Science: Why are autoimmune diseases more common in women?

Delhi Delhi: Age, genetic and hormonal factors may explain why women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune diseases compared with men, experts said on Wednesday.Autoimmune Disease autoimmune disease Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. Studies show that the condition affects about 8 per cent of people worldwide, of which 78 per cent are women. Dr Rajeev Gupta, Director of Internal Medicine at Delhi’s CK Birla Hospital (R), told IANS that hormonal influences and chromosomal differences are the two main reasons why autoimmune diseases are more common in women.

“Women experience significant hormonal fluctuations throughout their lives, especially during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. These changes, particularly in estrogen levels, can affect the immune system and make women more susceptible to mistakenly attacking healthy tissues (autoimmunity),” the doctor said. Also Read – Experts raise concern over bird flu spread in domestic mice and domestic cats in US “One theory suggests that the process of inactivating one X chromosome in each female cell may sometimes be incomplete. This may lead to overexpression of certain genes on the active X chromosome, potentially triggering an overactive immune response and autoimmunity,” Dr Rajeev said.

“Autoimmune disorders in women may be due to their second X chromosome being silenced by molecules, thereby confusing the immune system. This may explain why conditions such as multiple sclerosis and lupus are more common in women than men,” said Dr Yatish G C, Lead Consultant – Rheumatology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru. Typically, autoimmune diseases become more prevalent in women after their thirties, which coincides with hormonal changes associated with ageing. However, some autoimmune diseases can occur at any age.

“Some diseases like multiple sclerosis usually start between the ages of 20 and 40, while others like rheumatoid arthritis start appearing in the late 40s or early 50s,” Dr Yatish told IANS. Dr Harman Singh, consultant rheumatologist at Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, observed a dramatic rise in autoimmune diseases, especially among women aged 50 and above. Experts called for adopting a healthy lifestyle like a balanced diet, stopping smoking, avoiding alcohol, stress reduction techniques, staying physically fit and avoiding environmental pollution.