Autoimmune Disease Awareness: Sex Bias
By Khadicha Kosimjonova, from publichealth.com October 11, 2023
What is an Autoimmune Disease?
An autoimmune disease is a medical condition where your immune system —a system that protects your body against foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria —ironically attacks your body. In other words, in patients diagnosed with autoimmune disease, their immune system mistakenly associates their healthy tissue with an invader. Since this immune attack can occur in any tissue —such as your skin, liver, kidney, etc. — autoimmune diseases are severe, critical, and comprise a reasonably long list. Despite the number of studies conducted on autoimmune diseases, there is still uncertainty; confusion primarily arises in identifying the causes of distinct autoimmune diseases, optimal methods of prevention, and the sex bias inherent in diagnostic statistics.
Some Statistics
It is not a coincidence that your grandmother is more likely to get an autoimmune disease than your grandfather. This phenomenon —the fact that women are more likely to have an autoimmune disease —is a potent question in the scientific community. Theories have evolved to justify this phenomenon amidst staggering statistics: As of 2020, 80% of patients with autoimmune diseases are women. Desai, M. K., & Brinton, R. D. (2019, April 10). Autoimmune disease in women: Endocrine transition and risk across the lifespan. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00265/full
Potential Causes for Sex Bias
As mentioned, there are plenty of theories for why women have a higher chance of getting an autoimmune disease. Women have an overall stronger immune response to infections due to their genetic structure —lending to one of the theories seeking to explain why women may hold the majority of autoimmune cases; their immune system is so strong that their immune cells attack the body too much. Another theory is the difference in sex chromosomes. Because women have the XX chromosome, while men have the XY chromosome, many scientists believe the Y chromosome has some protection. Another theory is hormones. Using hormones to prevent autoimmune disease or help with symptoms is a practice discovered in the medical world. Many doctors believe that certain autoimmune diseases are caused by too much or too little of certain hormones. For example, lupus, an autoimmune disease that inflames almost every part of your body, could be caused by excess amounts of estrogen, whether due to years of hormone replacement therapy, birth control, etc.
Potential Causes
There are multiple causes of autoimmune diseases, specific to each one. It is not surprising that if a particular autoimmune disease runs in your family, you are more likely to get it; some autoimmune diseases are genetic. Other factors like certain medications, smoking, and toxins can also increase your chance of being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Also, if you have been previously diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, you are more likely to develop another one later.
Notwithstanding, it is essential to note that some autoimmune diseases have unknown or speculatory causes. For example, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a condition in which one's immune system attacks their body's myelin and renders a patient diagnosed with GBS paralyzed, has been speculated to be caused by, as one example, adverse reactions to vaccines. However, not enough evidence confirms vaccines as the sole cause or even a cause for GBS. Hence, more research must be conducted on autoimmune diseases to affirm specific causality and aid with prevention therapies.
How Can You Prevent It?
Fortunately, there are ways that you can prevent autoimmune diseases. Overall, to try your best to avoid autoimmune disease, you should keep a healthy and balanced life. However, keep in mind that life will always take its course.
Keep a healthy diet filled with protein and nutrients
Be sure to have a sufficient amount of each vitamin
Exercise frequently
Try not to stress and enjoy meditation
Stay away from toxins and smoking
Need for Awareness
Many people do not know what an autoimmune disorder is or its symptoms —hence the need to raise awareness about autoimmune diseases and their symptoms. Because autoimmune diseases are critical to one's health, you should go to the doctor as soon as you see abnormal symptoms. Some signs to look out for are:
Fatigue
Nausea
Rashes
Overall pain
Swelling
Headaches
Of course, there are many more symptoms, and just because you have these symptoms listed doesn't mean you certainly have an autoimmune disease. Be sure to check with your doctor.
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There is still a lot of research being done to help find more information about autoimmune diseases. Help fight the fight - donate today.
