autoimmune disorders
Our environment contains literally thousands of pathogenic microorganisms such as: viruses, fungi, parasites and bacteria. Normally, our body’s defense system can protect us from these through our immune response, but in the modern world, more and more often our systems become unbalanced, resulting in a system malfunction for our bodies to react to. our own normal tissues. as if they were unwanted invaders. We can also be subject to external stimuli that can inappropriately activate our immune system.
This inappropriate reaction is known as an autoimmune disorder in which our defense system actually becomes destructive rather than protective. There are more than 80 different types of autoimmune disorders.
Organs and tissues commonly affected by autoimmune disorders include: red blood cells, blood vessels, connective tissues, endocrine glands such as the thyroid or pancreas, muscles, joints, and skin.
autoimmune conditions
Some of the more common autoimmune diseases include: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, AIDS, type 1 diabetes, Guillain Barre syndrome, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome, poriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and Addison’s disease. Asthma and Crohn’s disease also result from an overreaction of the immune system.
Cause of autoimmune diseases.
The causes of autoimmunity are not well understood, although some genetic factor is known to be involved. Other factors include; hormonal influences and environmental stimuli such as sun exposure, infections, pregnancy or drugs.
Diagnosis of Autoimmune Disorders.
Symptoms of autoimmune disorders may come and go and may not follow a clear pattern, so diagnosis should include a family history, laboratory tests for antibodies, x-rays, and a physical exam. Approximately 75% of patients are women and are often affected during childbearing years.
Treatment of autoimmune disorders
There is no real cure, so treatment usually focuses on relieving symptoms.
Immunosuppressive drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and natural therapies are used. Recent research clearly shows that a disturbance in the body’s redox homeostasis (balance) plays an important role in autoimmune disorders. Indeed, redox signaling plays a key regulatory role in the adaptive immune system. Therefore, supplementation with redox signaling molecules may well have a profound effect on some of these conditions.
If the autoimmune disorder affects the blood, transfusions may be required. Unfortunately, this results in the progressive destruction of the immune system itself. In severe combined immunodeficiency, the lack of an enzyme means that toxic waste builds up inside the cells of the immune system, killing them and thus devastating the immune system.
