as if they were foreign invaders.
In the case of ulcerative colitis, strong immune responses
are directed against specific proteins in the colon. With
multiple sclerosis, the sheaths that cover the nerves are
destroyed. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joints are attacked by
the immune system. More than a hundred specific
diseases are known to be autoimmune in nature, and you
will probably recognize a few of the more common ones
listed in the table below.
One of the surprising facts about autoimmune diseases
is that environmental elements represent 70 percent of the
risk for developing these illnesses. Genetics play a lesser
role, with 30 percent of the risk being attributed to inherited
factors. Up until the last five to ten years, autoimmune
diseases were the black boxes of the medical world. We
really had no idea how or why environmental factors
triggered these diseases in genetically susceptible people.
Some astonishing developments have occurred in the
past five years, particularly from Dr. Alessio Fasano at the
University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, that
have helped to unravel the mysteries underlying
autoimmune diseases. Work from Dr. Fasano’s group, as
well as from other scientists worldwide, shows that a “leaky
gut,” or increased intestinal permeability, plays a crucial
initial step in triggering some, if not all, autoimmune
diseases.
(^)