Following the loss at the 1980 Mr. Olympia, Mentzer reportedly ran into numerous problems. In the late 1970's Mike is was reported to have begun using amphetamines, claiming he only took them as an ergogenic aid to help facilitate a hectic lifestyle. Mentzer left his position at Weider Publications shortly after his loss at the Mr. Olympia contest, and suffered financially as a result. He did land a job in 1985 as editor of the newly launched Workout Magazine, however when that failed and that same year his father died, Mentzer reportedly suffered a mental breakdown. According to Peter McGough, editor-in-chief of FLEX Magazine, stories began to surface of Menzter exhibiting some very erratic behaviour. Stories of him running naked through the streets, directing traffic, telling prophecies about the end of the world, being arrested by the police numerous times and even waiting for aliens to land were all published in magazines at one point or another. Popular bodybuilding writer Dan Duchaine even suggested that Menzter was drinking his own urine at the time. Mike denied this in a 2001 interview with Iron Man magazine. Nonetheless, according to McGough some of these stories are true.[1] Menzter was also regularly institutionalized between 1985 up until 1990, when he finally kicked his amphetamine habit. Drug free, Mike returned to training bodybuilders and writing for Ironman Magazine, and spent much of the 90's regaining his stature in the bodybuilding industry.
Mentzer passed away on June 9 2001. He was found dead in his apartment by his younger brother and fellow bodybuilder Ray Mentzer due to heart complications. Mentzer was reportedly a heavy user of methamphetamine for about a decade, and this was thought of as a contributing factor in his death. Tragically just two days later, his brother Ray also passed away in his sleep after complications from his long term battle with Berger's disease.
