“Substantially Reduce the Life Expectancy”: Michael Phelps Opened Up on His Life Endangering Suspected Health Issue Due to Biological Advantages

Michael Phelps became a household name since his outstanding performance at the 2004 Summer Olympics. The legend overshadowed his past performances with every Olympics and was later inducted into the US Olympics Hall of Fame on June 24, 2022. However, his journey had many obstacles, which could have slowed down his progress as a history maker.

Michael struggled with mental health issues since 2004 but did not reveal it publicly. The public revelation came out almost a decade later. However, later, he spoke about those issues, which helped several people with the same problems. In his book, Beneath the Surface, Phelps revealed a suspected disease that he had.

 Michael Phelps talks about a suspected disease

Michael is famous for his quick paddling through the water. The legendary swimmer has a massive wingspan of 6’7″. People considered that such a body feature gives him an advantage over competitors. However, this claim could not be backed by factual evidence. As he has an enormous wingspan with not-so-long legs, it gave way to the origination of many theories.

It was suspected that Michael had Marfan Syndrome. It is a connective tissue disorder that could be fatal as it affects the heart. Opening up on his life-endangering suspected health issue, he wrote,” Marfan syndrome, a disease which can lead to defects of the heart valve and aorta, and substantially reduce the life expectancy of those it afflicts. If you reach out your arms and form a T and your wingspan is longer than your height, you can be at risk.”

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Phelps recalled an incident during a competition where he felt like his heart was racing abnormally. His coach suggested that he should see a doctor. Phelps’ got himself tested, and it turned out to be negative.

Michael’s Physical advantages

Michael is 6’4” tall and has an enormous wingspan. This huge wingspan helps him move through the waters at a faster pace as well as cover a greater distance. One aspect of Phelps’ game that helps him dominate effortlessly is his lactic acid threshold.

Due to a high lactic threshold, Phelps can ace the final moments of the race. Lactic acid develops in an athlete’s muscles after repeated movements, causing fatigue and stiffness, but Phelps produces lesser lactic acid than others. Apparently, he produces half the lactic acid as compared to other athletes. And that helps him swim at a high level for longer periods.

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