Jet Li and hyperthyroidism: what you should know about the illness haunting martial arts superstar
Actor is not the only celebrity to suffer thyroid problems: Oprah Winfrey, Gigi Hadid, Missy Elliott, Rod Stewart and George Bush have all had issues. But what is hyperthyroidism, how is it treated and how do you know if you have it?
Two medical professional groups from Europe and the United States founded World Thyroid Day on May 25, 2008 to raise awareness of thyroid-related diseases that affect tens of millions around the world.
A decade later, photos of the ailing martial arts superstar Jet Li Lianjie, who has been battling with hyperthyroidism for years, prompted concerns and sympathy from fans across the globe.
Martial arts superstar Jet Li has been plagued by injuries since his teens
Hyperthyroidism accelerates the body’s metabolism and can lead to serious complications if left untreated, such as heart failure and osteoporosis.
The disease affects around 1 per cent of the global population and 1.6 per cent of the Chinese urban population, according to a study by researchers at China Medical University in 2010.
“In Hong Kong, it’s most common among women 20 to 40 years old,” says Dr Cheung Wai-shing, an endocrinologist practising in Hong Kong’s Jordan district.
Nearly 60 per cent of people with thyroid disease in the United States are unaware of their condition, according to the American Thyroid Association, which created World Thyroid Day with the European Thyroid Association.