Texas bodybuilder undergoes heart surgery after cold water triggers rare condition

Franklin Aribeana had to undergo a heart surgery due to his rare condition. (Image: ifbbpro_frank/X)

A bodybuilder from Houston, Texas is warning others after almost dying from drinking cold water. Franklin Aribeana has been hospitalised 20 times due to a rare heart condition that was brought on by drinking a glass of cold water, New York Post reported.

“I’d take a gulp of cold water. As I’m settling back down, I feel the double thud,” Aribeana, 35, told ABC News. The bodybuilder, who is a part of the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation, first noticed his symptoms when he was 18.

While working out at the gym, he took a swig of water and felt a “noticeable thud”. Shortly after that, he passed out. “It’s a day I’ll never forget.”

However, his condition was not diagnosed until 15 years later and endless doctor’s appointments. The trigger for it was ice-cold water. He realised the same one day after drinking water at the gym, when his heart started beating uncontrollably. He rushed to the hospital where tests revealed that he suffered from a genetic mutation that caused him to suffer from atrial fibrillation, also known as an Afib, which is simply a disruption in electrical signals making the heart beat out of control.

According to doctors, Aribeana’s condition was triggered by cold water touching the vagus nerve, extending from the brain to chest, that regulates the heart rate, among other things.

Aribeana also recalled fainting one day while playing golf due to his condition. “I took a sip of cold water, and the next thing you know, literally palpitations out of my chest,” he said. “They took off my shirt, and you could see my heart literally pounding out of my chest, and then I passed out.”

However, Aribeana’s doctor, Khashayar Hematpour, claimed that such symptoms are rare and people generally experience slight fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain.

"Pay attention to your symptoms," Aribeana’s doctor told ABC News. Luckily, doctors were able to point out the problem and remedy it as well. The bodybuilder went through an ablation procedure, which cauterized the connection between the vagus nerve and the heart.

Franklin Aribeana now no longer requires hospitalisations but is on medication for his Afib.