can be caused by too much water or fluid in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“We propose that the kidney’s inability to excrete excess water killed Bruce Lee,” the researchers wrote. “Ironically, Lee made famous the quote ‘Be water, my friend’ – but excess water appears to have ultimately killed him.”

The researchers noted that a look into Lee’s history showed that he consumed a great deal of water and other fluids. His wife, Linda, mentioned Lee had a fluid-based diet that emphasized drinking apple juice. Biographer Matthew Polly, in his 2018 book Bruce Lee: A Life, made repeated references to Lee’s water intake while noting that after drinking water, Bruce immediately complained of feeling faint and having a headache, the New York Post reported.

“In conclusion, we hypothesize that Bruce Lee died from a specific form of kidney dysfunction: the inability to excrete enough water to maintain water homeostasis, which is mainly a tubular function,” the researchers wrote. “This may lead to hyponatraemia, cerebral oedema and death within hours if excess water intake is not matched by water excretion in urine, which is in line with the timeline of Lee’s demise.”