Lupita Nyong’o Details ‘Scary’ Experience With Scurvy After Moving to Mexico As a Teen [Video]

NBC

Scurvy isn’t just for pirates and sailors!

In a new appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Lupita Nyong’o revealed she contracted what she believed to be scurvy. It all went down with the Mexican-born Kenyan actress went back to the country of her birth to learn Spanish.

Just 16 and living on her own for the first time, Nyong’o said she had that in addition to learning the language, she was forced to adult at a young age — pay bills, cook and and maintain and nutritious diet, the latter of which proved to be a tough task for the then-teenager.

After realizing she wasn’t getting enough vitamin C, the Black Panther star said she developed what she believed was scurvy.

And the disease, which has been known to impact those on long maritime journeys — sailors and pirates in particular — had some scary side effects, including bloody gums.

“‘I’m pretty sure I got scurvy at some point. My gums …