Autoimmune Tendency

About 5-10% of patients with myasthenia gravis also have other autoimmune diseases.

The leading cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease, which is an autoimmune disorder.

Autoimmune disease can cause chronic neutropenia.

About 60% of patients with Meniere's disease are found to have antibodies for inner ear proteins.

Type 2 diabetes is in the process of being redefined as an autoimmune disease rather than just a metabolic disorder.

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]

Rosacea is now being viewed as an auto-immune disease.

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 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.417-36 (1997)]

Prolonged large doses of zinc may, by lowering manganese levels, increase susceptibility to autoimmune reactions.

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.

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.

Clinicians report that 50% of patients with autoimmune disease are also hypochlorhydric (have low stomach acid).

Melatonin enhances the immune system and therefore those with autoimmune diseases should use melatonin only in very low doses.

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."

Some doctors report finding that a high percentage of patients with autoimmune disorders are also deficient in DHEA, and should be tested.