Why Will & Jada Smith Used To Be So Concerned About Jaden's Health

Jaden Smith is not only an actor, notably starring alongside his dad Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness," but also a wellness advocate. Jaden is the founder of Just Water, a company focusing on providing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional bottled water. Smith is also a strong believer in veganism, even launching the I Love You free vegan food truck for the homeless community living on Skid Row. However, his dedication to staying healthy with a vegan diet had side effects that made his parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, extremely concerned.

Smith has a condition known as candida build-up. According to Healthline, Candida is a type of yeast found in the body. However, it can begin to overproduce for a number of reasons, such as eating a diet high in sugar, which is exactly what Jaden says led to his after years of eating pancakes smothered in syrup. The condition can also lead to digestive issues, which Jaden also experienced, causing him not to have much of an appetite. This, combined with his vegan diet, caused Jaden to lose a large amount of weight in a short amount of time, leaving his parents desperate to get him help.

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith took action in 2019 by staging an intervention for their son, Jaden Smith. This last-ditch effort came after both parents observed Jaden becoming perilously thinner with dark circles around his eyes. During a September 2019 episode of "Red Table Talk," Jada explained: "Will and I had a bit of an intervention with Jaden because he's a vegan now, but we realized he wasn't getting enough protein. He was wasting away. He just looked drained. He was just depleted. He wasn't getting the nutrients." Will also chimed in about his son's concerning appearance: "There was even grayness to his skin. We got really nervous."

Thankfully, Jaden began to make changes to his diet and lifestyle. One of those changes included working with a nutritionist to help him gain weight safely and address his health needs. This has paid off, as Jaden was able to bulk up in the years following his intervention.

In another December 2021 episode of his mother's popular Facebook series, Jaden Smith opened up about the strides he was making in his diet. "I was able to work with the doctors and really get my vitamins and get my supplements and protein shakes. That's half of my diet. It's like a password that I have to find to my body. I'm like, 10 Lbs. heavier now at this point," Jaden confirmed during the episode (via People). Additionally, the "Way Up" singer shared that he'd been working out diligently to gain muscle, and he showed off his impressive progress in a March 2022 Instagram pic.

In the picture, which has since been deleted from the platform, Jaden poses shirtless, showing his bulked-up physique inside. The former child star didn't stop there. He once again updated fans on his journey in October 2023 on X, formerly known as Twitter, in a tweet that shows a side-by-side of his once-thin build and his now ripped body. Jaden seems happier and healthier than ever these days, which is all anyone could ever want for the young star during his stunning transformation.