Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s recent appearance at the Cannes premiere for his new film, The Smashing Machine, has generated considerable buzz, not just for the movie itself, but for his noticeably leaner physique. The actor and WWE legend appeared to have shed a significant amount of his signature muscle mass, leading many to speculate on the reason behind the dramatic change.
While his role as MMA legend Mark Kerr in the film required a physical transformation, the change may also be linked to recent health scares the superstar detailed on a podcast. Johnson recently opened up about a serious heart condition and debilitating gut issues he faced.
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A Alarming Health Scare
Speaking on The Dr. Mark Hyman Show, Johnson revealed that a routine cardiovascular workup led to some frightening results. Doctors initially believed they had found plaque buildup in his circumflex artery.
“Everything looked great. Thank God. Knock on wood. And then there was what looked to be… some stuff inside, like a build up of, like what they thought was plaque… in the circumflex… artery, right?” Johnson stated. “And when we looked at that on the old school traditional MRI, and the scans, it looked like I had build up, and then immediately the call to action was ‘all right, well, let’s get you on this medication. It’s a multi-month medication, and here we go. We got to get on it right away.’ And I thought, God, and I was so hesitant because I wasn’t taking any medication.”
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Seeking a Second Opinion
Hesitant to begin a lifelong medication regimen, The Rock sought a second opinion. This decision proved to be pivotal.
“So then I called you. And I said, ‘Doc, listen, here’s what I got… What do you think? And here’s what their suggestion is,’” Johnson recounted. “And again, I’ll never forget on that Zoom. You went, ‘Okay, hold on, hold on, let’s not jump to conclusions. I don’t want you getting on that right now. Don’t get on the medication. There’s a couple of steps here… let’s get a scan done, but let’s get an AI scan done.’”
The results of the more advanced scan provided a much different and relieving diagnosis.
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“I remember when you told me, you said, ‘Hey, look, here’s the report from our… head cardiologist… He said, looks great. It is just an anatomical thing that’s happening back there. It’s not build up at all. Those valves look great. Come back in three years,’” he shared.
Proactive Health Advocacy
Prior to the heart scare, Johnson had also been struggling with significant gut problems at the end of 2023. After consulting with specialists, he was able to identify the root cause and resolve the issues within weeks. These experiences have motivated The Rock to become a vocal advocate for proactive health management, urging men in particular to take control of their well-being. He cited the tragic story of his grandfather, wrestler “High Chief” Peter Maivia, who passed away at 45 after refusing to see a doctor for cancer-related pain, as a driving force behind his advocacy.
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