Famous People with Thyroid Disease

For those who don’t already know, thyroid disease is a medical condition which impairs the function of the thyroid. The imbalance in production of thyroid hormones arises from the dysfunction of the thyroid gland itself, the pituitary gland, which produces thyroid-stimulating hormone, or the hypothalamus, which regulates the pituitary gland via thyrotropin-releasing hormone.

Oprah Winfrey

Hypothyroidism affects between three and 10 percent of adults, with incidences being higher in women and the elderly which means that there is a very good chance that someone you know has thyroid disease. Hyperthyroidism also affects millions of people.

Don’t think you know someone with a thyroid disorder? Yes, you do. What about your favorite celebrity or sports star? Thyroid disease can affect anyone regardless of what they do for a living and, once you have it, the only thing you can really do is effectively control it and maintain the symptoms to levels that are as close to normal and that allow normal body functions.

George and Barbara Bush

Some famous people with thyroid disease that you might know include Rod Stewart, Missy Elliot, Linda Ronstadt, Roger Ebert (deceased) and the lovely Sofia Vergara. Oprah Winfrey even has thyroid disease. As you can see by these A-list celebrities, anyone can get thyroid disease and still live a happy, healthy lifestyle.

Here are some more famous people with thyroid disease. See if any of them are your favorites. Tipper Gore, Kelly Osbourne, both George and Barbara Bush, Kim Alexis, Joe Piscopo and Olympic athlete, Gayle Devers. This list could go on and on to show just how common thyroid disease really is. There is even a famous television personality and fitness trainer that has it, Jillian Michaels.

Jillian Michaels

Maybe you don’t know of any of the people listed above and maybe you have heard of all of them. The one thing that you do know, is that they all suffer with a condition that affects millions of people worldwide and doesn’t discriminate like most diseases do. Sure, thyroid disease likes women and the elderly, but men, too can suffer from hypothyroidism as well as hyperthyroidism if untreated and unchecked.

If you have been recently diagnosed with thyroid disease, at least you are in good company and you know that there are steps that you can take to treat and maintain your symptoms. Even the current president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer was relieved to find out that the cancer was really thyroid disease in disguise and that she was treatable and will live a long, healthy life.

Rod Stewart

External Links about Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism – http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/hypothyroidism/index.aspx

Hypothyroidism – http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/Hyperthyroidism/