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Gym goers beware: Deaths of young bodybuilders across the world sends alarm bells ringing
Alarm bells have started ringing in the world bodybuilding fraternity after a spate of deaths among young practitioners of the sport. The incidents have been increasing ever since the COVID-19 pandemic affected the entire human population. The worrying aspect about the unfortunate development is that no one has been able to pinpoint what is going wrong.
These incidents should serve as a warning signal to amateur gym enthusiasts, who try to follow in the footsteps of the pros. It is time for them to become aware of the pitfalls and avoid falling into the same trap as the professional champions.
Within the last one year, several prominent bodybuilders have passed away at a young age. These deaths have raised significant concerns in the fitness community about the health risks associated with extreme training, diet, and steroid use.
Deaths of bodybuilders in recent times
In India, notable deaths in 2025 include that of Varinder Singh Ghuman (aged 41). The Indian bodybuilder and actor died on October 9 last year after suffering a cardiac arrest during treatment for a shoulder injury. Known as “India’s Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he was a prominent figure who advocated a vegetarian diet.
Varinder Singh Ghuman, an Indian bodybuilder and actor, died on October 9 last year after suffering a cardiac arrest during treatment for a shoulder injury
Two years ago, a fitness icon and champion bodybuilder named Yogesh, a former Mr. Tamil Nadu, passed away at the age of 41 minutes after a workout at a gym in Korattur in Chennai. After his workout, he went into the shower and was later found dead in the bathroom. Preliminary findings attributed the death to a heart attack, but deeper investigation carried out later, could not pinpoint the cause. It still remains a mystery.
Other recent examples outside India include those of Kadu Santos (31), Australian bodybuilder and former “Teenage Mr. Australia” who died in October 2025, just weeks after proposing to his girlfriend. Santos, an 11-time bodybuilding champion, was followed by more than 13,000 people on Instagram, where he regularly posted his workout videos. His demise left his followers in shock.
Another woman champion, Jessica Rivera, an IFBB Women’s Physique Pro, passed away sometime in 2025, with news reported in October. Rivera earned her Pro Card nearly 10 years ago at the 2016 North American Championships. Rivera often posted pictures of herself showing off her muscles in the gym on her social media accounts.
Jessica Rivera
Last year Antonio Souza (26), a Brazilian bodybuilder, collapsed from cardiac arrest while competing on stage in August 2024. Around the same time, Matheus Pavlak (19), another Brazilian champion, was found dead at home. Reports suggest the cause was cardiac arrest.
Opinion of medical experts to prevent deaths
Medical experts cite several contributing factors that can lead to sudden health issues. They include extreme training intensity, high-calorie diets, attempts to dehydrate deliberately in order to lose weight and finally the use of performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids, which can lead to cardiovascular problems.
Research published in the European Heart Journal in 2025 found a high risk of sudden cardiac death among professional bodybuilders, with autopsy reports often revealing enlarged hearts.
One leading factor that has been well researched by medical experts is steroid-induced heart enlargement (cardiomyopathy). Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) cause the heart muscle to thicken abnormally, which can reduce blood flow and oxygen delivery, lead to arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) and also cause heart failure or sudden cardiac arrest.
Other long-term side effects may be blood clotting leading to higher blood pressure building up and damaging arteries and kidneys. Steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs can increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, lower HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and make blood more likely to clot thereby raising the risk of heart attacks and strokes, even for people in their 20s or 30s.
Next comes dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. This happens when the bodybuilder goes through intense cutting phases or use of diuretics to “dry out” before competitions. This is done so that the muscles can show up more prominently, but it can deplete potassium, magnesium, and sodium and trigger off fatal arrhythmias.
Preventive measures to be safe and healthy
The safe way of staying fit does not mean cutting out gym workouts but doing so in moderation and definitely staying away from steroids
High protein intake over long periods must be avoided because it puts stress on the kidneys. It can lead to acute renal failure or long-term kidney disease, which in turn raises cardiovascular risk. Oral anabolic steroids, which are hepatotoxic (toxic to the liver) brings with it another set of problems. Depression and suicide have also been reported among athletes struggling with body image or hormonal instability after stopping steroids.
The safe way of staying fit does not mean cutting out gym workouts but doing so in moderation and definitely staying away from steroids. Regular check-ups would be another worthwhile precaution. Regular ECG and echocardiogram are a must.
Besides, one must stay hydrated and monitor electrolytes during workouts. One must avoid insulin, thyroid meds, or clenbuterol unless prescribed by a qualified medical expert or doctor. It is inadvisable to go all out to develop a pair of 20-inch biceps while damaging vital organs of the body.