Introduction
Autoimmune disorders are common findings in the people of today’s world. Every individual has a well-established defense system built in to combat external infections and foreign invasions. This immune system fights the agent and memorizes the attacking bacteria or virus to prevent future infections of the same kind. This is referred to as acquired immunity. However, the immune system is hyperactivated in some cases and mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy living cells and tissues. It cannot differentiate between good and harmful microorganisms, considering the healthy structures a threat. The autoimmunity is responsible for releasing inflammatory chemicals called chemokines at the target site that damage the body and may or may not involve other sites as well. There are several theories proposed to explain such abnormal responses of the immune system. According to some estimates, environmental poisons cause a staggering 70 % of autoimmunity-mediated illnesses, whereas genetic predispositions account for only 30 % of them. This article reviews the various environmental toxins that contribute to the development of autoimmunity.
What Are Environmental Toxins?
Environmental toxins are widely present in the surroundings. These broadly include air pollutants, industrial waste, harmful pesticides, heavy metals, and other chemical substances that find their way into the environment. The air, water, and the food- all act as mediums through which these toxins get introduced to the bodies. Once ingested, the toxins are filtered by the liver present in the body. It is regarded as the detoxifying organ of the body and is responsible for the elimination of harmful substances and waste products by conversion into liquid urine or solid fecal matter. A healthy liver is capable of repeating this process every single day. However, the liver may fail to come through with the required function when there is an excess accumulation of toxins or when one is overexposed to them. This results in numerous health hazards, one of which involves severe immune dysfunction. As a consequence, autoimmune diseases are borne.
Some environmental toxins are also seen to be present in the materials that are utilized in daily routine. For example, the plastic bags used to carry goods and groceries are composed of a chemical toxin named Bisphenol A (BPA). It is reported that BPA, if ingested, has the potential to interfere with estrogen receptors present in the body. Several endocrine disorders include infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), breast cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men. Other significant environmental factors include pesticides, herbicides, phthalates, and synthetic derivatives like parabens.
How Do Environmental Toxins Affect Autoimmunity?
Several environmental toxins trigger autoimmunity and induce serious complications like immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, and dysbiosis of the gut. The common environmental toxins that share a major contribution to this process are listed below.
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Mercury: Hg plays a major role in inducing an inflammatory autoimmune response in the body by releasing specific chemicals like cytokines, lymphoproliferation, immune complex deposition, and significant tissue or organ damage. Ingesting high amounts of mercury is a poisonous hazard and may also cause irreversible damage as well. Neurological disorders are commonly seen in mercury poisoning cases.
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Pesticides: Prolonged pesticide exposure results in high levels of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and smooth muscle autoantibodies, and predispose one to developing autoimmune disorders.
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Pristane: This is a mineral oil component that mainly precipitates autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and SLE. It is associated with an increase in the release of cytokines, apoptosis (cell death), and release of several autoantibodies contributing to immune system dysregulation.
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Silica: This particular element is widespread and elicits an abnormal immune response when one is exposed to it. The autoimmune response is remarkably high in people subjected to silica on a daily basis.
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Smoking: Smoking tobacco has been closely linked with the incidence of lupus-like autoimmune disorders.
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Trichloroethene (TCE): TCE is a common environmental toxin and is regarded as an industrial solvent. It plays a huge role in contributing to the incidence of autoimmune diseases like Systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune hepatitis, and multiple sclerosis.
What Are the Steps Taken to Minimize the Effect of Environmental Toxins?
When the body’s natural detoxification system is not sufficient to minimize the damage caused by environmental toxins, additional detoxifying aids need to be implemented to achieve an optimum health state.
Lifestyle change is the primary step one must take to initiate recovery from environmental toxin-induced damage. Quitting habits like smoking and alcohol use cessation are essential for diminishing autoimmune triggers. Adopting natural living and consuming organic foods and products are the next basic changes that provide remarkable progress in terms of reducing autoimmunity. One must avoid synthetic, chemical substances and switch to natural, organic material use for better results. Adopting stress relief practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness has proven to reduce the symptoms of autoimmune disorders. Apart from inflammatory improvements, these lifestyle modifications bring about additional benefits in one’s way of life and improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of the patient.
Conclusion
Addressing the increased incidence of autoimmune disorders is essential in today’s times. Environmental factors play a major role in precipitating these disorders, and hence, one needs to rule out all possible environmental toxin exposure during diagnostic procedures. The supplementation of immune-efficacious substances complemented with a low-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet is the mainstay for achieving optimum health and minimizing the impact of harmful toxins on the body.
