Bruce Lee May Have Died From Drinking Too Much Water: Study

Bruce Lee's actual cause of death may have been the result of consuming too much water, according to new research.

The martial arts master died at age 32 in Hong Kong in July, 1973. The initial cause of death was ruled as swelling to the brain; however, a new study delving deeper into Lee's sudden death suggests that he may have in fact died from hyponatraemia.

The condition occurs when the concentration of sodium in the body's blood is abnormally low, according to the Mayo Clinic, which notes that drinking too much water can result in sodium levels becoming diluted, which causes the body's water levels to rise and cells to swell.

In their study published in the December issue of Clinical Kidney Journal, doctors from Autonomous University in Madrid note that Lee had all the risk factors for hyponatraemia, including "chronic fluid intake" that included alcohol and a juice-based diet, as well as a history of using marijuana and previous injury to his kidneys from doing martial arts.

"We hypothesize that Bruce Lee died from a specific form of kidney dysfunction: the inability to excrete enough water to maintain water homeostasis," wrote the researchers. "This may lead to hyponatraemia, cerebral oedema and death within hours if excess water intake is not matched by water excretion in urine."

In light of the findings, researchers stressed the importance of understanding the condition.

"Given that hyponatraemia is frequent, as is found in up to 40% of hospitalized persons and may cause death due to excessive water ingestion even in young healthy persons, there is a need for a wider dissemination of the concept that excessive water intake can kill," the study noted.

The researchers further noted that hyponatraemia may have caused the brain swelling doctors found in 1973.

"Ironically, Lee made famous the quote, 'Be water my friend', but excess water appears to have ultimately killed him," the researchers concluded.

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