Why are young bodybuilders dying so early

Brazilian bodybuilder and fitness influencer Melson Araujo recently shared a gym photo showing his impressive physique. Just a few hours later the 35 year old reportedly became ill at home and died suddenly.

The exact cause of his death has not been officially confirmed. However his passing has added to growing concerns about the number of young bodybuilders who have died unexpectedly in recent years.

Earlier this year 22 year old Brazilian bodybuilder Gabriel Ganley also died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

In 2024, two other Brazilian bodybuilders in their 30s and 40s also died from heart related problems including one who collapsed during a competition.

Similar cases have been reported around the world. American bodybuilder Dallas McCarver died in 2017 at the age of 26, while German fitness influencer Jo Lindner passed away in 2023 at the age of 30.

These deaths have raised an important question. why are some people who appear extremely fit and healthy dying at a young age?

A 2025 study published in the European Heart Journal examined nearly 20,000 amateur and professional bodybuilders who competed between 2005 and 2020.

Researchers found that professional bodybuilders were more than five times more likely to die from sudden cardiac arrest than amateur competitors.

The study recorded 121 deaths including 46 caused by sudden cardiac arrest. The average age at death was 45 years but for active competitors it was only 34.7 years.

Researchers believe several factors may increase the risk, including the use of performance enhancing drugs rapid weight loss before competitions and extremely intense strength training.

Another 2025 study from Denmark published in the journal Circulation followed 1,189 men who used anabolic steroids and compared them with nearly 60,000 men over 11 years.

The researchers found that steroid users had a nine times higher risk of developing cardiomyopathy a disease that weakens the heart muscle.

They also had about three times the risk of heart attack and heart failure.

Experts say anabolic steroids may also raise blood pressure speed up the build up of plaque in the arteries and change the structure of the heart.

Autopsy reports from several bodybuilders have shown that many had enlarged hearts and thicker heart walls especially in the left ventricle.

These changes can increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythm problems and heart failure.

One of the best known cases was Dallas McCarver, whose heart weighed 833 grams more than twice the normal weight of an adult male heart.

A 2022 review also found that many American bodybuilders had hearts that were much larger and thicker than normal.

In some cases even athletes in their 20s showed enlarged hearts thickened heart muscles, and serious coronary artery disease.