An Australian woman who appeared to be in great shape suddenly died at age 25—and doctors say protein supplements contributed to her death.
Meegan Hefford, a bodybuilder, had been complaining since early June about feeling "weird" and lethargic. On June 19, she was found unconscious in her apartment; three days later, she was dead, PerthNow reports.
Doctors determined she had urea cycle disorder, a genetic disorder caused by a mutation that ultimately makes a person unable to process protein intake. Instead of the normal processing that happens when protein is metabolized, in a person with urea cycle disorder, ammonia builds up in the bloodstream and can reach the brain if left untreated, causing brain damage, coma, or death. As part of her training for an upcoming competition, Hefford, unaware she had the disorder, had ramped up her protein intake.
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