expression, godan verb (-su)
harm one's health; ruin one's health
Used when someone damages their own health through overwork, bad habits, or neglect. Often implies a gradual or self-inflicted decline.
働きすぎで体を壊した。
I ruined my health from overwork.
そんな生活を続けると体を壊すよ。
If you keep living like that, you'll harm your health.
体調を崩す is more about becoming unwell or getting sick, while 体を壊す emphasizes serious, often lasting damage to one's health.
A common Japanese expression combining 体 (body/health) with 壊す (to break/ruin). The phrase is transparent and not derived from a single historical source.