Bruce Lee died suddenly on July 20, 1973, at the age of 32 in Hong Kong due to cerebral edema, which is swelling of the brain. The official autopsy concluded that the cerebral edema was caused by a reaction to the painkiller Equagesic, which Lee took to relieve a headache shortly before his death. This medication contained aspirin and a tranquilizer called meprobamate. Although Lee had taken this medication before without issue, on this occasion he had an allergic or hypersensitive reaction that led to the brain swelling
. There have been various theories about the exact cause of the cerebral edema. Some experts at the time suggested it was due to the medication reaction, while more recent studies have proposed alternative causes such as heatstroke or hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood) caused by excessive water intake. A 2022 study by kidney specialists suggested that hyponatremia might have contributed to his death, possibly linked to drinking a large amount of water that led to brain swelling
. Despite the official cause being cerebral edema from a drug reaction, conspiracy theories and rumors have persisted, including speculation about gangsters, poisoning, or other foul play, but none of these have been substantiated by evidence
. In summary, Bruce Lee died from cerebral edema, most likely triggered by an adverse reaction to the painkiller Equagesic, with other possible contributing factors such as heatstroke or hyponatremia considered by some researchers
