A Global Mission to Save Lives
Now We No is the campaign that is informing men and women all over the world about the harmful effects that some of today’s sanitary napkins and tampons may have on women’s bodies.
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What causes vitiligo?
Whilst the vitiligo isn’t itself an imminent threat to life, it is usually connected with progression of some kind of other disease state. Scientists have found a strong association between the onset of vitiligo and various autoimmune diseases, including hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, idiopathic thrombocytonpenic purpura, seronegative arthritis, pernicious anemia, myasthenia gravis, inflammatory bowel disease, lymphoma, and systemic lupus erythematosus. (Hadi, Wang et al. 2020)
Research shows that vitiligo is likely to be hereditary, but it finds expression when excessive stress triggers it. So even though you may have the set of genes that makes you pre-disposed to get vitiligo, it may not appear unless stress levels and nutritional deficiencies become great enough.
Therein lies the fix! Just be mindful of excessive stress, adopting a lifestyle which can avoid it, AND make sure to compensate with plenty of magnesium daily to make sure you don’t become magnesium deficient. I will explain more about this later.
The fire of inflammation in Hashimotos – an immune system cytokine storm
I was very keen to find out how my condition of Hashimotos hypothyroidism (autoimmune thyroiditis) could cause my vitiligo, and so started combing the scientific literature. A systemic review and meta-analysis found that vitiligo patients have significantly elevated IL-17 (Interleukin-17) levels. (Acharya and Mathur 2020). IL-17 and TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) are pro-inflammatory cytokines which have been implicated in various skin diseases, including psoriasis and vitiligo. They are biomarkers for a heightened inflammatory process involving mononuclear lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes are the white blood cells of our immune system sent in to wage war on pathogens (non-beneficial viruses and bacteria) by using hydrogen peroxide. Yes, it’s like hair bleach. In the case of vitiligo, T helper-17 cells produce Interleukin-17, which signals and triggers these killer lymphocytes (T cells) to kill infected cells. (Baldini, Odorisio et al. 2017)
Afterwards the phagocytes come to clean up the dead bodies and debris. To maintain balance so that these ‘soldier’ T cell lymphocytes don’t get carried away with the destruction, regulatory T cells (Treg) are supposed to be dispatched to inhibit the lymphocytes and restore peace.
How is it then, that something has gone wrong with the balancing system in Hashimotos hypothyroidism so that the immune system is let loose to attack the thyroid as well as melanocyte cells of the skin, causing melanocyte apoptosis (cell death)?
Why do the T cell lymphocytes kill more than just diseased cells? Scientists have noted that in vitiligo, there is also a reduction in the Treg cells that inhibit T cell lymphocytes. (Baldini, Odorisio et al. 2017). But there are more clues to solving this puzzle.
What has autoimmune dysfunction got to do with digestion?
I don’t believe that the body necessarily wants to attack its thyroid or its melanocyte cells in autoimmune dysfunction, as is commonly touted. I do believe that the body’s systems are always programmed and pitched towards life and survival. Your body desperately wants you to live and survive well. It uses everything in its arsenal to defend, to detox and to repair and re-build cells.