Why the study?
While alcohol promotes systemic inflammation, emerging data suggest it may be protective in autoimmune diseases, pointing toward a complex dose-dependent relationship.
Does alcohol consumption modulate inflammation and disease severity in autoimmune diseases?
Does alcohol consumption modulate inflammation and disease severity in autoimmune diseases?
Alcohol may have complex, dose-dependent protective effects in autoimmune diseases, potentially mediated by the gut microbiome.
Should not change alcohol advice in autoimmunity; leaves open causal microbiome mediation in dose-dependent effects.
Alcohol is well known for promoting systemic inflammation and aggravating multiple chronic health conditions. Thus, alcohol may also be expected to serve as a risk factor in autoimmune diseases. However, emerging data from human and animal studies suggest that alcohol may in fact be protective in autoimmune diseases. These studies point toward alcohol's complex dose-dependent relationship in autoimmune diseases as well as potential modulation by duration and type of alcohol consumption, cultural background and sex. In this review, we will explore alcohol's pro- and anti-inflammatory properties in human and animal autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune diabetes, thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. We will also discuss potential mechanisms of alcohol's anti-inflammatory effects mediated by the gut microbiome.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Caslin et al. (2021) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: