Posted on 12/12/2017 2:30:36 PM PST by Red Badger
Full Title:
25, dies after her body fails to break down strict diet of protein supplements and egg whites
Meegan Hefford was found unconscious in her apartment in June and was rapidly losing brain function.
A BODYBUILDER was killed by her strict diet of protein shakes and egg whites.
Meegan Hefford, 25, was found unconscious in her apartment in June by a real estate agent conducting a property inspection.
She was rushed to hospital, but died the following day.
Meegan, from Mandurah in Western Australia, had a genetic disorder that stopped her body breaking down the protein she was eating.
Urea cycle disorder, which affects one in 8,000 people, caused a build-up of ammonia in her blood and fluid on her brain, reports Perth Now.
Meegan, who had previously competed in body building competitions, did not know about her disorder and now her family are calling for more restrictions on the diet industry.
They believe more warnings need to be put in place about the potential dangers of a high protein diet.
Meegan’s death certificate lists “intake of bodybuilding supplements” as one of her causes of death, along with the previously undiagnosed condition.
Meegan, who leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter and five-year-old son, would often go to the gym twice a day, according to her mum Michelle White.
She ate a protein rich diet and in early June began complaining to her family that she felt tired and “weird”.
Ms White said: “I couldn’t believe what the doctors were telling me, she was dying.
“I said, ‘You have to give her more time’, because she didn’t look sick, she looked beautiful.
“Losing Meegan, it’s so awful and I still can’t believe she’s gone but I have to focus on the positives that at least I had 25 years with her and she jammed so much into her life, it’s almost like she knew her time would be short.”
Urea cycle disorder is a genetic disorder that prevents the body from removing ammonia from the bloodstream.
Ammonia is a toxic substance that causes irreversible brain damage or death when it reaches the brain.
Metabolic stressors, including high protein intake, excessive exercising and dieting, can create excessive ammonia in the body.
Ms White said she didn’t know Meegan was taking protein supplements until she found half a dozen containers in her kitchen.
She also found a detailed diet plan.
Meegan’s death has promoted stark warnings from health experts on the dangers of using protein supplements.
Australian Medical Association WA president Dr Omar Khorshid said people should stick to a balanced diet rather than trying to trick the body into building muscle mass.
“I think the problem with the supplement industry is that it’s really designed to make money for the companies which sell the products and not to provide any significant health benefit for the vast majority of people taking them,” Dr Khorshid said.
Urea cycle disorder is a genetic disorder that prevents the body from removing ammonia from the blood stream.
Ammonia is a toxic substance that causes irreversible brain damage or death when it reaches the brain.
Metabolic stressors, including high protein intake, excessive exercising and dieting, can create excessive ammonia in the body.
The disorder is caused by a mutation of one of the six enzymes responsible for the urea cycle.
These enzymes are responsible for removing ammonia from the blood stream.
The urea cycle involves a series of biochemical steps in which nitrogen, a waste product of protein breakdown in the body, is removed from the blood and converted to a compound called urea.
Normally, the urea is transferred into the urine and removed from the body.
In urea cycle disorders, the nitrogen accumulates in the form of ammonia, a highly toxic substance, resulting in elevated blood ammonia.
With that disease, how did she survive until 25?
May have been eating a more balanced diet that counteracted the disorder.
She, along with many other body builders, eat practically a pure protein diet, which is dangerous, even for those who don’t have the disorder!..............
“Meegan’s death certificate lists “intake of bodybuilding supplements” “
IOW, a needle was used and she was stacking 10 different varieties of bull test, HGH, etc.
You can survive if your eat a normal diet. She put herself on an extreme protein-rich diet to lose bodyfat in preparation for the bodybuilding competition, and her body couldn’t cope.
she should have dined with Trump occasionally.
How many grams of protean was she taking in daily? The max should be no more than 60grams in any form.
I’ve known a few bodybuilders.
It’s an addiction, maybe just as bad as heroin...................
Next time someone tells me they were bedridden with double ammonia I’ll take them seriously.
Probably 100 times that. Bodybuilders get fanatic about protein intake....................
What disease? She poisoned her self. Did you even READ it?
I prefer my protein from a nice juicy rare steak.
Just ran a calculation and basically for non-heavy exercising, as in normal activity, 60grams is about right. Any more than that the kidneys have to work harder, etc etc.
>How many grams of protean was she taking in daily? The max should be no more than 60grams in any form.
I consume 132-162 grams of protein daily. I think you mean the max should be 60grams from protein powder. The problem with protein powder is without fat protein in hard on the kidneys.
If that’s a pic of her, no way she was juicing, that’s just a normal “fitness” model body, and not a great one at that.i don’t believe there are any big sanctioned female “bodybuilder” contests anymore , because of the steroid abuse, it was totally out of control, and people didn’t want to look at it any longer.
You know the old joke... The unhealthiest people at a bodybuilding contest are the ones up on stage.
With my job I do use a protein powder but from whey and no more than thirty grams of it. The rest comes from natural stuff. It’s hard to eat healthy with airline food so I just get the fruit and cheese platter on flights.
Interjecting here, but did YOU read it? The article says she has urea cycle disorder.
"Meegan, from Mandurah in Western Australia, had a genetic disorder that stopped her body breaking down the protein she was eating."
"Urea cycle disorder, which affects one in 8,000 people, caused a build-up of ammonia in her blood and fluid on her brain, reports Perth Now."
Ms White said: “I couldn’t believe what the doctors were telling me, she was dying. “I said, ‘You have to give her more time’, like it was up to the Doctor...
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