by Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN
First off, Newsmax… you should be ashamed of yourselves. What a one-sided story you ran with your blanket statement bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths.
For those who have not read the article, you can find it here.
They are referring to a study that looked at IFBB pros and how bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths. They looked at 20,286 athletes competing in 730 IFBB events over the course of a few years.
The study found that there were 121 deaths during their study, with 73 considered sudden deaths (46 were classified as sudden cardiac deaths).
So, let me get this straight… researchers followed over 20,000 bodybuilders over the course of several years, and 121 of them died, with 46 being sudden cardiac deaths.
From that data, you can definitively say bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths?
Seriously? That’s the take we’re running with now?
46 sudden cardiac deaths over several years, tracking 20,286 bodybuilders in the IFBB, and your result is bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths?
This is the reason no one trusts the science anymore. You have people taking numbers and twisting them to fit an agenda when the research doesn’t truly back their claim.
In this article, I want to dive deeper into this issue and their results of bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths. It’s nonsense, and if they exposed the actual truth, they would find most of those deaths were due to an enlarged heart from steroid abuse. It has nothing to do with the act of “bodybuilding” where someone is simply training to put on muscle (hypertrophy).
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current regimen.
Fear-Mongering Disguised as “Health Reporting”
The recent article on Newsmax throws out this blanket claim — “bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths” — without doing the due diligence to separate fact from fiction.
It’s lazy journalism. Period. And I blame the researchers of the study as well. They can’t be let off the hook here.
They toss around scary headlines, quote a few experts out of context, and suddenly, everyone who lifts heavy is a ticking time bomb just waiting for their hearts to explode.
That’s not how science works. And that’s not how truth works either.
But let’s keep throwing out stupid headlines to make people say, “See, you shouldn’t exercise because it can make you die prematurely.”
We have an obesity epidemic in the United States, and its news outlets and research like what I just showed you that’s the problem, rather than the solution.
Yes, PEDs Can Be Dangerous. But That’s Not Bodybuilding’s Fault
Let’s be real for a second.
We know that performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) like anabolic steroids can put major stress on the heart. They can mess with cholesterol levels, increase blood pressure, and enlarge the heart.
That’s not new.
But PED abuse is a choice. A risky one, sure — but it’s not bodybuilding’s core principle.
Saying “bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths” because some individuals choose to misuse drugs is like blaming NASCAR for drunk driving.
Hard Training Isn’t the Problem — It’s Actually the Solution
Newsmax’s narrative basically says this:
“Don’t train too hard. Don’t compete. Don’t push your body.”
Why? Because you might drop dead.
That’s absurd.
You know what kills more people than bodybuilding ever has? Obesity. Sedentary lifestyles. Diabetes. Heart disease caused by inactivity and poor eating habits.
Bodybuilding encourages people to move more, eat clean, and take their health seriously.
Yet the Newsmax article suggests that the very thing saving people is also what’s killing them. That’s a terrible message to send.
Where’s the Data?
Look through peer-reviewed studies, actual clinical data, and you won’t find science saying that bodybuilding in itself causes sudden cardiac death.
Yes, there have been tragic cases — often involving PEDs or extreme practices. There are even cases where a bodybuilder had a pre-existing condition that they didn’t know about that caused sudden death. But these are outliers, not the norm.
The sport of bodybuilding doesn’t encourage abuse. It promotes progress.
So, where’s the evidence that lifting weights and building muscle under professional guidance is a death sentence?
Spoiler alert: It doesn’t exist.
It’s Time to Start Having Honest Conversations
We need to talk about steroid use.
We need to talk about unregulated PEDs sold online.
We need to talk about how social media creates pressure to look a certain way, fast.
But blaming bodybuilding as a whole? That’s reckless.
It alienates people from fitness. It makes them fear the gym. And it sends the message that trying to improve your health might get you killed.
Ridiculous.
Here’s What Bodybuilding Actually Does
- It teaches structure and discipline.
- It encourages a focus on clean eating and recovery.
- It creates community and support.
- It builds confidence — especially for people who’ve struggled with their weight or health.
Bodybuilding isn’t just about how you look. It’s about how you feel. How you perform. How you show up in life.
Don’t let scare tactics fool you into thinking otherwise.
Shame on You Newsmax
To Newsmax and outlets like it: Do better.
Stop painting entire sports or lifestyles with a broad, fear-based brush. Be honest. Be responsible with your platform. Report facts, not clickbait or one-sided numbers that don’t represent the full results of a study to push your agenda.
To readers: Don’t let this kind of reporting deter you from chasing your best self. Yes, educate yourself. Yes, be smart about your training and supplementation.
But don’t fear bodybuilding. Fear misinformation.
Because “bodybuilding linked to sudden cardiac deaths” isn’t a fact — it’s a false narrative. And it’s time we called it out along with these fake media channels.
