Inflammation is currently a hot topic among researchers
Inflammation is the body’s natural defense against injury and infection. Chronic inflammation happens when the body’s inflammatory response activates—sometimes even without injury or illness—and persists over months or years.1 When chronic inflammation persists, it can cause severe damage to the body, leading to long-term health problems such as heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, or diabetes.
Chronic, low-grade inflammation can damage healthy cells, tissues, organs, and DNA. Over time, it can weaken your immune system and lead to health problems, including autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Many conditions are linked to chronic inflammation, including:
Cardiovascular disease: Chronic inflammation can damage blood vessels, causing them to narrow or thicken, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.
Cancer: Chronic inflammation can damage the DNA in healthy cells, causing them to mutate (change) into abnormal cells. Cancer develops when these abnormal cells grow and multiply uncontrollably. Research suggests chronic inflammation contributes to 15 to 20% of all cancers.
Type 2 diabetes: Chronic inflammation contributes to insulin resistance—a hallmark of type 2 diabetes. Persistent inflammation disrupts normal insulin signaling, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels and the development of diabetes.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): RA is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy joint tissues. Research shows rheumatoid arthritis develops years after systemic (widespread) inflammation begins.
Asthma: Exposure to allergens (e.g., pollen, pet dander) and environmental irritants (e.g., air pollution, cigarette smoke) can initiate an immune response and chronic inflammation in the airways, leading to asthma.
Obesity: A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats can trigger chronic low-grade inflammation and contribute to weight gain.
Endometriosis/Adenomyosis: Chronic inflammation in the uterus or pelvic area can cause endometrial tissue to grow outside of the uterus (endometriosis) or within the uterine muscle (adenomyosis), causing pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, and heavy menstrual bleeding.
Depression: Researchers exploring the link between depression and inflammation discovered that chronic inflammation plays a role in the development of depression in some people.
