The magazine noted that the study's results showed that professional female bodybuilders suffer from a high rate of sudden cardiac death. After scientists analyzed the medical data of approximately 9,500 female bodybuilders who participated in international competitions between 2005 and 2020, they discovered 32 deaths among the players, a third of which were due to sudden cardiac arrest. Deaths were more common among professional female bodybuilders, whose risk of death was more than 20 times higher than that of amateur female bodybuilders.
The study's lead author, Dr. Marco Vecchiato of the University of Padua, Italy, said that strenuous exercise, dehydration, strict diets, and steroid use place a significant burden on the cardiovascular system. He noted that the study's authors also found a disturbing statistic: 13 percent of female bodybuilder deaths were related to suicide or violence—a rate more than four times higher than that of male bodybuilders.
The researchers warned that striving for an ideal body shape could have serious health consequences. They called on the athletic community to increase its focus on medical monitoring and psychosocial risks. They also urged doctors to include heart screening in medical monitoring programs, even for young female athletes who appear to be in good health.
