Eddie Van Halen's Terrifying Brush With Death After His Gut Exploded

Sep. 5 2012, Published 10:00 a.m. ET

Rock star Eddie Van Halen was on the brink of death recently when doctors battled to save him after his intestines "exploded," the new issue of the National Enquirer exclusively reveals.

The 57-year-old guitarist was clinging to life when he was rushed to the hospital in excruciating pain after swallowing a cayenne-based diet concoction, revealed an insider.

Eddie’s wife Janie Liszewski, his son Wolf, 21, and ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli all feared the worst. “Janie was beside him the whole time and Wolf kept a constant vigil,” said a source. “They were sick with worry because he was in so much pain, it really was touch and go.

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"Valerie was scared to death Eddie was going to die. Although he’s remarried, Eddie is still close to Valerie, and she was there for him the whole time.”

The cause of his pain was reportedly the Master Cleanse Diet, which the musician had tried because it is supposed to rid toxins from the body but it had disastrous effects. “Eddie’s abdominal region was a disaster area,” disclosed a pal. “The spicy treatment touched off an explosion in his intestines.”

The controversial diet is an extreme regimen that temporarily replaces food with a liquid consisting of water, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. It promises to bring about a rapid slim down but the lack of nutrition and high spice levels cause concern among health professionals.

"The stress of fad diets increases pressure on the colon, and if the person has diverticulitis there may be leakage from the bowel into the abdomen,” explained Dr. James O’Brien, who has not treated the rocker.