10 Things That Put People at Risk for Crohn's Disease

There are risk factors for every disease, and Crohn’s is no exception. By being aware of your risks, you can reduce the likelihood of this disease taking over your life. Also, early detection has been shown to significantly alter the disease’s path and severity; treatments are more effective when started in the early stages.

There are certain factors that are known risks, others with established connections, and still others which are suspected to have something to do with the disease's onset.

Take Action Where You Can

The body is a complex machine, and risks vary from person to person. It is good to avoid risks when possible, particularly if you have more than a few that apply to you.

Since many factors may be involved with contracting Crohn’s disease, giving yourself as small a chance as possible is the best course of action.

What’s on the Horizon?

As far as preventing Crohn’s disease and healing inflammation in the intestines goes, new research is still being conducted.

The most recent development, presented by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in June, 2017, shows that eating good fats leads to a healthier balance of intestinal flora with Crohn’s disease.

Good, plant-based fats, such as coconut oil and cocoa oil, have been shown to change microbial gut composition in a way that reduces inflammation. Even small amounts of fat had a positive effect in the studies.

Researchers are excited by this discovery, as it potentially provides relief for some patients and opens doors for further clues as to what constitutes healthy intestines.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory medical condition that is mostly related to the digestive tract. The symptoms concerning this medical condition can include pain in the abdomen, instances of diarrhea, loss of weight or appetite, and blood in the stool, although this is very rare case. This disease is known to lead to inflammation of the lining in the digestive tract. The inflammation caused by Crohn’s can also involve various regions of the digestive tract in different individuals and tends to spread deep into the layers of the bowel tissue. This disease can turn become painful, and in certain cases, it can lead to potentially fatal complications as well. Below are the instances when one is at an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease:

• Smoking is considered to be a major factor since it increases the likelihood of getting this disease. It also doubles the possibility of requiring surgery as well as certain medications.
• Research has shown that a specific gene variant is known to play a role in developing this disease as well. This gene variant is can make people more susceptible to certain environmental triggers for Crohn’s disease.
• There is a certain ethnic origin that is also thought to be a strong indicator as to whether or not an individual may develop this medical condition. Those at risk are Caucasians from North America and Eastern European Jews. Those who are of African-American descent are not at the same risk of getting this medical condition.
• It has also been observed that individuals who took large amounts of antibiotics in the past are also at a higher risk of developing this medical condition.
• More and more industrialization of areas can also lead to an increased risk of this condition. Those who are from underdeveloped nations, however, may not be at risk.
• Women are known to be at a greater risk of developing Crohn’s than men. However, in certain cases, men and women can be equally affected with this condition.
• Symptoms may also differ between men and women; it tends to make conceiving more difficult for a female.
• Individuals who had their appendix removed after the age of ten are also at an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease. However, there are varied studies still debating the validity of this risk factor.
• Those who are from the northern regions of America, Europe, or the UK are at more of an increased risk than individuals from other parts of the world.
• Long-term use of contraceptives as well as hormone replacement therapy is also known to increase the risk of developing this medical condition. This explains why women are more likely to become affected by Crohn’s than men. However, there are still ongoing controversies as to whether or not the use of oral contraceptives can lead to an increased risk for Crohn’s.