Michael Jackson may be legitimately sick and not just faking it to get out of testifying in court, according to In Touch. The mag claims Jackson is gravely ill and suffers from an illness called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which is so severe that he needs a lung transplant. However he also has uncontrolled gastrointestinal bleeding, which is what might ultimately kill him. He’s also so weak that he may not be able to undergo a transplant. Jackson is said to only have five percent of his vision in his left eye.

…award-winning investigative journalist Ian Halperin tells In Touch that he believes that the King of Pop is fighting for is life. “Michael has a very severe lung condition called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency,” Halperin, a New York Times best-selling author, tells In Touch exclusively. “He’s had it for years but it’s gotten worse. He needs a lung transplant but may be too weak to go through with it. He also has emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, which his doctors have had a lot of trouble stopping. It’s the bleeding that is the most problematic part. It could kill him.”

Because this genetic disease is so rare – Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency affects just 1 in 5,000 Americans – it’s been difficult to treat, says Halperin. “For years, Michael has been working with his own doctors to make sure his condition doesn’t progress. He has been on many medications that have stabilized him.” But as the disease has progressed, Halperin says that the pop star’s quality of life has diminished. “He can barely speak,” says Halperin. “Also, the vision in his left eye is 95 percent gone.”

Brother Jermaine Jackson seemed to confirm that something was seriously wrong with Michael. “He’s not doing so well right now,” Jermaine told foxnews.com. This isn’t a good time.”

[From In Touch, Dec. 22, 2008, print ed.]

According to Wikipedia, “Severe A1A deficiency causes emphysema and/or COPD … [and] various liver diseases in a minority of children and adults. It is treated by… transplantation of the liver or lungs.” It results in a reduced life expectancy no matter what. If Michael Jackson really is sick with this, it sounds like a miserable way to live. Even if he were gravely ill, it’s hard to tell with him because he dresses and behaves so oddly that most people tend to ignore any new unusual things with him.

This might explain his wearing those face masks over his mouth. I’d bet it’s still unnecessary, but it might explain where the fear came from. And that fear which has spread to his children, who also often wear face masks in public. If Michael really is this sick, hopefully he will get the treatment he needs.

Here’s Michael Jackson out on Halloween.