Why Women are at Higher Risk for Autoimmune Conditions

If you have Chronic Urticaria and have joined some support groups, you may have noticed that there are many more women than men. Part of that is that women are more likely to seek out a support group, but women are also twice as likely to suffer with this condition.

In general, women are at a higher risk than men for autoimmune diseases. Of the 50 million people living with autoimmune disease, 80% are women.

Women are at risk for Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome or co-occurrence of two or more autoimmune conditions. Studies suggest that up to 25% of people with an existing autoimmune condition, will develop another.

What are Autoimmune Diseases?

According to the Women’s Health Research Institute, “Autoimmune diseases are those where the body, for whatever reason, starts fighting its own cells with an autoimmune response”. There are over 100 known autoimmune diseases. Many times people don’t know that their illness is autoimmune in nature. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, and hashimoto’s thyroiditis are autoimmune diseases.

Is Chronic Urticaria Autoimmune?

In many cases, yes. It’s estimated that approximately 45-50% of cases are autoimmune in nature. It’s a really complex disease and not every one is the same. Sometimes it is as simple as an underlying infection or exposure to mold. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, there is no one identifiable factor that can be treated to cure CSU/CIU. You can read more about the leading theories of what causes chronic urticaria here. It’s interesting that many of us who suffer with Chronic Urticaria also have other auto-immune conditions, a common finding in the autoimmune community.

Autoimmune thyroid conditions are fairly common in the Chronic Urticaria community. It is approximated that among autoimmune chronic urticaria patients, 12% have evidence of hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The prevalence of hashimotos is about 2 % in the general population. Many times a patient with Chronic Urticaria is diagnosed with the thyroid condition years after the start of the hives, making it a co-disease rather than the cause of hives. In other cases, chronic hives can be caused by the thyroid condition. It is important to have a thyroid panel with thyroid antibodies checked if you have chronic urticaria. You can read more about this correlation HERE.

Why do women have an increased risk?

There is no one simple reason why autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in women but there are multiple factors that play a role. Women are noted to have increased prevalence of autoimmune related conditions around periods of stress and hormonal changes. Some of the reasons why they are most common in females, are stated below:

1. The first reason why women are at more risk for autoimmune diseases is the unique nature of a woman’s immune system. The immune system of women is more complicated than men. The female body has stronger inflammation processes which play a key role in autoimmune diseases. This is a good thing when it comes to fighting off infections but when inflammation is chronic we have a problem. The chances of infectious diseases are higher in men than in women but the risk of autoimmune diseases remain higher in women in part due to our robust immune response.

2. Sex hormones and hormonal differences are another reason why women tend to be more at risk for autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases flare when female sex hormone fluctuations take place. These fluctuations can occur during the monthly menstrual cycle, during peri-menopause, menopause and when taking synthetic hormones. Estrogen dominance can also play a role and is becoming more prevalent.

Pregnancy can also trigger autoimmune disease. Significant hormonal shifts occurring during pregnancy, birth and postpartum making women more vulnerable. For example, Postpartum Thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition linked to pregnancy.

3. Genetics play a role. Women have two X chromosomes. According to studies, the X chromosome may predispose us to disruption in the health of our immune system. With two X chromosomes we are twice as likely to have a dysfunction that causes autoimmunity. We also know that autoimmune issues tend to run in families.

4. Another reason why women are at more risk for autoimmune diseases is stress. Stress is often a trigger for autoimmune diseases and women are more prone to stress. We all know that stress can cause our hives to flare as well, making stress management one of the most important parts of your care plan.

What else makes you high risk for autoimmune conditions?

• Having an autoimmune disease. If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition you are more likely to be diagnosed with more. Approximately 25% of autoimmune patients have 3 or more autoimmune conditions.
• Family History. As we touched on earlier, if you have immediate family members with autoimmune conditions this means you may be at higher risk.
• Hormonal fluctuations. Puberty, pregnancy, menopause, these are all hormonal milestones in a women’s life that may correlate with developing an autoimmune condition.
• Excess weight. Being overweight can cause chronic inflammation in your body. Inflammation can compromise your immune system and potentially lead to your body to mistaking it’s own cells for an invader.
• Exposure to cigarette smoke. We know that cigarette smoke may lead to cancer but there are a lot of other reasons to stop lighting up. One of them is your increased risk for autoimmune irregularity. When you are exposed to toxic substances in cigarette smoke you are creating inflammation in your body and potential disruption of the immune system. Smoking itself can trigger an immune response.
• Infections. Any time we are exposed to a pathogen our immune system will be activated. When our immune system is active, our body may mistake healthy cells for that of the invading pathogen causing autoimmune issues.

Take back your power and reclaim your health

There are several reasons why women are more prone to autoimmune diseases, like Chronic Urticaria, than men. However, you can maintain a healthier lifestyle and a healthier you by embracing some habits to help keep the health you have.

A correlation has been found between chronic urticaria and other autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, celiac, and type 1 diabetes to name a few. It’s important to know this so that we can focus on optimizing our health and mitigate any damage to our bodies.

Avoiding things like cigarettes and alcohol and maintaining a healthier lifestyle is going to help you reduce your risk. Also, maintaining a healthy weight is essential. I know this can be hard to do when dealing with chronic health issues and fatigue. Try not to overlook these issues. Autoimmune diseases may be preventable with a healthy lifestyle, and addressing this should be an important part of your care plan.

If you are looking for community support, check out the Facebook group just for women with chronic hives.

To your wellness,

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