Competitive bodybuilding is an extreme sport, and there aren’t any doubts about this. In order to be ready for the D-day, a bodybuilder goes through hell, in virtually every possible way. Right from ass-busting training, extreme weight-reduction plan, carbohydrate manipulations, salt/sodium manipulation,water control, use of anabolic steroids, diuretics, and stimulants etc.
It’s not unusual to see bodybuilders collapsing on stage. There is plethora of reasons behind this. But, unless you’ve gotten an underlying medical condition, there may be nothing to fret about, as these issues are temporary and reversible.
Here are the three major the reason why it happens:
- Dehydration – that is the no. 1 reason why bodybuilders are inclined to faint or collapse on stage. To be stage ready, bodybuilders should undergo numerous extreme weight-reduction plan when it comes to carbs and fat restriction, salt and water control.
Dehydration is the very first thing that sets in such a case. In case of dehydration, your blood pressure drops, because the amount of blood decreases. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and organs in your body, including your brain. So in the event you aren’t getting as much blood and oxygen as normal due to dehydration, you may pass out on account of your brain’s lack of oxygen.
2. Holding Breath during Posing – posing is the essence of bodybuilding. Bodybuilders perform 7 compulsory poses as a way to show their muscularity & symmetry to the judges. This is followed by a timed free posing routine, wherein the athlete performs numerous poses with music.
These amazing poses, which provides the sweetness to the bodybuilders physique, could appear very effortless, but are one in all the toughest a part of their training & competition. Each pose requires extreme isometric muscle contractions & straining of muscles. And normally, bodybuilders hold their breath while hitting each pose, or they perform the Valsalva manoeuvre, during posing.
The primary side effect of Valsalva manoeuvre is a drop in blood pressure, which can make an individual feel light headed and result in temporary lack of consciousness. However, it is a very rare case and passing out episodes with bodybuilders are a mix of combination of dehydration, and Valsalva manoeuvre.
3. Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycaemia) – most bodybuilders cut down their carbohydrate intake to an ideal extent through the competitions. Glucose is the body’s fundamental source of energy. During exercise, the demand for glucose increases.
In hypoglycaemia, there is just not enough glucose within the blood to fulfil body’s energy needs. It’s the carbohydrates which breaks down into glucose within the body, which enters the blood stream, after which taken up by the cells. To do that, the pancreas secretes insulin, which helps the glucose enter the cells for use as fuel.
As exercise volume/intensity increases, so does the body’s demand for glucose. Also, exercise makes body more sensitive to insulin, which is able to make insulin work higher and thus reduce blood sugar even faster. On top of that, bodybuilders are on a low carb regime, which reduces the provision of glucose.
Hypoglycaemia may cause various issues like weakness, dizziness, anxiety, confusion, fainting, and in extreme cases even seizures, coma and death.
Therefore the episodes of collapsing/fainting on stage, may be either or combination of the above reasons.
