The Pituitary has a Posse
Wrestler, actor, and all-around big guy Andre the Giant definitely had a posse, but did you know he also had a pituitary condition? Andre owed his great size to acromegaly, more specifically gigantism, a hormonal disorder that sets the pituitary growth hormones into overdrive so the body keeps on growing...and growing...and growing, well into adulthood. The hands and feet are most often affected, resulting in abnormally large extremities, and even oversized organs, usually to serve the needs of a larger body size. You'd think a condition like this would be genetic, but it is often cause by tumors on the pituitary itself. Peep this fascinating video on the pituitary condition on National Geographic.
Leave a comment