Steve Bechler...what the media didn't report on his "ephedra" death

a prior history of heat illness episodes while in high school - which heightens the probability of reoccurring incidents;

a family history of sudden death following exercise (his half-brother died of an aneurysm at the age of 20 after overheating from playing baseball);

a history of hypertension and liver problems;

he had not eaten solid food for a day or two, in an apparent attempt to lose weight;

he was apparently not adequately acclimatized to training in the heat and humidity of South Florida;

it appeared that he was wearing two or three layers of clothing during workouts, again, in an attempt to lose weight;

he was overweight and did not have a high enough fitness level to make it through conditioning drills; and,

he was allowed to exercise until he collapsed with a core temperature reportedly of 106° F before being removed from the field.

It has been extensively documented that untrained, overweight, and unacclimatized people who perform excessive exercise in heat/humidity are at great risk of heat illness and heat stroke—particularly if they have become dehydrated and are trying to lose weight quickly.

 

Darwin wins again. s. florida is hell with shorts and a t shirt on in the summer, 3 layers of clothing could kill king kong down there.

 

he would have keeled over without the ephedra