Chris Hemsworth is easily one of the most loved actors working today. His contribution to the industry with movies like the Thor franchise and Extraction has made him quite a mark in Hollywood. He has always believed in going the extra mile; that is exactly what he is seen doing in his Disney+ docuseries, Limitless.
While pushing through complex scenarios and challenging his body to achieve the unthinkable, Chris Hemsworth was left standing against an unprovoked challenge. In one of the episodes, it was revealed to him that he is at a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Although this news came as a heartbreaking surprise to both him and his fans, it looks like there is no reason to panic, just yet.
Chris Hemsworth Might Not Develop Alzheimer’s Disease
During the fifth Limitless episode titled Memory, Dr. Peter Attia reveals to Chris Hemsworth that he is at a high risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This means that he has two copies of the APOE4 gene, one from each of his parents. The APOE genes or the Apolipoprotein E come in a few variations, namely APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. The APOE4 variant, the one that Hemsworth has, is the one that carries the most risk for the disease.
Needless to say, everyone was shocked after this news broke on the Internet. The Thor actor found himself on the receiving end of a downpour of positive wishes, hoping that the actor doesn’t go down the dreaded path. Well, there is in fact a little sigh of relief in this whole ordeal.
Dr. Lawrence S. Honig told The Daily Beast that while the APOE4 gene increases the risk, it is not defining. He also added that there are a large number of Alzheimer’s patients who do not have the APOE4 gene, at all. This means that at this point in time, speculating about Hemsworth developing the disease may prove to reach no conclusion. Sam Gandy, a professor of Neurology, stated that diet and lifestyle, along with resistance to the gene’s worst effects are all important factors to when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease.
“Not everyone with two copies develops Alzheimer’s. There are rare people who escape it. Diet and lifestyle are important. They could be carrying what we call resilience genes.”
Meaning, while Hemsworth is at a higher risk of the disease than others, there is also a high chance that he walks through this ordeal, unharmed. Therefore, as of now, there is no need to panic at all. Doctors agree that a healthy lifestyle and regular social interaction can significantly push back the risk.
Chris Hemsworth’s Reaction to the Unfortunate News
When Dr. Attia broke the news to Hemsworth, he is seen fixing his posture and trying to maintain a calm composure while listening to the medical professional’s words. Later he revealed that he was “floored.” His feelings aren’t difficult to understand as anyone would be devastated to hear such news regarding their health.
However, we all know Hemsworth is quite a fighter. While in conversation with Vanity Fair, he stated that he didn’t want to over-dramatize the whole thing and was in no mood to come off as someone who wished for empathy. He added that it wasn’t as if he was handed his resignation letter. Furthermore, the Men in Black: International actor stated that this acted as a reminder of mortality and that no matter how much people try to avoid talking about death, mortality is still going to be a very real thing.
“Most of us, we like to avoid speaking about death in the hope that we’ll somehow avoid it. We all have this belief that we’ll figure it out. Then to all of a sudden be told some big indicators are actually pointing to this as the route which is going to happen, the reality of it sinks in. Your own mortality.”
Although this was an extreme piece of information revealed to Hemsworth about his life, he stated that it acted as sort of a trigger. He now wants to take some time off of work after finishing his tour. He will now focus more on spending some quality time with his family. Here’s hoping our favorite Avenger walks out of this stronger than ever!
You can stream Limitless with Chris Hemsworth on Disney+.
Source: The Daily Beast
