A new study, published in the Clinical Kidney Journal, by a group of researchers has found the death of the most celebrated martial artist, Bruce Lee, in 1973 was probably due to the star drinking too much water.

Lee died at the age of 32 and the cause of his death has remained a mystery.

However, almost 50 years later, the scientists reviewed the autopsy report and concluded he most likely died of hyponatremia.

The autopsy report at the time of the actor’s death in 1973 had shown that Lee had died from cerebral oedema, or swelling of the brain and doctors attributed this to a reaction from a painkiller.

However, the new study now suggests that the oedema was brought on by hyponatraemia because Lee’s kidneys were unable to eliminate extra water.

Lee reportedly suffered an episode of cerebral oedema two months before his death when he was in Hong Kong.

The study found that Lee had multiple risk factors for hyponatremia, including drinking high quantities of liquid and using cannabis, which increases thirst. The imbalance causes cells in the body to swell, including those in the brain.

The study concluded that Lee died from a specific form of kidney dysfunction: the inability to excrete enough water to maintain water homeostasis.