How Gut Health Plays a Role in Autoimmune Disease

Photo Source: magnific.com

The average human gut contains more than 38 trillion bacteria of up to a thousand types that aid in digestion, make vitamins, and protect us from harmful germs. Now, even if bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract help us stay healthy, there’s a link between gut health and autoimmune disease. That’s what we’ll be talking about in this article. The subject matter can get to be jargon-heavy, but we’ll make it as layman-friendly as possible.

1. The Gut Controls Our Immune System

Your gut isn’t just for digestion. It’s also a command center for one’s immune system. Trillions of bacteria lining our intestines constantly interact with immune cells to make sure they fight real threats but disregard harmless food. When this distinction weakens, unwanted elements get into the bloodstream and may cause infection.

2. Gut Bacteria Influence Immune Balance

The bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract act as referees of the immune system. They send chemical signals that regulate the cells on when to attack or relax. The process stops the body’s defense system from getting confused and also attacks body parts by mistake. Gut bacteria calms aggressive cells and energizes lazy ones.

3. Imbalanced Microbiome Can Trigger Autoimmunity

Because roughly 70% of our immune system lives in our gut, any imbalance that happens there impacts the body’s ability to defend itself. It can make a big deal of harmless things like pollen or fruit and cause allergies.  It could even attack one’s own tissues and fuel autoimmune issues that lead to fatigue or mood swings.

4. Leaky Gut Contributes to Autoimmune Diseases

Knowing that the lining of our gastrointestinal tract acts as a tight security fence is the start of how to have a healthy gut microbiome. When it loosens, it leaks undigested food bits and toxins into the bloodstream. These are then seen as foreign invaders and attacked by the immune system. Eventually, this confuses our body’s defenses and starts targeting the tissues also. It’s like friendly fire that worsens the condition.

5. Gut Infection Fuels Immune Disorder

Constant swelling of the gut is like a small fire in one’s digestive system that never goes out.  That persistence wears down the immune system. Over time, it can even harm the gut lining and messes with its ability to take in nutrients. A gut disorder doesn’t keep to itself and can also lead to joint pains and skin problems. 

6. Effects of Diet and Lifestyle on Gut Health 

What you eat and how you live affects the health of the digestive system. Fiber-rich food and fermented items feed good bacteria, while processed food and sweets starve them. The ecosystem of the gut is also disrupted by poor sleep and overuse of antibiotics. Eating healthy and exercising results in stronger immunity.

7. Supporting Gut Health Helps Autoimmune Control

A balanced microbiome simply means an ecosystem of microorganisms in the gut where no single species is growing out of control to dominate the environment and could cause autoimmune disorders. It can be brought about by prebiotic or probiotic foods. Balance results in strong gut lining and reduces hostile cell attacks.

The Gut: An Overlooked Ally

I hope we’ve succeeded in explaining the link between gut health and autoimmune disease in the simplest way possible, ergo understandable. While further research on it may still be needed, it’s obvious that maintaining the health of one’s digestive tract is key to preventing conditions where our own immune system harms us. If you have been looked into for the said condition, call Functional Medicine of Columbus at 614-839-1044.