Joey Graziadei finally put an end to the mystery that left many fans puzzled as to why his eyes are yellow.
"The
Bachelor" Season 28 star revealed that he has Gilbert syndrome, a harmless
liver condition that can impact eye color. In an Instagram video uploaded
Thursday, he explained that he was diagnosed in high school after being sick
for over a week. Blood work, several doctor visits and a liver ultrasound led
to his diagnosis.
"At
the end of the day I am told that I am healthy. It is something that affects
the whites of my eyes. It makes it have those jaundice levels, which is why
they look a little bit more yellow," Graziadei said. "It's something
I want to pay attention to more going into this year. I want to get my health
right.
The
28-year-old tennis instructor said that he is healthy and that his condition
simply requires him to pay more attention to his fluid intake.
"It is worse when I have stress or lack of sleep, which happens on a TV show," he said. "I do appreciate everyone looking out for me and wondering if I'm okay. To my knowledge I'm as okay as I can be."
What is Gilbert syndrome?
Gilbert
syndrome is a common genetic condition in that prevents the liver from properly
processing bilirubin, which is made by the breakdown of red blood cells.
The
harmless inherited condition is often discovered by accident when blood tests
reveal a rise in bilirubin levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. Gilbert
syndrome does not require treatment.
Around 3% to
7% of Americans have Gilbert's syndrome, and the condition is more common in
men than women, the Cleveland Clinic reported. Only one in three people
with the condition experience any symptoms.
How Gilbert syndrome affects eye color?
Gilbert's
syndrome can cause the occasional yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
because of too much build-up of bilirubin in the blood, according to the
Cleveland Clinic. This side effect is not harmful.
Gilbert syndrome symptoms?
Symptoms
of Gilbert syndrome include the "occasional yellowish tinge of the skin
and the whites of the eyes," according to the Mayo Clinic.
Other common symptoms of the increase of bilirubin levels for people with Gilbert syndrome include:
- Dehydration
- Illness, like the cold or the flu
- Fasting or low-calorie diet
- Menstruation
- Stress
- Strenuous exercise
