Chase Stokes spent years running through beaches, chasing treasure, and escaping danger as John B on "Outer Banks." Behind the cameras, however, his own health was heading in a troubling direction. After wrapping the Netflix series, Stokes learned just how much his body had suffered.

The 33-year-old actor has revealed that his liver and kidneys were struggling, while his testosterone had dropped to an alarming level. His mental health had also taken a hit. Looking back at that period, Stokes believes the outcome could have been frightening if he had kept ignoring the warning signs.

“I wouldn’t have been around much longer,” Stokes told The Hollywood Reporter while discussing the seriousness of his condition.

Years of "Outer Banks" Took a Serious Physical Toll

Stokes / IG / Stokes started playing John B when he was in his late twenties, but his character remained much younger. Keeping the same lean, youthful appearance became harder as the years passed.

The 33-year-old actor has since admitted that his approach to maintaining that body was unhealthy.

In a later interview with Men's Health, Stokes said he had been “starving” himself while trying to maintain the physical look associated with John B. Years of intense filming, stress, and poor health habits eventually caught up with him. He said his kidney was failing and his liver levels had become concerning.

The actor also learned that his testosterone level had dropped to 191. Stokes described the number as alarmingly low for him. That result became another clear signal that his body was struggling under the pressure he had placed on it.

However, the actor has not publicly released detailed medical records or named a specific kidney or liver diagnosis. That distinction matters because some reports have described his experience as organ failure. Stokes has used serious language about his condition, but the exact clinical diagnosis remains private.

Chase Stokes Changed His Health Routine After the Scare

Once Stokes understood how serious things had become, he changed course. He began working closely with an internal medicine doctor and started having regular blood tests. Those tests allowed his medical team to watch his levels and track how his body responded to changes.

The “Uglies” actor has said that blood work is now a regular part of his health routine. He previously described getting tested as often as every other week during his recovery. More recently, he said he gets blood work about once a month to make sure his diet, exercise, and daily habits are helping rather than hurting him.
The experience also forced him to reconsider how he viewed work. For years, "Outer Banks" demanded a major share of his time and energy. When the series ended, Stokes resisted the pressure to immediately jump into another exhausting production.

Instead, he spent much of early 2026 focusing on himself. That break gave him time to recover physically and consider what he wanted his life to look like after John B. Stokes said the worst of his health problems happened near the start of the year.

Stokes also took his mental health more seriously and committed to intensive therapy. He has spoken about working with a therapist and life coach rather than using a busy work schedule to avoid difficult emotions.

Stokes Says He Is Healthier and Ready Now

Stokes / IG / During the latest September 2026 interview, he confirmed that he feels healthier after spending months paying closer attention to his body and mind.

That context is important when reading the dramatic headlines surrounding his story. His statement that he “wouldn’t have been around much longer” reflects how he now views the danger of continuing his previous lifestyle. There is no public report showing that doctors gave Stokes a terminal diagnosis or told him exactly how long he had to live.

Leaving "Outer Banks" also created an identity shift. Stokes spent about seven years closely connected to John B, the adventurous teenager who turned him into a recognizable Netflix star. He has acknowledged that playing the character for so long sometimes made it difficult to separate John B from Chase Stokes.