Nick Cannon's Autoimmune Disease: 'America's Got Talent' Host Opens Up About His Health

Nick Cannon is opening up about the series of health problems he's faced over the last couple of months.

The 31-year-old has revealed that the kidney disease he was hospitalized for earlier this year was a result of an autoimmune disease, People magazine reported.

The kidney disease was caused by "autoimmune disease that [doctors] found in my system," Cannon told People, and went on to say that the doctors told him his "autoimmune [disease] is -- like a lupus type of thing, but no one else in my family has it."

While Cannon didn't explain further what his disease was, we know that autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune system attacks its own healthy cells. There are more than 100 autoimmune diseases, according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association.

Lupus in particular is when the immune system attacks the body's tissues and organs, according to the Mayo Clinic, and is most known for the butterfly-wing-like rash that appears on the face. Symptoms of lupus are different from case to case, but common symptoms include fever, fatigue, joint pain, the facial rash, chest pain, headaches, dry eyes and skin lesions, the Mayo Clinic reported.

Cannon was hospitalized in January with what his wife Mariah Carey described as a "mild kidney failure." Doctors say she probably meant that Cannon had something called acute kidney injury, or acute kidney failure, which is when the kidneys stop functioning properly and allow fluids, waste and electrolytes to store up in the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.

And just last month, the "America's Got Talent" host was hospitalized again for blood clots in his lung and an enlarged heart ventricle, the New York Daily News reported. Cannon told People that the blood clots were linked with his kidney disease.

Shortly after being hospitalized for the blood clots, Cannon stepped down from his "Rollin" radio show on 92.3 NOW.

He said in a statement on the 92.3 NOW website:

Under doctor's orders, I have been asked to put my health first and cut back on some of my professional commitments in order to allow my body to get the rest that it needs to keep up with the demands of my multi-tasking schedule.

Click through the slideshow to see other celebrities whose lives have been impacted by an autoimmune disease:

Loading Slideshow

• Venus Williams

  Earlier this fall, tennis superstar Venus Williams announced she has Sjogren's syndrome, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/01/venus-williams-withdraws-us-open-sjogrens-syndrome_n_944660.html" target="_hplink">telling the Associated Press</a> that the disease sapped her energy and made it difficult for her to compete. With Sjogren's, a person's white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands, leading to issues like dry eyes and dry mouth, <a href="http://www.sjogrens.org/home/about-sjogrens-syndrome" target="_hplink">according to the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation,</a> as well as more serous complications, including extreme fatigue. It is one of the most prevalent autoimmune disorders, <a href="http://www.sjogrens.org/home/about-sjogrens-syndrome" target="_hplink">the organization states,</a> and nine out of 10 sufferers are women. The good news? After several months off, Williams had a triumphant return to the court in late November.

• Elisabeth Hasselbeck

  In 2009, "The View" co-host released a new book all about eating gluten-free, after she and her doctors spent years struggling to get the correct diagnosis of celiac disease. <a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-05-04/entertainment/17923224_1_celiac-disease-gluten-intolerance-gluten-free" target="_hplink">According to the <em>Daily News,</em></a> it was being a contestant on the show "Survivor" and eliminating gluten from her diet that allowed her to finally realize what was wrong. The digestive condition that is set-off by contact with the protein, which is why sufferers like Hasselbeck have to avoid it altogether.

• Kim Kardashian

  Kim Kardashian was diagnosed with psoriasis on her reality TV show, heading to the dermatologist after she found flaky, pink patches on her skin. <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/kim-kardashian-diagnosed-psoriasis/story?id=14152505#.TtZjmlZxCKM" target="_hplink">According to ABC News,</a> reps from the National Psoriasis Foundation have expressed concern for the star. "Celebrities with psoriasis are under intense pressure, and stress is a trigger for psoriasis," <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/kim-kardashian-diagnosed-psoriasis/story?id=14152505#.TtZjmlZxCKM" target="_hplink">a spokesperson told the news outlet.</a> <a href="http://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis" target="_hplink">According to the NPF's website,</a> there are five types of psoriasis, but the most common form, called plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches -- like Kardashian's -- that occur when the body sends out faulty signals, which speed up the growth cycle of skin cells.

• Toni Braxton

  Singer Toni Braxton lives with lupus, an autoimmune disorder that can impact a person's skin, joints, kidney, brain and other organs. Depending on what part of the body is affected, symptoms can include abdominal pain, patchy skin and serious fatigue. Braxton revealed she had the disease in an episode of her reality TV show. <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1383433/Toni-Braxton-tells-family-suffers-lupus-reality-TV-show.html" target="_hplink">According to the<em> Daily Mail,</em> </a>Braxton's brother also has lupus and her uncle died from complications from the disease.

• Jay Cutler

  <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-thegameface051608" target="_hplink">According to Yahoo! Sports,</a> the football star travels everywhere with a blood testing kit given he has Type 1 (often known as juvenile) diabetes, <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-1-diabetes/DS00329" target="_hplink">which the Mayo Clinic describes</a> as a chronic condition whereby the pancreas produces too little or no insulin. "This whole thing is a little scary sometimes, but it's not like you have a choice," <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-thegameface051608" target="_hplink">Cutler told Yahoo!.</a> "It's part of your life, you know?"

• Kathleen Turner

  "I remember vividly finding out that I had arthritis," <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-06-01-turner-arthritis.htm" target="_hplink">rheumatoid arthritis sufferer and actress Kathleen Turner told <em>USA Today </em>back in 2001.</a> "I was on my way to my daughter's school for a meeting with her kindergarten teacher. All I could think about was how I would deal with it, how would I be a mother, how would I carry on?" But carry on she did, and Turner has since drawn attention to the painful autoimmune disease. For reasons not yet understood, it causes the body to attack its own tissues, particularly a thin membrane surrounding joints, <a href="http://www.arthritis.org/types-what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis.php" target="_hplink">the Arthritis Foundation reports.</a>

• Missy Elliott

  When rapper Missy Elliott fell out of the public eye a few years back, it was because she was quietly dealing with Graves' disease, according to <em>USA Today.</em> <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/06/missy-elliott-reveals-graves-disease-battle/1" target="_hplink">The autoimmune disease impacts the thyroid and can lead to goiter, fatigue, insomnia, eye problems and more. <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/06/missy-elliott-reveals-graves-disease-battle/1" target="_hplink">Indeed, according to <em>USA Today,</em></a> Elliott's condition was so debilitating, the star couldn't write or drive a car.

• Montel Williams

  Former talkshow host Montel Williams announced back in 1999 that he had multiple sclerosis, the autoimmune disease that impacts the brain and spinal cord. He then began an effort to raise awareness and funding for research, starting <a href="http://www.montelms.org/" target="_hplink">The Montel Williams Foundation.</a> "When the neurologist said those three words -- 'You have MS' -- it hit me like a brick," <a href="http://www.montelms.org/" target="_hplink">Williams said on his website.</a> "It became clear that I had a choice to make. I could spend the rest of my life feeling sorry for myself as the victim of a tragic fate. Or I could view my illness as a call to action," he continued.

• Shannen Doherty

  <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/01/celebs-crohns_n_913641.html#s318537&title=Shannen_Doherty" target="_hplink">As Health.com reports,</a> back in 1999 the former "90210" star and "Dancing With The Stars" contestant told <em>Star</em> magazine she has Crohn's disease. The actress has preferred to keep most details private. Crohn's affects the gastrointestinal tract, and, according to the NIH, people with the disease may have chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, leading to constipation or regular diarrhea.

Comments

[Bravo Elli]

05:13 PM on 01/05/2013

please this is my advice, don,t sleep with any girl/man skin to skin.
i meant this beautiful lady and very decent on November 2010, we fell in love and i took her to my house unknown me due to her attitude i taught is a god feary lady i slept with her using my body with no protection.. two days latter she ran away i couldn't find her, two months latter i started experience some symptoms of the body i contacted
my doctors i was diagnosed and my doctors told me i,m HIV/AIDS POSITIVE AND i also have HERPES.. i shouted and cry, and i told my friend and he told me to contact dr shant tami temple at [e-mail] i explain everything to dr shant tsmi and he prepare INDI B1 HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS TO CURE MY HIV/AIDS AND ADURON C2 HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS TO CURE MY HERPES.... i took this two herbal remedy drugs and the INDI herbal drugs cured my HIV/AIDS and the ADURON C2 cured my herpes. thanks to dr shant tami for using his spiritual drugs to cured my disease..

[Devin Krzemecki]

09:29 AM on 08/14/2012

Nick Cannon may have what is called a biotoxin illness.

The pioneering research of Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker has shown that 24% of the population does not have the HLA-DR genes that allow for the elimination of toxins, making them susceptible to chronic illness. This is called a biotoxin illness.

An individual can do a certain blood test to learn what their HLA-DR gene is--and to find out whether they are capable of eliminating toxins.

"It all starts when a person is exposed to a biotoxin. In most people, the biotoxin is 'tagged' and identified by the body's immune system and is broken down and removed from the blood by the liver. However, some individuals do not have the immune response genes (HLA-DR genes) that are required to eventually form an antibody to a given foreign antigen. In these cases the biotoxins are not 'tagged' and remain in the body indefinitely, free to circulate and wreak havoc.

Patients with certain HLA genotypes (immunity related genes) may develop inappropriate immune responses which may include antibodies to: gliadin (gluten sensitivity), actin, anca (think ulcerative colitis), cardiolipins (affects blood clotting), and more. "

Shoemaker has treated over 8,000 patients for biotoxin illness. These are patients whose other doctors told them had a multitude of other illnesses (autism, fibromyalgia, lupus, etc.). The illness takes on different symptoms from person to person.

http://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis
http://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis/the-biotoxin-pathway

All my love,
Devin

[Devin Krzemecki]

09:25 AM on 08/14/2012

...In December I could hardly get out of bed. Now I am playing soccer and living again. It turns out that it was exposure to moldy buildings that brought on my extreme anxiety, depersonalization, a separation from reality, fatigue, cognitive difficulties.

While Shoemaker's website focuses on mold, the ideas are still the same--it is very likely that Nick Cannon is unable to eliminate toxins from his body, resulting in a cascade of negative effects on the body. The causes of the body's slow debilitation are described on this webpage: http://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis/the-biotoxin-pathway

This is a page about diagnosing biotoxin illness:
http://www.survivingmold.com/diagnosis

If anyone has any questions, I can be reached at [e-mail]

I sincerely hope Nick can get his health back on track. Our lives are too precious to spend every day sick.

All my love,
Devin

[Bella Mia]

08:18 PM on 07/10/2012

Nick Cannon is one of the bright spots on AMGT if you ask me. I have noticed lately that he is looking a little tired so I decided to google him to see if something was up. My prayers are with him and his lovely family! Nick we love you!!!

[James Elliot Green]

09:50 AM on 03/06/2012

Most Likely they said he has Bechets disease. My son was diagnosed with auto immune disease and given a slew of meds. We ditched the meds and went with the natural approach and have never looked back. These autoimmune situations have their root in diet and exposure. Gmo crops and cow's milk (dairy ) products are the real culprits. My son was hospitalized over 12 days with the exact same symptoms. He is now recovered and has no signs of the disease. It's a small world. We can help you Nick. www.facebook.com/diseasedthemovie

[RoughCollie]

05:45 PM on 03/06/2012

YAY!!! F&F Yes, we can help Nick and many, many others if they happen to read these comments.

If all of us who have visited multiple MDs, had normal or abnormal tests results and suffered greatly from an auto-immune illness posted how we cured ourselves (eating clean -no dairy, gluten, sugar or alcohol- and green with lots of greens, berries, seeds, nuts, veggies & fruits) do you think the doctors and researchers would notice? Nawwww..if it can't be patented and put in a capsule it's completely ignored.

Any doc will confess the auto-immune meds don't cure a darn thing, steroids can stop the symptoms but they leave the body defenseless against bacterial and viral invaders. When people seriously change their diet they finally begin getting better within the first week.

You might be interested in this brand new study that just came out of U Maryland on gluten sensitivity, why this study isn't making major headlines is beyond me. My husband sent me this link. First he was amused by my dietary efforts, then pooh poohed the improvement as coincidental. I knew he was finally convinced when I was having a bad day and he said "Why don't you eat some kale, it might help." Why is this funny? LOL..he's an Infectious Disease Doc..they didn't teach nutritional healing at medical school and the fact that I healed myself with just food blew him away.

http://somvweb.som.umaryland.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1474

[RoughCollie]

10:06 PM on 03/05/2012

How interesting..when I read what his symptoms were right here on HuffPo I speculated in my commentary that he had Lupus.

Dear Nick, I have what you have which is why I could easily guess what the diagnosis might be..and let me go one further, your blood work and spinal tap results were within normal ranges, right?

I'm sure your docs have told you that there is no pill you can take that will reverse this condition but, guess what, the condition is definitely reversible only the docs don't know it yet. Certain foods are making you ill and certain foods are your medicine. The likely culprits triggering your illness and that debilitating fatigue are alcohol, sugar, and gluten (if you're not lactose intolerant already, the lupus may well cause it to happen), if you stop eating this stuff asap and start eating heavy amounts of greens (especially kale), berries and colorful veggies and fruits, limit your animal protein to 10% of your diet, take at least 5,000iu of D3 and Omega 3s I'll bet you'll start seeing changes within a week. If you have the chronic headache and parasthesia add Advil and Ginkgo Biloba am for a few days, it may reverse the vasculitis..at least it did for me.

[fatnfab]

02:11 PM on 03/05/2012

My 76 year-old father was recently diagnosed with this same type of lupus. Lupus is rare in men and in many cases can be medicine induced. My father was on a blood pressure medicine, Hydrazine, which is sometimes implicated. I asked the doctor to do the test that determines if the medicine was the cause he said the test was "inconclusive" (which I don't believe, but at this point the cause doesn't matter). My dad's prognosis is not good and the doctor told us to start thinking about dialysis. Nick Cannon is young and relatively healthy, so I hope his outcome is better than my dad's.

[RoughCollie]

10:13 PM on 03/05/2012

Please read my post above..I have the exact same thing, and the doc is right, the tests are inconclusive which is why I went a very long time before I understood what was wrong with me. I figured out my own healing and it is definitely reversible. Get him off all gluten and sugar asap and start feeding him lots and lots of fresh greens or very lightly cooked greens and veggies, berries and fruits. It might take about 3 months but he should start feeling a little better in the first week. My heartfelt wishes for his recovery.

[fatnfab]

10:26 AM on 03/06/2012

Thanks! I will try the dietary approach. He's on heavy doses of Prednisone, Cellcept and Lasix and his quality of life has diminished. I appreciate you sharing your experience.

[Heather McCutcheon]

10:33 PM on 02/09/2013

I have systemic lupus and have altered my diet in many ways- cut out meat and dairy, gluten free, etc. dietary changes have not improved my condition in the least. The disease is different in everyone. For some, the symptoms may be reversible, but for many people this is not the case. And for all cases, this disease is not curable.

[abbyj]

12:20 PM on 03/05/2012

Does anyone know exactly which autoimmune disease Nick has? Is it scleroderma? IS it lupus? Which disease is it? Each of these has a very different course of action on the body, and so I'm wondering which one he has. Has anyone heard exactly which it is? Thanks.

[Nwo2012]

12:35 PM on 03/05/2012

Its never Lupus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpkzhvZ_CFM

[abbyj]

01:18 PM on 03/05/2012

Why not? Why is it never lupus?

[David Faisel]

12:42 PM on 03/05/2012

No. But apparently all one has to do is mention the word "auto-immune disease" and everyone with it will believe you and be ready to defend you viscerally. It is that easy? Watch this:

I created the internet--auto-immune disease. How many believers?

[abbyj]

12:57 PM on 03/05/2012

David, I don't understand what you're getting at. Are you saying that Cannon is looking for publicity by putting forth information about his disease? The autoimmune diseases can be pretty deadly, and it makes absolutely perfect sense that he would be having organ and systemic problems, if he does have one. There is a handful of the autoimmune diseases, and each one has a different way of affecting the body, and each one CAN have a very different time line, as far as survival. I'm familiar with these diseases, and they are deadly and harrowing. The body begins to attack its own specific cells, depending on the type of AI disease, so kidney and organ failure is often a cause of death. They're called auto-immune because there is a full-blown immune attack against the self, therefore, "auto" (self) "immune" (immune attack). These are awful diseases. I'm still not sure what you're trying to say. What do you mean by "believers"? Thanks, David.

[kivain71]

11:46 AM on 03/05/2012

I have an autoimmune disease.

I am very grateful to Nick Canon and every other celebrity who states they have an autoimmune disease, for bringing attention to an issue that affects the quality of life of millions who often suffer in silence due to the misconceptions about autoimmune disease.

Not even the top experts in the country (one of them is my doctor) know what causes autoimmune disease. I suppose the cheap and easy answer is to tell people to improve their diet, even though everyone from babies born with lupus to top athletes who eat nothing but the best diets suffer from autoimmune conditions. Rather than blaming the patients, what we need is advocacy for the funding and study of autoimmune disease as a group to find the answers to the complex questions raised by autoimmune diseases. That, not pointing fingers at the innocent, is what may prevent autoimmune disease, increase understanding of what autoimmune disease is, and improve the quality of life for sufferers.

There is much more to the puzzle than cutting out Doritos and soda! To suggest otherwise indicates a lack of compassion. No one knows what causes autoimmune disease yet, and for all anyone knows, you could be next.

[David Faisel]

12:46 PM on 03/05/2012

I don't know about the phrase "no one knows."

I hope I don't get it. And I will never use auto-immune disease to garner sympathy from folks if I don't have it.

[David Faisel]

10:55 AM on 03/05/2012

You totally missed my point. Just because you identify with "auto-immune disease" does not mean he is telling the truth. Some people will fall for anything.

[Qballe]

11:55 AM on 03/05/2012

lots of armchiar diagnosticians in here I've noticed.

How does arthritis cause kidney failure? several ways, the most common is from overuse of acetaminophen for daily aches and pains. It seems what people really want to know is if "he sinned and brought this on himself"...

[kivain71]

12:15 PM on 03/05/2012

As someone with an autoimmune disease, I find that to be a typical reaction.

There is such thing as autoimmune kidney failure. I forget what it is called, but I am tested for it and a bunch of other things quite often because once you have one autoimmune disease, you are more likely to get another. I'd drive myself nuts if I dwelled on it so I don't, which is why I don't know the specifics of all the things I am tested for. I do know that sometimes, the kidneys stop filtering properly for no known reason and an indicator of that is finding blood in the urine, either visible to the naked eye, or only visible under magnification.

[David Faisel]

12:49 PM on 03/05/2012

Cocaine can cause kidney failure.

[kivain71]

11:57 AM on 03/05/2012

So, the guy is in and out of the hospital and apparently struggling with something serious, but you think he is making it up? As someone who "identifies with auto-immune disease", because I have one, I find your reaction to be typical. Oh, and for the sake of clarity, it is "autoimmune disease", not "auto-immune".

If Nick Canon were missing a limb, carting around an oxygen tank or had scars from surgery, people would not be suggesting he was lying. Unfortunately, it takes dying from an autoimmune disease (which does happen) for some people to believe that someone was suffering from one. That is one of the big reasons people don't admit they have an autoimmune disease. They suffer alone and quietly, and I applaud Nick Canon for not doing that.

If doctors don't have all the answers about autoimmune disease, I certainly don't expect Nick Canon to! That does not make him or anyone else with an autoimmune disease a liar!

[David Faisel]

12:50 PM on 03/05/2012

You are proving my point.

[NYToad]

09:21 AM on 03/05/2012

Sorry...no such thing as "mild" kidney failure. Such a young guy too.

[petey shabadoo]

10:44 AM on 03/05/2012

But there is such a thing as mild kidney injury. Previous terminology, which a lot of doctors still use, referred to all acute decreases in renal function as acute renal failure, whether it be a complete loss of renal function, or a 25 percent loss, which in and of itself would otherwise be undetectable outside of obtaining blood work.
More than likely he had a mild decrease in estimated kidney function.

[jherbord]

07:29 AM on 03/05/2012

Splendid, Nick. Have you ever heard about HIPPA LAWS?

[kivain71]

11:59 AM on 03/05/2012

HIPPA applies to healthcare providers, not patients who choose to disclose their conditions.

[Heather McCutcheon]

10:40 PM on 02/09/2013

It's actually HIPAA, not HIPPA. I don't get what HIPAA has to do with this story though. ??

[shymlucky]

07:16 AM on 03/05/2012

May God be with Nick Cannon as he battles his health issues.

[drcmgdhs]

04:27 AM on 03/05/2012

I also am afflicted an autoimmune disorder. You have to change a lot about your life and what you consume but you can still live a normal lifespan if you take care of yourself. You need a good Rheumatologist and a good plan to follow for period tests, medications, exercise, in some cases limits to ultraviolet light exposure and proper diet. Based upon what you have there may be other conditions. This young man is a fighter and he has a family that loves him. He will work through this.

[kivain71]

12:08 PM on 03/05/2012

I have an autoimmune disorder as well. Your ability to control the condition by "what you consume" depends on the condition you have. In my case "what I consume" has no bearing whatsoever on the course of my disease. I take daily prescription medication for it and it may or may not shorten my life because my particular condition can lead to a deadly form of cancer that is nearly untreatable. You are not correct in saying "you can still have a normal lifespan if you take care of yourself", whatever you mean by that. The impact of lifestyle choices on an autoimmune disease depends on what autoimmune disease you have, really.Some are an inconvenience, others are a death sentence, many are somewhere in-between.

It is bad for people without an autoimmune disease to be adding to the misconceptions, but even worse for patients to do so. As for needing a rheumatologist, they can be helpful, but really, it depends on the disease. In my case, I need an oncologist / endocrinologist who specializes in my particular condition. Someone with a skin disease may need a dermatologist. Someone with a lung disease needs a pulmonologist. Again, it depends on the disease and no one should assume there is any "one size fits all" approach.

[blue1964]

01:00 AM on 03/05/2012

i have lupus,and i find if i watch what i eat and excerize,i do pretty well. god bless