Zoe Saldana Opens Up About Battling An Autoimmune Disease

Zoe Saldana has an autoimmune disease, and she’s speaking out about it.

In a cover story for Net-a-Porter’s The EDIT, the 38-year-old “Star Trek Beyond” star revealed she suffers from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues ― namely, the thyroid gland.

The disease runs in Saldana’s family. Both her mother and her sisters have it.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hashimoto’s disease may cause symptoms ranging from fatigue and sluggishness to muscle weakness, unexplained weight gain, hoarse voice and even depression. If left untreated, the disease can lead to heart problems, mental health issues or even birth defects in babies born to women with the disease. People who, like Saldana, have family history of hypothyroidism have a higher risk of developing Hashimoto’s. Women are also more likely to develop the disease.

To take better care of her longterm health, Saldana has gone gluten- and dairy-free.

“I had a great time in my twenties,” says the Puerto Rican-Dominican actress. “Then your doctor says you’re losing calcium in your bones. What the f*** is that?! I would hear those conversations with my mom and grandma, thinking I’d never get there. I’m going to live forever! But all of a sudden it hits you. I sh*** you not, it’s from night to day.”

A previous version of this article included information concerning the effects and treatment of Hashimoto’s disease. This information has been revised.

h/t E Online