The Bachelor: Joey Graziadei discusses his battle with Gilbert syndrome

Joey Graziadei, a contestant on the popular reality show The Bachelor season 28, recently opened up about having Gilbert syndrome. This genetic condition affects bilirubin processing in the liver and can cause yellowish discoloration of the eyes.

In a March 1, 2024, Instagram post, Graziadei shared details of living with this often benign disorder. His revealing post sparked much interest and some concern among the show's large viewership.

While typically causing no major symptoms, Graziadei's eye color brought attention to this little-discussed syndrome. His openness presents an opportunity to spread awareness about Gilbert syndrome’s effects. Graziadei is using his sizable platform to educate others on this genetic condition.

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Joey Graziadei shares insight on Gilbert syndrome following The Bachelor's appearance

The path to discovering The Bachelor fame Joey Graziadei's Gilbert syndrome began in his high school years, shadowed by a period of illness that led to a noticeable yellowing of his eyes.

Initially baffling both Graziadei and his family, the quest for answers culminated in a series of medical evaluations. Joey, in an Instagram video on March 1, 2024, stated:

“I wanted to jump on here really quick and talk about something that I'm seeing a lot of comments about, which is Joey's yellow eyes…To give some context on that, I have to go all the way back to when I was in high school. I was sick for about a week and a half, and my mom thought it would be a good idea to go to the doctor.”

“They found out that there was nothing necessarily wrong, like hepatitis.” He continued.

Blood tests revealed elevated levels of bilirubin, a yellow compound that occurs in the normal catabolic pathway that breaks down red blood cells in the body. This anomaly prompted further investigation through a liver ultrasound, ruling out more severe liver conditions and leading to the diagnosis of Gilbert syndrome.

This diagnosis provided relief by attributing the symptoms to a benign condition, sparing Graziadei and his loved ones from the fear of serious liver diseases.

“At the end of the day, I am told that I am healthy…It's something that does affect the whites of my eyes and makes it have those jaundice levels, which is why it looks yellow."

Concluding the video, he stated:

“But I wanted to provide some background and reassure you that to my knowledge, I am healthy…I do appreciate everyone looking out for me and wondering if I'm okay, but to my knowledge, I'm as okay as can be.”

Joey Graziadei utilized his appearance on The Bachelor to shed light on a little-known genetic condition called Gilbert syndrome. Viewers noticed his yellowish eye coloration, a visual symptom of higher bilirubin. Rather than evade questions, The Bachelor lead openly discussed his health on social media.

He explained how Gilbert syndrome impacts bilirubin processing in the liver, addressing the curiosity about his eye color. Graziadei shared details of living with this often asymptomatic disorder.

His candid revelations offered valuable perspective on a rarely talked about syndrome. He also shared how The Bachelor season 28’s fast-paced environment sometimes worsens his problems due to stress.

In responding to his diagnosis, Joey Graziadei took a proactive approach to managing Gilbert syndrome. Recognizing the importance of lifestyle in mitigating the effects of the condition, he focused on maintaining a balanced diet, adequate hydration, and stress management—factors crucial in managing bilirubin levels in the body.