Mel Gibson Talks About His Crazy Alter Ego Bjorn

Mel Gibson gave an interview in I believe it was September of 2007 on the British talk show Parkinson where he talked about his Viking alter ego Bjorn, who he described like this:

"Bjorn is an axe murderer. You know. He gets off a boat, and chops up convents. You know."

Mel said he didn’t know why he would have these huge bursts of manic-like energy, especially in his twenties, until he had an MRI to look at his appendix. Mel says the MRI revealed his kidneys were much bigger than average kidneys, and so they are called Horseshoe Kidneys, also known as Renal Fusion. Wikipedia events lists Mel as one of the rare people in the world who has this condition.

Mel believes his unusual energy comes from his fused kidneys, although the medical literature does not mention this. Mel says the kidneys are the "… energy organs man. It’s just like rocket fuel."

There is a factual basis for Mel’s energy claims. The kidneys make an amino acid called Carnitine, which is required for the cells to burn fat as energy in the mitochondria (energy furnace). As people age they make less Carnitine making them feel tired, and other factors can interfere with Carnitine production like the higher than normal levels of the hormone Cortisol. Young people, in their twenties for instance or younger, or people who make a lot of Carnitine, will demonstrate constant high levels of energy just as Mel says.

The angry outbursts are not related to Mel’s kidney’s, although the level of energy Mel has delivering those outbursts probably is fueled by his kidneys.