Health is the most precious asset a person can have. It is the basis for having a proper lifestyle. At the same time, most diseases do not distinguish aspects such as economic status or nationality. Therefore, the risk is the same for everyone. As an example, one can observe the list of the following celebrities who have or have had Parkinson’s. It ranges from religious and political leaders to high-performance athletes and actors.
To understand the seriousness of the problem, The World Health Organization (WHO) states that there are currently 10 million people with this form of dementia. Although the most worrying thing is that each year that passes the number increases. If it continues like this, it is expected that by 2030 it will triple.
Why are there more and more cases?
In this regard, one of the main reasons is the increase in the life expectancy of the global population. Every time people live longer but that does not mean that they do it better. In fact, from the age of 55 the risk of develop various neurodegenerative disorders.
But although it was previously believed that Parkinson’s was exclusive to the elderly, it is now known that this is not the case. This disease is classified into two types: juvenile and idiopathic. The first appears before the age of 30 or 40 and its causes are genetic. While the second is the one in which the majority of cases come mainly from the consumption of toxic substances, bacterial infections or accidents, but also due to genetic issues.
No one is safe from Parkinson’s
As an example of celebrities with Parkinson’s who developed the disease at a young age is the actor Michael J Fox. In his case, he contracted it from the synthetic drug MPTP. Currently, this type of toxin is used to replicate the symptoms of the disease in laboratory animals and to search for more efficient drugs or treatments against it.
Also on the list is boxer Cassius Clay, later known as Mohammed ali. In 1984, shortly after his retirement, he was diagnosed with this disorder and since then he showed tremors in his arms until his death in 2016. Something similar is happening right now with his colleague manny pacquiao and although it has not been possible to verify it, it is suspected that constant blows to the face, even with gloves and protective equipment, may be a risk factor.
In the list of celebrities who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s also appears John Paul II. The one who was the highest representative of the Catholic Church had this disorder during his last years of life. Although he had notorious difficulty speaking and moving, he continued his daily duties until his death.
Similarly, for decades it has been believed that the German politician Adolf Hitler could have Parkinson’s without realizing it. Everything is based on the study that some historians have done and it could even be a factor for the European nation to lose World War II. Although due to the sudden death of the leader, an accurate diagnosis could never be obtained.
For now, we share with you a graph prepared by the editorial team of salutary. It is made up of 10 celebrities with Parkinson’s. The most important thing is that so far there is no cure for the disease. But what has been achieved is to develop treatments that combat the severity of some symptoms in patients.
