Oprah had a terrible experience as a result of thyroid issues. Speaking about it, she said: “My body was turning on me. First hyperthyroidism, which sped up my metabolism and left me unable to sleep for days. (Most people lose weight. I didn’t.) Then hypothyroidism, which slowed down my metabolism and made me want to sleep all the time. (Most people gain weight. I did! Twenty pounds!).”

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Kim Cattrall - The 'Sex and the City' star was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease in 1998. Speaking about it, she said: "If your thyroid is out of whack, you're screwed, as it's your body's thermometer and you can't function. Now I'm on thyroxine and get my blood tested twice a year."

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Gina Rodriguez - The 'Jane the Virgin' actress has always struggled with her weight due to Hashimoto's disease. Speaking about it, she said: "Keeping weight off is very difficult because my metabolism is pretty much shot, which to me felt like a curse when I was 19. As an actress, I would say, 'Seriously? In a world that's so vain, I have to deal with the disease that makes you not keep weight off?'"

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Rod Stewart -

The rock legend has had his fair share of health issues, but many don't know he suffered with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

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Gigi Hadid -

The model has Hashimoto's disease. She opened up to Elle magazine about it, explaining that she'd been on medication for it for a few years.

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Missy Elliott - The hip-hop icon was diagnosed with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disease that causes an overactivity of the thyroid gland.

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Sofía Vergara - Sofía Vergara was 28 when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which she luckily was able to have removed.

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Zoe Saldana -

Another sufferer of Hashimoto's disease, the actress explained: "You create antibodies that attack your glands."

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Kelly Clarkson - The singer was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. She opened up about it, saying, “I know the industry loves the weight gone, but I mean, for me, it wasn't really the weight. For me it was like, I'm not on my medicine anymore. My bloodwork came back, and I haven't been on my medicine...”

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Molly Sims -

When Molly Sims had her son Brooks, she suffered with post-partum thyroiditis, which causes a swelling of the gland.

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Sia -

The singer was diagnosed with Graves' disease in 2010, saying: “It was making me very very crazy and I thought I had a panic disorder but I didn’t- I had Graves’ disease. I checked myself into the nut-house and everything and then I realised that I’m not crazy- I’m sick, with a real disease."

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Victoria Justice -

The actress was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease several years ago. "They had put me on this thyroid medication, and I think the levels were too high for me because it caused my skin to break out," Justice told Health magazine in 2015. "All my life I've always had great skin, so it was really devastating."

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Bernie Sanders -

Sanders is in pretty decent health for his age, but he does have hypothyroidism.

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George H.W. Bush -

The late George H.W. Bush had an overactive thyroid caused by Graves' disease, an autoimmune thyroid condition, during his presidency.

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Katee Sackhoff -

When the actress started to feel stressed and anxious more than normal, she chalked it down to work. But it was later discover that she had thyroid cancer, which she fortunately then had removed.

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Roger Ebert -

The late American film critic was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid and salivary glands in 2002, and in the following years he suffered many health complications.

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Wendy Williams - In 2018, Williams announced to the viewers of her talk show that she was suffering with Graves' disease and was pausing her show.

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Brooke Burke -

The model and media personality revealed in 2012 that she had thyroid cancer but had suffered with Hashimoto's disease before that.

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Catherine Bell -

When the 'JAG' and 'Army Wives' actress was 21, her dentist noticed a lump on her throat that turned out to be thyroid cancer. She had it surgically removed.

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Joe Piscopo -

Piscopo developed thyroid cancer during a successful 'Saturday Night Live' run in the 1980s.

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Kim Alexis -

The former supermodel has had long battles with both Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism.

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Gail Devers -

American track star Gail Devers almost had to have her feet amputated due to Graves' disease, but recovered to win three gold medals and compete in five Olympic Games.

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Gena Lee Nolin -

The 'Baywatch' and 'Sheena' actress released a book in 2013 exploring her battle with thyroid disease.

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Angie Everhart -

The model and actress had to undergo surgery to operate and remove thyroid cancer in 2013.

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Jenny Mollen -

The American actress and author has suffered with Graves' disease, which led to weight loss, fatigue, and period issues.

Sources: (Walk-In Lab) (HealthCentral) (E!)

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Hilary Clinton - The former United States Secretary of State suffers with hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones.

NL Beeld

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Leona Lewis - British singer-songwriter Leona Lewis suffers with the thyroid condition Hashimoto's disease.

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Oprah Winfrey -

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Rod Stewart -

The rock legend has had his fair share of health issues, but many don't know he suffered with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

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Gigi Hadid -

The model has Hashimoto's disease. She opened up to Elle magazine about it, explaining that she'd been on medication for it for a few years.

Getty Images

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Missy Elliott - The hip-hop icon was diagnosed with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disease that causes an overactivity of the thyroid gland.

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Sofía Vergara - Sofía Vergara was 28 when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which she luckily was able to have removed.

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Zoe Saldana -

Another sufferer of Hashimoto's disease, the actress explained: "You create antibodies that attack your glands."

Getty Images

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Molly Sims -

When Molly Sims had her son Brooks, she suffered with post-partum thyroiditis, which causes a swelling of the gland.

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Sia -

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Victoria Justice -

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Bernie Sanders -

Sanders is in pretty decent health for his age, but he does have hypothyroidism.

Getty Images

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George H.W. Bush -

The late George H.W. Bush had an overactive thyroid caused by Graves' disease, an autoimmune thyroid condition, during his presidency.

Getty Images

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Katee Sackhoff -

When the actress started to feel stressed and anxious more than normal, she chalked it down to work. But it was later discover that she had thyroid cancer, which she fortunately then had removed.

Getty Images

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Roger Ebert -

The late American film critic was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid and salivary glands in 2002, and in the following years he suffered many health complications.

Getty Images

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Wendy Williams - In 2018, Williams announced to the viewers of her talk show that she was suffering with Graves' disease and was pausing her show.

19 / 28 Fotos

Brooke Burke -

The model and media personality revealed in 2012 that she had thyroid cancer but had suffered with Hashimoto's disease before that.

Getty Images

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Catherine Bell -

When the 'JAG' and 'Army Wives' actress was 21, her dentist noticed a lump on her throat that turned out to be thyroid cancer. She had it surgically removed.

Getty Images

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Joe Piscopo -

Piscopo developed thyroid cancer during a successful 'Saturday Night Live' run in the 1980s.

Getty Images

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Kim Alexis -

The former supermodel has had long battles with both Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism.

Getty Images

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Gail Devers -

American track star Gail Devers almost had to have her feet amputated due to Graves' disease, but recovered to win three gold medals and compete in five Olympic Games.

Getty Images

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Gena Lee Nolin -

The 'Baywatch' and 'Sheena' actress released a book in 2013 exploring her battle with thyroid disease.

Getty Images

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Angie Everhart -

The model and actress had to undergo surgery to operate and remove thyroid cancer in 2013.

Getty Images

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Jenny Mollen -

The American actress and author has suffered with Graves' disease, which led to weight loss, fatigue, and period issues.

Sources: (Walk-In Lab) (HealthCentral) (E!)

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Celebrities with thyroid issues

Today is World Thyroid Day

26/06/24 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Health

It's estimated that around 20 million Americans have a thyroid disease. It's much more common among women (somewhere between five and eight times more common). Several different disorders can arise when your thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism). Four common disorders of the thyroid are Hashimoto's disease, Graves' disease, goiter, and thyroid nodules. The gland itself is an endocrine gland formed by a thin band of tissue at the front of the neck.

Given that thyroid issues are more than common than we'd think, we find them in the world of fame as well. All of the celebrities on this list have suffered from a thyroid issue in some way. To learn about their experiences, click through the gallery.