Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which your immune system mistakenly damages healthy cells in your body. Your immune system usually protects you from diseases and infections. When it senses these pathogens, it creates specific cells to target foreign cells. Usually, your immune system can tell the difference between foreign cells and your cells.
But if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system mistakes parts of your body, such as your joints or skin, as foreign. It releases proteins called autoantibodies that attack healthy cells.
What can cause autoimmune disease?
Some factors that may increase your risk of developing an autoimmune disease can include:
Your sex: People assigned female at birth between the ages of 15 and 44 are more likely to get an autoimmune disease than people assigned male at birth.
Your family history: You may be more likely to develop autoimmune diseases due to inherited genes, though environmental factors may also contribute.
Environmental factors: Exposure to sunlight, mercury, chemicals like solvents or those used in agriculture, cigarette smoke, or certain bacterial and viral infections may increase your risk of autoimmune disease.
Nutrition: Your diet and nutrients may impact the risk and severity of autoimmune disease.
Other health conditions: Certain health conditions, including obesity and other autoimmune diseases, may make you more likely to develop an autoimmune disease.
The test we are offering for autoimmune diseases-