Jet Li looks aged and haggard due to hyperthyroidism.

Martial arts legend Jet Li is temporarily putting his film projects on hold to focus on meditation and practicing Tai Chi for healing.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the martial arts star was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in 2010. Since then, Jet Li's health and appearance have deteriorated. The hyperthyroidism affects the actor's cardiovascular system. When training too intensely, his heart rate can increase to 140 beats per minute, forcing the star to temporarily withdraw from action scenes in films.

Martial arts star Jet Li and his recent appearance at a press conference (right). Photo: THX.

Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disease that causes changes in body weight, rapid heartbeat, tremors, swollen neck, and even bulging eyes in some patients. The disease is difficult to predict, and bodily changes occur gradually. The most dangerous complication is its significant impact on the cardiovascular system.

After falling ill, the actor gained weight, his face became swollen, and his eyes looked weak, requiring him to hide them behind sunglasses. The illness significantly affected his health, forcing him to halt filming projects to focus on treatment. Recently, the star revealed that he dropped his role in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage, a Hollywood blockbuster, due to health concerns.

The star gained weight, her face was swollen, July 2015. Photo: Sina.

At 53, the martial arts star is dedicated to teaching Tai Chi at a center he co-founded in Beijing. Here, students are guided in tea ceremony, meditation, Tai Chi, flower arrangement, and other practices aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle. Jet Li stated, "I want to promote and expand this discipline to improve public health." For the past three years, he has given up film projects to focus on practicing Tai Chi to improve his health.

The actor teaches Tai Chi. Photo: THX.

Since falling ill, the actor has come to appreciate the value of health even more. Friends, upon meeting him again, comment that Jet Li looks noticeably older and more frail, with some estimating he's over 60. Currently, the actor has to take medication to treat his illness and avoid complications that could cause blindness and affect his heart.

Jet Li, born in 1963 in Beijing, China, is a familiar face on screen and is known as the king of martial arts. From 1975 to 1979, the actor dedicated his time to martial arts training. In 1982, thanks to his role as the monk Jueyuan in Shaolin Temple, Jet Li's name became famous throughout Asia and the world.

According to VNE