Synopsis

During the final decade of his life, John F. Kennedy battled Addison’s disease, a condition where the adrenal glands are unable to produce sufficient cortisol—a hormone vital for managing stress. Though he consistently refuted claims of this illness, one consequence was a distinctive tan that may have contributed to his seemingly robust appearance during televised debates with Richard Nixon. To manage the disease, Kennedy received cortisone; speculation persists that he might have been taking ex