A healthy 22-year-old collapsed and died in a local gym after lifting too much weight and over exerting herself, a local official has said.
Ariatna Lizeth Mata Esparza, from Torreón, Mexico, suddenly dropped to the floor while doing barbell squats in a local gym earlier this month.
Paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to revive her, with the woman pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokesperson for the local Attorney General’s Office said an autopsy found she had suffered from anoxemia — a condition where there is too little oxygen in the blood — which could have been caused by over exertion.
It was also determined that the school teacher had also suffered from a stroke and blood clots.
Ariatna Lizeth Mata Esparza, 22, from Torreon, Mexico, died after suffering a medical emergency while in her local gym. Officials said it may have been brought on by over exertion
Ms Esparza was a nursery school teacher in the city
It is not known how much weight Ms Esparza was lifting, but the average woman can squat about 154lbs for one rep, experts suggest.
Anoxemia is not uncommon, according to doctors, and can be caused by exercising at high altitudes — such as in Torreon, which is 3,600feet above sea level.
For comparison, New York City is only 33 feet above sea level, while Los Angeles is 305 feet above sea level.
Doctors say as people exercise at these high altitudes, more oxygen is used than is absorbed — causing levels in the body to drop and cell death.
This causes a rise in blood pressure that might cause a blood vessel to burst and result in a brain hemorrhage.
If the deficiency is chronic, it can also cause weakened blood vessels, raising the risk of a brain bleed.
Anoxemia can also raise the risk of blood clots forming, by boosting the levels of inflammatory molecules in the blood.
People who are accustomed to higher altitudes are normally protected against this condition because their body produces more hemoglobin to compensate, allowing their blood to carry more oxygen.
It was not clear whether Ms Esparza was suffering from any underlying conditions, although the local report said she had no problems with her heart.
Ms Esparza is pictured above in a tribute
She was exercising at her local EnerGym when the incident happened (pictured above)
Previously, it had been locally suggested that this was the main factor behind her death.
Anoxemia causes symptoms including shortness of breath, rapid breathing, cyanosis — where skin turns blue or purple — and an increased heart rate.
In serious cases, it can prove fatal if the lack of oxygen in the blood leads to damage to the brain or organ failure.
Ms Esparza was set to become a nursery teacher and was due to receive her exam results that same day.
She was also an animal lover, regularly sharing images online of dogs that were available for adoption.
Her last social media post read, according to Jam Press: ‘It makes me laugh when people say “don’t humanize your dog”, when he’s the one humanizing me.’
Her mother, Selene Esparza, wrote on social media: ‘My princess, my girl, you’ve gone and left us with empty souls and shattered hearts.
‘Fly high, my love, very high.
‘Here on earth, you were already a light guiding those who crossed your path, and now you are a light illuminating the angels.
‘I love you, my princess.’
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