Autoimmune Tendency

Autoimmune Tendency: Overview

Autoimmune diseases result from the body's immune system mistaking the tissues its own body for foreign invaders, and attacking them. There appear to be some issues which seem to come up more frequently in those with autoimmune disorders.  Investigation of these areas and appropriate follow up may reduce the tendency toward these types of conditions and produce a general benefit.  This is especially important when multiple autoimmune conditions exist in the same person.

Incidence

Many millions of people suffer from autoimmune disorders.  It is more common in women, particularly young and working-age women, but older men are also more prone to autoimmune disease.  Interestingly, autoimmune disorders are 2-3 times as common in left-handed people.

Autoimmune Tendency

Information On This Page
Conditions that suggest it Contributing risk factors What else it can lead to Recommendations

Conditions that suggest Autoimmune Tendency:

Autoimmune

Multiple Sclerosis strongly suggests Autoimmune TendencyMultiple Sclerosis
Sjogrens Syndrome strongly suggests Autoimmune TendencySjogren's Syndrome
Lupus, SLE strongly suggests Autoimmune TendencyLupus, SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis)
Chronic Thyroiditis strongly suggests Autoimmune TendencyChronic Thyroiditis
Crohns Disease often suggests Autoimmune TendencyCrohn's Disease
Diabetes Type I often suggests Autoimmune TendencyDiabetes Type I
Ulcerative Colitis often suggests Autoimmune TendencyUlcerative Colitis
Vitiligo often suggests Autoimmune TendencyVitiligo
Stiff Man Syndrome often suggests Autoimmune TendencyStiff Man Syndrome
Sarcoidosis may suggest Autoimmune TendencySarcoidosis
Myasthenia Gravis may suggest Autoimmune TendencyMyasthenia Gravis
About 5-10% of patients with myasthenia gravis also have other autoimmune diseases.
Scleroderma may suggest Autoimmune TendencyScleroderma
Gluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease may suggest Autoimmune TendencyGluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease
Addisons Disease may suggest Autoimmune TendencyAddison's Disease
Dermatitis Herpetiformis may suggest Autoimmune TendencyDermatitis Herpetiformis
Periarteritis may suggest Autoimmune TendencyPeriarteritis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis may suggest Autoimmune TendencyAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Circulation

Megaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious Anemia often suggests Autoimmune TendencyMegaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious Anemia

Hormones

Hyperthyroidism often suggests Autoimmune TendencyHyperthyroidism
Hypothyroidism often suggests Autoimmune TendencyHypothyroidism

Metabolic

Menieres Disease often suggests Autoimmune TendencyMeniere's Disease
About 60% of patients with Meniere's disease are found to have antibodies for inner ear proteins.

Musculo-Skeletal

Rheumatoid Arthritis often suggests Autoimmune TendencyRheumatoid Arthritis

Skin-Hair-Nails

Hives (Urticaria) often suggests Autoimmune TendencyHives (Urticaria)
Some forms of chronic hives have an autoimmune origin which means, in about 30% of patients, that the immune system is producing antibodies against normal substances in the body and triggering the release of histamine by mast cells.  [Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 1999, 40(3); pp.443-450]

Risk factors for Autoimmune Tendency:

Allergy

Environmental Illness / MCS often increases risk of Autoimmune TendencyEnvironmental Illness / MCS
Reports of autoimmune markers in MCS patients, like most MCS data, are inconsistent.  Drs.  Alan LeVin and Vera Byers in 1992 reported finding anti-thyroid and anti-smooth muscle antibodies among MCS patients, leading to the conclusion that some MCS patients may develop autoimmune disease: The immune systems of MCS patients may generate antibodies to chemicals, or to their own tissues, the latter of which which may activate an autoimmune response.  In some cases, MCS could be viewed as a chemically-formed autoimmune disease.  [Environ Health Perspect 105(Suppl 2): pp.417-436 (1997)]

Environment / Toxicity

Zinc Toxicity often increases risk of Autoimmune TendencyZinc Toxicity
Prolonged large doses of zinc may, by lowering manganese levels, increase susceptibility to autoimmune reactions.

Infections

Bacterial Dysbiosis may increase risk of Autoimmune TendencyBacterial Dysbiosis

Symptoms - Glandular

History of hyperthyroidism often increases risk of Autoimmune TendencyHistory of hyperthyroidism

Autoimmune Tendency can lead to:

Autoimmune

Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Chronic ThyroiditisChronic Thyroiditis
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Multiple SclerosisMultiple Sclerosis
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Sjogrens SyndromeSjogren's Syndrome
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Diabetes Type IDiabetes Type I
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Ulcerative ColitisUlcerative Colitis
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Crohns DiseaseCrohn's Disease
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Lupus, SLELupus, SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis)
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to VitiligoVitiligo
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Myasthenia GravisMyasthenia Gravis
About 5-10% of patients with myasthenia gravis also have other autoimmune diseases.
Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Stiff Man SyndromeStiff Man Syndrome

Circulation

Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Megaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious AnemiaMegaloblastic Anemia / Pernicious Anemia

Hormones

Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to HypothyroidismHypothyroidism

Metabolic

Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Menieres DiseaseMeniere's Disease
About 60% of patients with Meniere's disease are found to have antibodies for inner ear proteins.

Musculo-Skeletal

Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Rheumatoid ArthritisRheumatoid Arthritis

Skin-Hair-Nails

Autoimmune Tendency sometimes leads to Hives (Urticaria)Hives (Urticaria)
Some forms of chronic hives have an autoimmune origin which means, in about 30% of patients, that the immune system is producing antibodies against normal substances in the body and triggering the release of histamine by mast cells.  [Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 1999, 40(3); pp.443-450]

Recommendations for Autoimmune Tendency:

Diet

Therapeutic Fasting is highly recommended for Autoimmune TendencyTherapeutic Fasting
Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.  has spent much of his professional life treating disease by fasting his patients.  He has an entire chapter in his book, Fasting and Eating for Health, dedicated to the subject of autoimmune disease.  He is convinced that fasting with subsequent dietary changes is a much superior approach to autoimmune disease than conventional treatments.
Gluten-free Diet often helps with Autoimmune TendencyGluten-free Diet
Some doctors have found that a higher than normal percentage of patients with autoimmune disorders are allergic to gluten/gliadin and dairy products.  Complete avoidance should be tried for at least one month to see if benefits will occur.
Dairy Products Avoidance often helps with Autoimmune TendencyDairy Products Avoidance

Digestion

Hydrochloric Acid (Trial) often helps with Autoimmune TendencyHydrochloric Acid (Trial)
Clinicians report that 50% of patients with autoimmune disease are also hypochlorhydric (have low stomach acid).

Hormone

Not recommended:
Melatonin is sometimes not recommended for Autoimmune TendencyMelatonin
Melatonin enhances the immune system and therefore those with autimmune diseases should use melatonin only in very low doses.

Lab Tests/Rule-Outs

Test Copper Levels often helps with Autoimmune TendencyTest Copper Levels
In cases of autoimmune disease, where therapy is often less than satisfactory, copper insufficiency should be investigated until additional studies confirm any link.  The following quote is by John Johnson (iThyroid.com):

"There is very little scientific evidence that copper is involved in immune system function, but it is my belief that copper deficiency is the principal nutritional deficiency involved in autoimmune diseases.  Approximately 80% of the people who suffer from autoimmune diseases are women.  The most important nutrient that women need more of than men is copper.  Any nutritional detective who is trying to find the culprit in autoimmune diseases should first suspect copper.  Women need more copper and get autoimmune diseases more frequently.  Men need less copper and generally don't get autoimmune disease.  Copper deficiency is the obvious suspect."
Test for DHEA often helps with Autoimmune TendencyTest for DHEA
Some doctors report finding that a high percentage of patients with autoimmune disorders are also deficient in DHEA, and should be tested.

KEY

Weak or unproven link: may suggest; may increase risk of; sometimes leads to
Weak or unproven link:
may suggest; may increase risk of; sometimes leads to
Strong or generally accepted link: often suggests; often increases risk of
Strong or generally accepted link:
often suggests; often increases risk of
Definite or direct link: strongly suggests
Definite or direct link:
strongly suggests
Moderately useful: often helps with
Moderately useful:
often helps with
Very useful: is highly recommended for
Very useful:
is highly recommended for
Caution: is sometimes not recommended for
Caution:
is sometimes not recommended for
Last updated: Apr 25, 2013