Bronny James, the son of NBA legend LeBron James, went into cardiac arrest during a basketball practice at the University of Southern California (USC) on Monday. He was rushed to the hospital and placed in the intensive care unit, where he is now in stable condition. The incident has shocked the sports world, and raised questions about the health and future of the 18-year-old freshman, who is a four-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American.
What is Cardiac Arrest?
Cardiac arrest is a sudden and unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. It occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions and stops pumping blood to the rest of the body. It is different from a heart attack, which is caused by a blockage in a coronary artery that reduces blood flow to the heart muscle. This is what Damar Hamlin went through during that infamous NFL game.
Cardiac arrest can be triggered by various factors, such as heart disease or congenital heart defects, drug overdose or poisoning, severe blood loss or shock, hypothermia or extreme heat, respiratory failure or choking, electric shock or lightning strike. Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation (an electric shock to the heart) to restore normal heart rhythm and blood flow. If not treated within minutes, it can cause brain damage or death.
Why Conspiracy Theorists are Speculating that HGH Caused Bronny James’ Cardiac Arrest
The exact cause of Bronny James’ cardiac arrest is still unknown and under investigation. According to reports, he collapsed during a practice session at USC’s Galen Center around 9:30 a.m. on Monday. The USC medical staff was able to treat him on site and take him to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU.
Some sources have speculated that Bronny James may have had an undiagnosed heart condition that triggered his cardiac arrest. Conspiracy Theorists have suggested that he may have been using human growth hormone (HGH) or other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) that may have affected his heart.
Some people have speculated that Bronny James was using HGH or other PEDs to enhance his basketball skills and physique. They point out that he has grown significantly in muscle since his freshman year of high school, but not really in height.
The conspiracy theories about Bronny James using HGH began when he was 16 and struggling to excel on the basketball court. People noticed his neck and jaw were already thicker than Lebron’s. They speculated that he was developing HGH jaw at a young age, after he was put on regimen that would improve his performance on the court. They also point out that Bryce James doesn’t seem to be growing muscle at the same rate.
Although Lebron was taller at 16 years old, he didn’t have the size in terms of width that Bronny had at 16, which some people thought was unnatural.
What is HGH and How Does it Affect the Heart?
HGH is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates growth, cell regeneration and metabolism. It is essential for normal development and health in children and adults.
Synthetic HGH is also available as a prescription drug or a dietary supplement that claims to have various benefits, such as increasing muscle mass and strength, reducing body fat and improving body composition, enhancing athletic performance and recovery, slowing down aging and improving skin quality, boosting immune system and energy levels.
However, synthetic HGH also has potential side effects and risks, especially when used without medical supervision or in high doses. Some of these side effects include nerve, muscle or joint pain, swelling of the arms and legs, high cholesterol, diabetes, liver damage, carpal tunnel syndrome, increased risk of cancer and abnormal growth of bones and organs.
One of the most serious effects of HGH on the heart is cardiomyopathy, which is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the body. This can lead to heart failure, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), stroke or sudden cardiac death. HGH can also cause hypertension (high blood pressure), which can damage the arteries and increase the risk of heart attack.
According to some studies, HGH can also have some positive effects on the heart, such as improving artery density, stimulating nitric oxide production, increasing cardiac contractility and making myocardial cells more sensitive to calcium. However, these effects are not well understood and may depend on various factors such as dosage, duration of use, age and health status of the user.
However, there is no concrete evidence that Bronny James was using HGH, or any other PEDs. His muscle growth could have been due to natural factors such as genetics, nutrition and exercise.
Whatever caused his cardiac arrest, let’s just hope he makes a full recovery, and can continue to play basketball. It’s not often an athlete returns to their sport after cardiac arrest, but it has happened multiple times in the past.
