The Autoimmunity Crisis

Posted: March 2022
Author: Sharlene Bennett |  BHSc, AdvDip Nat, AdvDip Med Herb
 

One of the common drivers of chronic disease states is inflammation. It is the unwelcome but most frequent contributing factor for the continuation of illness. The autoimmunity crisis is often part of long-struggling health issues over a period of time, with unrelenting physical or emotional stress involved in many cases.

Epigenetics is believed to play a pivotal role in the development and the ongoing autoimmune cell effect of autoimmune disease.⁵ There are many ingredients for wellness, and our environment, lifestyle and diet all influence our everyday and long-term health.

The auto-immune effect

Autoimmunity disease (AID) comes in many different shades, from Hashimoto’s (thyroid conditions), IBD (Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease) to other systemic chronic conditions such as Lupus or Rheumatoid arthritis. There is usually a picture of long and extreme stress in many individuals, poor gut health and a similar presentation to adrenal burnout or fatigue from a busy pace of life, lack of sleep, dietary intolerances and high levels of constant stressors.

Often AID goes hand in hand with complicated client cases and chronic health issues. A crisis point has often been reached in the body, once an autoimmunity diagnosis is made. The autoimmune disease aetiology is nearly always multifactorial involving many possible variants, including our immune genes and lifestyle environmental factors. There are inflicted changes in gene expression via histones and DNA methylation, the two major epigenetic mechanisms that may potentially lead to a developed immune tolerance and the resulting autoimmune disease in the affected individual. ⁵

Many recent studies believe there is a vital role in autoimmune development with the epigenome. As we know, an autoimmune disease begins its onset when the immune system attacks the self-molecules as a result of the excessive breakdown of autoreactive immune cells.

A multifactorial aetiology seems most likely for the development of autoimmunity, and there is no one way to treat or a specific ingredient to apply for the individual. From a phytotherapeutic perspective, we can help that over-reactive tendency by helping cease autoreactive cell behaviour. Helping to quell the extreme immune response and settle or modulate the immune cells into more productive behaviour, normal physiology, and a balanced or normalised state of being.

Achieving homeostasis - the long journey

Implementing the right balance and just the right state of equilibrium is not always an easy feat, especially in chronic disease. If it has been present for a long period of time, chronic disease can be a longer road to recovery. Often a layer-by-layer approach and steps of change are needed, which only follow and work best with time. More than 75% of autoimmune sufferers are women, and young adolescent women are deemed more likely again. The female dominant hormones, estrogen and estrogen-like chemicals, are believed to have the ability to impact and exert potential alterations to the immune response.³

With testosterone being the opposite in its action here, it is thought to have a suppressing effect on autoimmune type cell reactions in the immune cells.³ The B and T cell response becomes overactivated in the affected individual and instead of maintaining immunity and protection, they start to overproduce and stimulate self-antigenic cells. An immune response gone haywire is a common expression, trying to help normalise but over exciting the immune system, with excessive cell expression and autoantibodies creation.

The autoimmune storm

Systemic inflammatory autoimmune disorders are often characterized by elevated levels of Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10.³ Alongside immune complexes and autoantibodies, they further act as destructive molecules and fuel cytokine production and release, driving chronic inflammation.³

There is increased autoimmunity in organ trauma or tissue damaged organs. It is thought that organ-specific AID disease following tissue trauma is a direct link or possible contributing factor in autoimmunity development.³ The dysfunctional behaviour of T cells is believed to help drive the autoimmune response and the resulting B cell destruction then becomes activated as part of the imbalanced and overstimulated immune response. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a molecule that is genetically linked to AID development and immune cell dysfunction.

Calming the storm - settling auto-immunity

Because we know that AID is multifactorial in its onset, approaching it and helping sufferers find some relief can be initiated with a combination of allergy and immune-supporting herbs.⁴ Hemidesmus is a lesser-known herbal option for many but has a comprehensive use for autoimmunity recovery. Rehmania is a great choice for tired and over wired burnt-out individuals, who also need restoration alongside AID.

The immune superstar Echinacea can be of use, although viewed as an immune activator by some, its proposed action is one of immune modulation and balance. While the powerful herbal botanical Cat's Claw is also an immune modulator in action. Another option is Bupleurum, which has an additional affinity for the liver, for those who need more for hepatic recovery or support.

As always, it is dependent on the individual person and their clinical presentations as to what herbs will suit best. The synergy of a comprehensive herbal formula can be an effective starting point for helping settle AID and calm an overactive immune response, amongst many other ingredients and contributing tools for AID management and recovery.

References:

1. Hellesen, A., Bratland, E., & Husebye, E. S. (2018). Autoimmune Addison's disease - An update on pathogenesis. Annales d'endocrinologie, 79(3), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ando.2018.03.008
2. Dereme, J., Belkoniene, M., & Ribi, C. (2022). Allergologie-immunologie - Maladies autoimmunes complexes : quand les glucocorticoïdes ne suffisent plus [Difficult to treat auto-immune diseases : when glucocorticoids are not enough]. Revue medicale suisse, 18(764-5), 15–17. https://doi.org/10.53738/REVMED.2022.18.764-65.15
3. Smith, D. A., & Germolec, D. R. (1999). Introduction to immunology and autoimmunity. Environmental health perspectives, 107 Suppl 5(Suppl 5), 661–665. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.99107s5661
4. Arthur M. Silverstein, (2020). Autoimmunity: A History of the Early Struggle for Recognition, The Autoimmune Diseases (Sixth Edition), Pages 9-16, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812102-3.00002-6.
5. Meda, F., Folci, M., Baccarelli, A., & Selmi, C. (2011, 2011/05/01). The epigenetics of autoimmunity. Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 8(3), 226-236. https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2010.78