Bodybuilders Who Passed Away Too Young

It’s deniable that using powerful drugs on a regular basis appear to be needed to be a world-class bodybuilder. While steroids are very common and open to debate to be harmful for body, some other drugs like insulin, HGH and Diuretics cause more serious issues likemuscular corpse, organ failure, Cardiovascular disease and even death for bodybuilders.

Using anabolic steroids got more common in the early 60’s when bodybuilders found out this can take their muscles some steps higher. But even about steroid, the majority of studies link long-term consumption of steroid with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and irregular heart function. Here is one out of hundreds of studies on effects of steroid abuse.

Maybe it’s not fair to not mention that some professional bodybuilders have died of natural causes before hitting 35 years old. But even the ones who have survived and are in their 50s or so, are not without major health problems.

Below, named some very unfortunate deaths of well-known body builders who passed away too young.

Mike Matarazzo (Died Age 48)

Mike Matarazzo is one of the well-known bodybuilders of all time, remembered for his impressive calves and arms. Mike was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. Like many others in his generation, Mike decided to try his hand at boxing inspired by ‘Rocky Balboa’. He won his first title at the age of 24. He became the 1985 Massachusetts Golden Gloves light-heavyweight champion.

He competed seven times at Mr. Olympia contest from 1991 to 2001 while his best placing was 9^thin 1998. He was retired on December 8, 2004 because of having open heart surgery. He had a heart attack 3 years later on November 8, 2007. Finally, He died on August 16, 2014, in Stanford hospital in Palo Altowhile waiting for a heart transplant.

 Dallas McCarver (Died Age 26)

Dallas McCarver started his career at an early age. He won 3 out of 5 of his IFBB competitions between 2012 and 2015. He also placed 8th at the 2016 Mr. Olympia Competition. In March 2017, Dallas collapsed while posing at the Arnold Classic in Australia. He explained later that he had been battling an upper respiratory infection that progressed into bronchitis, leaving him unable to catch his breath.

On August 22, 2017, Dallas was found on the floor at home with food scattered around him. He was pronounced dead at 1:03 am. Enlarged liver and kidneys, nephrosclerosis (a hardened kidney), heavy lungs, and a papillary thyroid carcinoma were noted in autopsy.

Just a few hours before death, he posted a video of himself chest pressing 160-pound dumbbells on his Instagram page.His death was saddening but also brought to light his history of steroid abuse. 

Andreas Münzer (Died Age 31)

Andreas Munzer was a professional bodybuilder from Austria, known for his extremely ripped physique. His bodybuilding debut came in 1986, at the European Amateur Championships. He turned professional with his heavyweight victory at the 1989 IFBB World Amateur Games and competed several times in numerous competitions including the Mr. Olympia and Arnold Classic.

On March 12, 1996, he started bleeding internally from his stomach. When the bleeding was stopped by doctors, his kidneys and liver were collapsed. On the morning of March 14, 1996, the bodybuilding world awoke to the devastating news of Andreas’ death.

Bodybuilding had received much criticism about the abusive of anabolic steroids and its dangers. How many steroids are too many steroids? The question was back again. It is clear bodybuilding drugs were a factor in Andreas’ death, but is this the whole story?

Anthony D’Arezzo (Died Age 44)

Anthony was a graduate of Boston University and had worked as apersonal trainer over a decade. He was the OverallNew England Champion back in 1997, and was in the top ten at the NPCNationals on several occasions, as well as competing in powerlifting. In 1997 he had ripped a tricep muscle while training for the NPC nationals and had to have surgery to reattach it to his elbow. It set him back almost two years, but eventually he returned to the gym. Doctors in 2002 had diagnosed him with congenital heart disease.

He was in Pittsburghin his hotel room, where hewas going to compete in the Masters Nationalswhen he collapsed in his hotel room at Sheraton Station Square.An autopsy ruled that Mr. D’Arezzo died of cardiomyopathy, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office.

Nasser El Sonbaty (Died Age 47)

Nasser El Sonbaty was born on October 15, 1965; graduated from the University of Augsburg in Germany. His father was Egyptian and his mother was from Yugoslavia. He was strong and had an ideal genetic as it’s said that he was benching 85 kilos when he was 17 years old. Nasser began bodybuilding in 1983. His first appearance in the Mr. Olympia competition was in 1994, where he placed 7th.

He qualified for 10 consecutive Mr. Olympia contests and entered nine Mr. Olympia competitions. His best placing in the competition was in 1997, where he placed 2^ndbehind Dorian Yates. Nasser is often referred to as the “Uncrowned Mr. Olympia,” because many believe that Nasser should have won that competition. The greatest victory of his career maybe was his win at the 1999 Arnold Classic in Ohio, USA.

He suffered from a Staph Infection in his shoulder which nearly cost him his life. He was in hospital for a long time and needed several operations. Nasser required a heart transplant, but he did not qualify as a candidate so chose to spend his final days with his family in Egypt. He died in his sleep due to kidney and heart failure.

Greg Kovacs (Died Age 44)

Greg Kovacs was a Canadian bodybuilder born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario with a rare monumental height compared to most pro bodybuilders. Standing 6’4″ tall with 400 lbs muscle mass he was a rare bodybuilder with massive size throughout his frame. Gregory developed over 27 inch arms in the prime of his career.

His highest professional bodybuilding placing was 13th at the 2004 Arnold Classic. Kovacs died on November 22, 2013 at midnight, in his Mississauga, Ontario condominium from heart failure.

Daniele Seccarecci (Died Age 33)

Daniele Seccarecci was born on February 17 1980 in Livorno, Tuscany. He became interested in the world of bodybuilding from an early age. He turned professional at the age of 26 and he went close to qualifying for the Mister Olympia at the 2006 Spanish Grand Prix.

Aside from being a top ranked bodybuilder from Europe, Daniele was also holder of the Guinness Book of Records as the man with the largest arms in the world (55cm/21.65 inches) and the heaviest competitive male bodybuilder. He was arrested in 2011 under charges of illegal steroid marketing and briefly subject to home detention.

Rumour has it that Daniele suffered from a heart condition resulting in a heart attack. He apparently collapsed and hit his head on 4 September 2013. His mother found the body of Seccarecci, who had returned on Monday from a trip to Finland where he took part in sporting events.