Nutrition and Autoimmune Diseases.

Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) represent a growing challenge in global health, quietly expanding their impact across populations and burdening healthcare systems with complex, chronic conditions. Rooted in a breakdown of immunological tolerance, AIDs occur when the immune system mistakenly targets the body’s own tissues, leading to inflammation, tissue damage, and often irreversible functional impairment. While the causes of AIDs remain elusive, the global rise in their incidence—affecting approximately 4% of the population, disproportionately among women—suggests a pressing need to better understand the interplay of the factors involved. Genetics provides a framework, but environmental influences have taken center stage in recent decades, particularly in industrialized nations. Among these, nutritional factors are increasingly seen not just as contributors to health, but as potential modulators of autoimmune responses. This evolving recognition marks a pivotal shift in our approach to autoimmunity, bringing nutrition from the periphery of clinical consideration to the forefront of immunological research. Nutrition is far more than a matter of calories or macro and micronutrients—it is a dynamic, complex player in immune health. It shapes physical barriers like the skin and gut lining, determines the balance and function of the gut microbiome, and modulates the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. The way we nourish ourselves affects how macrophages respond to threats, how T and B cells recognize self from non-self, and how effectively the body maintains immunological balance. This intricate relationship between nutrition and immunity is bidirectional. Just as diet influences immune responses, so immune processes affect nutritional metabolism and dietary needs. Inflammatory responses can alter appetite, nutrient absorption, and metabolic demand, further complicating the clinical picture of AIDs. Given this complexity, it is no surprise that researchers are focusing on nutrition not only to understand the causes of autoimmune conditions but also to explore innovative therapeutic avenues. From the potential of anti-inflammatory dietary patterns to targeted use of micronutrients and nutraceutical bioactive compounds, nutritional strategies could offer accessible, cost-effective ways to prevent or manage AIDs.