Researchers call it a potential "game-changer"
"Autoimmune" is one of those common terms in the medical vernacular that you have probably heard but might not know what it means.
In simple terms, an autoimmune condition occurs when a person’s immune system can no longer tell the difference between invading organisms and healthy cells.
The result is that the body’s defenses, which once protected it against harmful bacteria and viruses, begin to attack healthy tissues and organs instead.
There are many types of autoimmune diseases; according to The Washington Post, there are more than 80 conditions affecting around 50 million Americans alone.
Doctors do not know exactly what causes someone to develop an autoimmune condition, but they do know that the number of cases is on the rise.
Indeed, according to The Guardian, it is estimated that cases of autoimmune diseases are now rising between 3%-9% every year.
Since our genetics have not changed in recent decades, scientists believe that environmental factors must be responsible for this change.
According to scientist Carola Vinuesa, who is based at the Francis Crick Institute, fast-food diets lack certain important nutrients, such as fiber.
According to Vinuesa, these changes to a person’s microbiome can, in turn, trigger an autoimmune disease. That does not mean fast food is the only cause, however.
This lack of fiber can affect a person’s microbiome, i.e. the collection of microorganisms in their gut that play a key role in regulating various bodily functions.
There are also genetic susceptibilities that play an important role when it comes to deciding who will develop an autoimmune condition and who won’t.
This means that if someone does not have a genetic susceptibility, they will not necessarily develop an autoimmune disease, even if they gorge on hamburgers.
Scientists are therefore working to understand the fundamental genetic mechanisms that make some people more likely to develop an autoimmune condition.
Another potential explanation for the rise in autoimmune diseases is increased exposure to microplastics, both via ingestion and by inhalation.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, smaller than 5 mm (about 0.2 in), which permeate the world around us. They’re in the ocean, the soil, and they even float around in the air.
Research suggests that adults take in roughly 883 microplastic particles per day. That works out to around 332,000 particles per year!
As you might have guessed, taking in microplastic particles, whether by ingestion or inhalation, is not good for us. In fact, it could be very bad.
Microplastics seem to cause similar issues in our bodies as certain other environmental factors: oxidative stress, inflammation, and a dysregulated microbiome.
There has been an explosion in microplastic research in the last few years, and the relationship with autoimmune disease is an area of active research.
Another branch of research is looking at why women seem to be vastly more affected than men. According to The Washington Post, 80% of the people affected by autoimmune diseases are women.
According to an international team of scientists at Stanford University, this may be due to a molecule called Xist, which is only found in women.
The discovery of the role played by Xist in autoimmune diseases does not explain everything, however. It does not explain why men get these diseases at all, for example.
However, it is certainly an interesting development, and the new understanding may form an important piece of the puzzle.
The role of Xist is to inactivate one of the X chromosomes in women, since otherwise there would be an overproduction of proteins.
According to recent research at Stanford, however, Xist also generates a strange molecular complex that has been linked to many autoimmune diseases.
A lot of progress has been made in the last 20 years in terms of improving the lives of people with autoimmune conditions. There is still a long way to go before they’re fully understood, however.
Sources: (The Guardian) (Global Autoimmune Institute) (The Washington Post)
See also: The best supplements for women
Women have two X chromosomes, while men have an X chromosome and a Y chromosome. A chromosome is a bundle of genetic material that contains instructions for creating proteins.
One suggested cause for the rise in autoimmune diseases is the fact that more people are adopting Western-style diets, which include fast food.
Curious? Check out this gallery to learn more.
Why are autoimmune diseases increasing?
And why they're more common in women
HEALTH Health news
Autoimmune diseases, in which the body's defense mechanisms get confused and attack their own healthy cells, have been around since day one. There are many types of autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, and they really are nothing new. What is new, however, is the number of people suffering from them. For decades now, the incidence of autoimmune diseases has been on the rise, and scientists are trying to work out why.
Curious? Check out this gallery to learn more.