Causes of Ulcerative Colitis
The cause of ulcerative colitis is thought to exist in the immune system of the body. The immune system is an in-built protective system of the body that protects the body from disease causing bacteria, virus etc. This is achieved with the help of certain germ-fighting cells (called antibodies), chemicals and also by a process of ‘inflammation’, which results in elimination of the offender from the body.
In patients affected by ulcerative colitis, the immune system begins to fight body’s own tissues in the absence of any invader and overshoots its inflammatory response to super-normal levels leading to damage to the colon. This immune reaction causes symptoms such as pain, bleeding and diarrhea.
The intestine has its own micro flora that lives in harmony and helps the body stop the invasion with harmful bacteria. A gram of its content contains about 1 billion to one trillion such bacteria that the body normally tolerates and does not attack.
Immunologic evidence suggests that in the intestines of those with ulcerative colitis, some of this tolerance is lost. The TH1 cells, responsible for turning on the immunologic reaction against invading organisms, do their job; but the TH2 cells, responsible for turning the immunologic response off, fail to do their job. This causes an inappropriate inflammatory response.
Interesting theories have been proposed as to why this tolerance changes in only some people and more so those living in developed countries. It is possible that this may have resulted from improved water supply and eradication of helminthes worms from the human intestines. The eradication of helminthes worms may have resulted in the immune system not having any enemy to fight and so it attacks its own system. The researchers who believe in this infested their patient’s intestines with the worms and found immediate improvement in their condition. No large trail has however been conducted.
The flare ups of Ulcerative Colitis may be related to physical illness or mental stress or seasonal allergies.
There seems to be no strong genetic link to ulcerative colitis but sometimes susceptibility to the disease is seen among siblings. People with ulcerative colitis may have relations who suffer from Crohn’s disease, though the reverse is not seen.
The relationship between ulcerative colitis and diet is not clear, although some patients do experience attacks triggered by consumption of milk. The disease is peculiarly less common in smokers, prompting trials with nicotine for treating the disease.
