Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system components fail or become imbalanced. Stress, infection, and poor diet can contribute to the disease process.
The immune system is a complex of organs and cells working together to maintain health. The immune system protects us from infectious microorganisms and it helps rid the body of damaged, cancerous, or infected cells. The immune system accomplishes this by launching an immune response. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system responds inappropriately and ineffectively, in the process damaging the body’s own proteins and cells.
Autoimmune Disease Theories
Various theories have been proposed to describe the ways in which autoimmune diseases develop. Most theories focus on the fact that autoimmune diseases develop in people with certain immune system and organ specific genes when they’re exposed to certain environmental toxins. These toxins tend to damage the immune system over time.
And because there are distinctly different classes and types of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic and organ-specific diseases, certain theories explain how some but not all autoimmune diseases develop. For instance, infectious agents and vaccines, through a process of molecular mimicry, can mutate and alter the appearance of microorganisms causing them to resemble the body’s own proteins. When our immune systems attempt to eradicate the mutated virus, they’re tricked into destroying our own cells. This theory explains a number of autoimmune diseases, including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and Reiter’s disease.
Other theories describe a weakened immune system crippled by stress and other environmental agents as the cause of autoimmune diseases. This theory fits Graves’ disease, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis and other disorders in which the immune system becomes weakened and its components out of balance.
Cytokine and Complement Imbalances
The immune system cells produce a number of different chemicals, most importantly cytokines and complement components. Cytokines are chemical messengers that help determine the severity of the immune response. Cytokines normally have a good balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. When imbalances of the Th1 and Th2 cytokines occur, the immune system can cause persistent inflammation. Deficiencies of complement components contribute to the disease process in systemic lupus.
Therapies
Many of the newer pharmaceuticals work by inhibiting the production of specific cytokines. For instance, Enbrel, widely used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, blocks the pro-inflammatory cytokine known as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Holistic methods such as acupuncture also work by influencing cytokine levels. Antioxidants in foods and dietary supplements help by reducing the oxidative stress that leads to inflammation. Lifestyle changes play an important role in the healing process by their ability to both promote and reduce inflammation. Saturated fats and sugars, for instance, promote inflammation, while foods rich in phytonutrients, such as cocoa, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.
