Bruce Lee’s Death: Scientists Say Water May Have Been to Blame. Bruce Lee’s sudden death in Hong Kong in 1973, at just 32 years old, has remained one of Hollywood’s great mysteries. Official reports at the time cited cerebral edema (brain swelling), with many doctors pointing to an adverse reaction to the painkiller Equagesic. Others speculated about epilepsy, marijuana use, or even heatstroke.
Now, almost 50 years later, Spanish researchers from the Autonomous University of Madrid have proposed a new explanation: hyponatremia, a condition caused when blood sodium drops too low due to excessive fluid intake. Sodium is essential for balancing water in the body. When too much water is consumed and the kidneys can’t eliminate it quickly enough, cells swell — including those in the brain — leading to potentially fatal consequences.
According to the study, Lee’s lifestyle in his final months supports this theory. He reportedly consumed very little solid food, relying mainly…