Nutritional Epidemiology of Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract

Many illnesses collectively referred to as autoimmune disorders are defined by an aberrant immune response directed against healthy bodily components. There are roughly 100 autoimmune illnesses, and at least 3% to 5% of people are thought to be affected by them. Although the exact cause of the disease is still unknown, environmental and genetic variables are known to be important in its development. The prognosis and management of disease have significantly improved with pharmaceutical treatments. But the side effects of medications and exorbitant price prohibit their widespread use. In many autoimmune disorders, there has been a growing interest in complementary and alternative medicines to enhance the results of traditional therapies. For a number of significant autoimmune illnesses, diet has the ability to enhance clinical results as a modifiable component. This chapter offers thoughts on the role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of some of the most common autoimmune illnesses, as well as an overview and analysis of observational and experimental investigations.