The Steroid Paradox: How Symptom Suppression Creates Deeper Disease

35 Q&As

Corticosteroids rank among medicine's most widely prescribed drugs, heralded since their 1946 discovery as miracle treatments for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Yet beneath this celebration lies a troubling paradox: the very medications designed to alleviate suffering often create deeper, more intractable health problems. As "safe" doses continually decrease with each passing decade, a fundamental question emerges: what if our approach to treating “autoimmunity” has been fundamentally misguided?

This exploration, by AMD, delves into medicine's forgotten wisdom—that suppressing symptoms without addressing root causes drives disease deeper into the body. From the Cell Danger Response theory to the wisdom of traditional medical systems, we'll uncover why steroids create such widespread damage and examine the powerful alternatives available today. These range from lifestyle interventions that restore natural healing capacity to targeted treatments like DMSO, Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation, and Low Dose Naltrexone that address underlying dysfunctions without devastating side effects. For millions suffering from chronic autoimmune conditions, this paradigm shift offers not just symptom management, but the possibility of genuine healing.

With thanks to A Midwestern Doctor (AMD).

Steroid Dangers and Safe Autoimmune Treatments

Analogy

Imagine your body as a home with an intricate ecosystem. Your immune system is like a security team that protects this home from intruders. Now, conventional medicine with steroids and symptom suppression is similar to handling a water leak by simply placing buckets to catch the dripping water and turning up the music to drown out the sound, rather than finding and fixing the broken pipe.

At first, this approach seems effective—the floor stays dry, and you don't hear the annoying drip. But underneath the surface, water continues to seep into the walls, gradually weakening the foundation, growing mold, and attracting pests. Eventually, what began as a simple leak becomes extensive structural damage that's much harder and more expensive to repair.

Alternative approaches, by contrast, would investigate where the water is coming from, fix the broken pipe, address any water damage, and perhaps even improve the plumbing system to prevent future leaks. This takes more initial effort and might temporarily create some disruption (like opening up a wall), but results in a truly functional home rather than one that's superficially fine but deteriorating beneath the surface.

Just as a wise homeowner would choose to address the root cause rather than simply manage symptoms of damage, the text suggests we should approach health by supporting the body's intrinsic healing mechanisms, addressing underlying causes like infections or toxins, improving the cellular environment through lifestyle changes, and using treatments that restore proper function rather than merely suppressing symptoms. This approach may require more patience and personalized attention, but ultimately leads to more sustainable health rather than a cascade of increasingly serious problems.

12-point summary

1. Steroids cause widespread damage despite common use: Corticosteroids are among the most widely used drugs in medicine, but they carry severe side effects including bone loss (5-15% yearly), weight gain (affecting 70% of users), adrenal insufficiency (affecting 48.7% of oral users), diabetes, cardiovascular problems (increasing heart attacks by 226%), eye problems (increasing cataract risk by 245-311%), psychiatric disorders, and increased infection risk. What was considered a "safe" dose has repeatedly decreased over decades as more harms are discovered.

2. Symptom suppression versus root cause treatment: A fundamental criticism of modern medicine is its focus on suppressing symptoms rather than addressing underlying causes. Suppressing symptoms (like fever) may provide temporary relief but can drive disease deeper into the body, potentially creating more severe conditions later. This principle, described in Hering's Law of Cure, suggests healing occurs from inside out, from the head down, and in reverse order of symptom appearance.

3. Historical context of medicine's evolution: Allopathy (conventional medicine) emerged from approaches that forcefully override illness rather than supporting the body's self-healing mechanisms. This contrasts with alternative approaches like Homeopathy (1796), Eclectic Medicine (1827), Osteopathy (1874), Chiropractic (1895), and Naturopathy (1901), which focused on supporting natural healing. After monopolistic tactics around 1910, Allopathy became simply "medicine" while alternatives faded.

4. Global decline in human vitality: Multiple generations of practitioners have observed a progressive decline in human vitality, with patients becoming sicker with previously unseen conditions and responding less dramatically to treatments. This decline appears continuous since at least the late 1800s, with spikes corresponding to interventions like the smallpox vaccine, expanded vaccine schedules after 1986, and COVID vaccines. Each wave of sickness becomes normalized by subsequent generations of doctors.

5. Chronic infections and autoimmunity: Many autoimmune disorders have underlying chronic infections that go unrecognized. When bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, some transform into cell wall deficient (CWD) forms that are difficult to detect and can later reactivate. These persistent infections, along with dental infections and viruses like Epstein-Barr, can trigger autoimmune responses when the body reacts to antigen sequences that match normal tissue.

6. The Cell Danger Response in chronic illness: The Cell Danger Response (CDR) is a defensive cellular state that cells can become "stuck" in after exposure to stressors. This state, where resources focus on protection rather than normal function, may underlie many chronic illnesses including autoimmunity. Treatments like exosomes, DMSO, and ultraviolet blood irradiation work by helping cells exit this defensive state and resume normal function.

7. Lifestyle factors critically impact autoimmunity: Sleep quality, sunlight exposure, appropriate exercise, and stress reduction significantly influence autoimmune conditions. Addressing these factors often improves outcomes and sometimes allows medications to work that previously didn't. Stress particularly impacts autoimmunity, with 80% of patients reporting unusual stress before disease onset and studies showing stress disorders increase autoimmune risk by 46-129%.

8. Diet and food allergens in autoimmunity: Food allergens frequently contribute to autoimmune conditions, particularly gluten, pasteurized dairy, eggs, and lectin-heavy foods. The Mediterranean diet has the strongest evidence for helping autoimmune disorders. Insulin resistance strongly correlates with inflammation, with less than 1% of autoimmune patients showing normal insulin sensitivity. Fasting benefits many autoimmune conditions by improving insulin sensitivity and enhancing cellular cleanup processes.

9. Blood stasis and fluid circulation: Chinese Medicine identified blood stasis as a primary cause of disease around 1830. Impaired fluid circulation, particularly in the lymphatic system which relies on physical movement, may contribute significantly to autoimmunity. Treatments improving circulation or zeta potential (the electrical charge keeping blood components from clumping) frequently benefit autoimmune conditions, explaining why exercise, sunlight, and certain medications help.

10. Promising non-steroid treatments: Several alternatives to steroids show promise for autoimmune conditions. These include DMSO (with anti-inflammatory and circulation-improving properties), Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation (effective against infections and inflammation), Low Dose Naltrexone (working through endorphin modulation), exosomes (resolving the Cell Danger Response), and supplements like magnesium, Natural Eggshell Membrane, astaxanthin, and urolithin A.

11. Safer pharmaceutical options: Conventional options with better risk-benefit profiles than steroids include leflunomide and rapamycin (alternatives to methotrexate), hydroxychloroquine (relatively low toxicity for many autoimmune conditions), sulfasalazine (for inflammatory arthritis with bowel components), Rinvoq (upadacitinib, with excellent safety-to-efficacy ratio), Otezla (apremilast, very safe for skin conditions), and several monoclonal antibodies for specific conditions.

12. Environmental toxins and detoxification: Environmental toxins (chemical, electromagnetic, emotional) can trigger sensitization leading to chronic illness. Rather than identifying specific toxins, focus on detoxification through adequate hydration, regular sauna use (especially infrared), clean environment and diet, and sometimes specific binding agents or IV treatments. For sensitive patients, detoxification should generally precede antimicrobial treatment to prevent severe reactions.

35 Questions and Answers

1: What are corticosteroids and how do they function in the body?

Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that include cortisol, which is naturally released by the cortex of the adrenal glands. The body's primary corticosteroids are cortisol (a glucocorticoid) and aldosterone (a mineralocorticoid that regulates blood pressure, volume, and electrolyte balance). These hormones regulate various bodily functions through small amounts being released and amplified by the body to change internal states drastically.

In medicine, synthetic corticosteroids are used to modulate immune function, initially enhancing immune response but then shifting to immune suppression with continued use. This makes them popular for treating inflammation and autoimmunity. They also influence blood sugar by stimulating gluconeogenesis, affect connective tissues by promoting protein catabolism, impact circulation by raising blood pressure through sodium retention, and modulate cognition by affecting arousal, attention, and memory. Their function in the body is regulated through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a feedback loop that prevents over-activation of stress responses.

2: How has the perception of "safe" steroid dosing changed over time in medicine?

When steroids were first synthesized in 1946 and introduced to medicine, they were hailed as "wonder drugs" for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, leading to widespread prescription in the early 1950s. However, by the late 1950s, serious side effects from long-term use became apparent, causing steroids to be "shunned altogether by the rheumatology community" in the early 1960s. This led to more cautious prescribing at lower doses until steroids were reborn under a low-dose regimen in the 1980s.

Over decades, what constituted a "safe" low dose has greatly declined, with doses now considered toxic having been routinely prescribed previously. For instance, in 2016, Europe's Rheumatology group concluded it was unsafe to give more than 5mg a day of long-term steroids—significantly lower than amounts commonly used in America. This steady lowering of what's considered safe suggests that there may not actually be any truly safe dose for long-term use, and this trend of reducing recommended doses is likely to continue as more harms are discovered.

3: What is Hering's Law of Cure and how does it relate to symptom suppression?

Hering's Law of Cure, discovered by a homeopath, states that healing occurs in a specific order: from the inside out, from the head down, and in the reverse order of symptom appearance. Conversely, disease progresses in the opposite direction, initially appearing at a superficial level before moving deeper. This law suggests that symptoms are often the body's attempt to expel pathogenic factors, and suppressing them can drive illness deeper into the body rather than curing it.

When allopathic medicine suppresses symptoms (such as treating fevers with medications or preventing childhood febrile illnesses with vaccination), it may be pushing pathogenic factors deeper, creating more severe illnesses later. The text provides examples of this, such as children developing autistic regression after having vaccine reactions suppressed with Tylenol, or COVID-19 patients deteriorating after fever suppression. Hering's Law was later expanded to recognize that physical symptoms represent a more superficial layer, with deeper layers being emotional, mental, and ultimately spiritual in nature, suggesting symptom suppression can eventually lead to spiritual disconnection.

4: What is Allopathy and how does it differ from other medical approaches?

Allopathy is a term originating from the founder of Homeopathy to describe the conventional medical approach that uses external interventions (drugs or surgery) to create effects opposite to existing disease. The term highlights allopathic medicine's tendency to forcefully override illness rather than support the body's self-healing mechanisms. While initially derisive, some MDs adopted it to distinguish themselves from competitors until monopolistic tactics around 1910 allowed Allopathy to become simply "medicine" while other approaches faded.

Other medical approaches that developed in contrast to Allopathy include Homeopathy (1796), Eclectic Medicine (1827), Osteopathy (1874), Chiropractic (1895), and Naturopathy (1901). These alternative approaches were based on supporting the body's ability to heal itself rather than forcing it into a desired state. Where Allopathy focused on treating symptoms through forceful interventions—often using toxic substances that created dramatic effects mistaken for efficacy—these competing schools emphasized working with the body's inherent healing mechanisms. They recognized that while symptom suppression might create short-term improvements, it often led to more severe illnesses later by pushing disease deeper into the system.

5: What evidence suggests a global loss of vitality in human health over generations?

Older doctors from various medical schools have observed a general decline in human vitality comparing patients from the start of their careers to the end. They noted that patients have become much sicker with previously unseen conditions, and treatments that once produced dramatic improvements now create only minuscule changes requiring numerous successive treatments. These practitioners identified various markers of diminished vitality, including dropping average body temperature, decreased ability to mount fevers, infants producing less brisk cries, and increasing degrees of fluid stagnation.

This decline appears to have been continuous since at least the late 1800s, proceeding in a generally linear fashion with occasional spikes corresponding to specific interventions such as the introduction of the smallpox vaccine, the 1986 law granting immunity to vaccine manufacturers (leading to rapid proliferation of the vaccine schedule), and most recently the COVID vaccines. Each wave of sickness becomes normalized and forgotten by the next generation of doctors who enter practice after these changes have become the "new normal." One practitioner noted that in the early 1970s, patients in their 90s and 100s with clear mental faculties were common, while dementia was rare and cancers were primarily seen in older patients.

6: What are the main functions of cortisol in the body?

Cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, serves several key functions. For immune modulation, it enhances immediate immune response to threats while limiting excessive activity to prevent autoimmunity, partly by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and reducing T-cell activity. It regulates blood sugar by raising it when levels are low through stimulating gluconeogenesis in the liver, mobilizing amino acids from muscle and fatty acids from fat, and reducing insulin sensitivity in tissues. This blood sugar regulation function can lead to diabetes, abdominal fat accumulation, and cardiovascular issues when cortisol is excessive.

Additionally, cortisol affects connective tissues by promoting protein breakdown in muscles and inhibiting collagen synthesis, which can cause muscle wasting, bone loss, poor wound healing, and skin changes when levels are excessive. It raises blood pressure by increasing sodium and water retention and sensitizing blood vessels to epinephrine, increasing cardiovascular disease risk. Cortisol also modulates cognition through effects on arousal, attention, and memory, with chronic excess impairing hippocampal function and potentially causing memory deficits, pain sensitivity, and other cognitive issues. Finally, cortisol regulates the HPA axis itself, with chronic elevation leading to dysfunction where the axis becomes either desensitized or unable to secrete cortisol when needed.

7: What are the most common and serious side effects of corticosteroid use?

Corticosteroids cause widespread and often severe side effects, with studies showing 90% of users report adverse effects and 55% report at least one that is very bothersome. The most common side effects include weight gain and increased appetite (affecting about 70% of long-term users), mood changes and mental health issues (including mania, depression, and sometimes psychosis), insomnia and sleep disturbances, fatigue and weakness, skin and hair changes (thin skin, bruising, acne, stretch marks), digestive problems, bone and joint issues, Cushingoid features (moon face, buffalo hump), increased infection risk, and blood sugar disruptions.

The most serious side effects include bone loss (doubling fracture risk and causing 5-15% bone loss yearly), avascular necrosis (bone death, affecting 6.7% of high-dose users), adrenal insufficiency (affecting 48.7% of oral users), diabetes (users being 1.85 times more likely to develop it), cardiovascular events (high doses increasing heart attacks by 226%, heart failure by 272%, and strokes by 73%), eye problems (increasing cataract risk by 245-311% and glaucoma risk by 41%), gastrointestinal bleeding or perforation (increased by 40%), and increased risk of infections like tuberculosis and sepsis (by about 20%).

8: How do different routes of steroid administration compare in terms of risks and benefits?

Different routes of steroid administration vary significantly in their risk profiles, with generally shorter and more external courses causing fewer problems. Inhaled steroids, used for asthma and COPD, have less systemic absorption than oral steroids, with side effects mostly concentrated in the airway (oral thrush, sore throat, hoarse voice). Topical steroids primarily cause local issues from prolonged use (skin thinning, particularly on the face) with rare systemic effects, possibly working by reducing fluid circulation to the skin.

Injectable steroids for joint pain cause some systemic absorption and associated side effects, while non-water-soluble formulations remain in joints long-term. Critically, they weaken connective tissue including ligaments, potentially worsening the underlying joint problems and leading to eventual surgery—particularly problematic in the spine. Intravenous steroids, while sometimes lifesaving for severe illnesses, carry significant side effects. Oral steroids have the widest range of applications but cause the most side effects, including severe impacts on multiple body systems. The text suggests that many uses of steroids cause more harm than benefit, with natural alternatives often providing similar relief with fewer risks.

9: What are Cell Wall Deficient bacteria and how might they relate to autoimmune conditions?

Cell Wall Deficient (CWD) bacteria are bacteria that, when exposed to lethal stressors like cell wall-destroying antibiotics, can transform into primitive survival modes, becoming misshapen "mycoplasma-like" bacteria that dramatically change size or morphology. These transformed bacteria are difficult to detect and often mistaken for cellular debris, but with correct techniques, they can be identified within tissues undergoing autoimmune attacks, with specific CWD bacteria associated with different autoimmune disorders that have no known cause.

These bacteria may explain how antibiotics can "treat" an acute infection but transform it into a chronic one. Once their environment becomes "safe," they can transform back to normal form, causing sudden infection recurrence. This suggests chronic infections may result from antibiotics creating dormant CWD populations rather than continual reinfection. Several alternative medical approaches (Rife, Naessens, Enderlein) were based on observations of these pleomorphic bacteria, noting disease states correlated with specific morphologies. These schools advocated creating "healthy terrains" within the body to promote non-pathogenic bacterial forms rather than using antibiotics that provoke pathogen transformation. Around 10% of chronic conditions may have a "pleomorphic" component that improves when addressed.

10: How might antibiotics potentially create chronic infections rather than eliminate them?

Antibiotics, particularly cell wall-targeting ones like penicillin, can potentially create chronic infections by forcing bacteria into protective Cell Wall Deficient (CWD) forms. When bacteria are exposed to antibiotics that would normally kill them, some survive by transforming into primitive "mycoplasma-like" shapes that are difficult to detect and often mistaken for cellular debris. These transformed bacteria can remain dormant in tissues, later reverting to their normal form when conditions are favorable and causing recurrent infections.

This phenomenon, observed in Chinese Medicine as "Latent Heat," occurs when an external pathogenic factor penetrates without apparent symptoms, incubates internally, and later emerges with acute symptoms. Many natural medicine practitioners have observed antibiotics treating acute infections but turning them into chronic ones. Several integrative physicians find chronic autoimmune illnesses linked to unrecognized infections, possibly because these organisms contain antigen sequences matching normal tissue, provoking autoimmune responses. Some drugs effective for autoimmune conditions, like minocycline for rheumatoid arthritis or doxycycline for Lyme disease, may work by eliminating these underlying CWD bacteria or mycoplasma infections, suggesting an unrecognized bacterial component to many autoimmune disorders.

11: What is the Cell Danger Response theory and how does it relate to chronic illness?

The Cell Danger Response (CDR) is a mitochondrial pathway where cells stop functioning normally and enter a defensive state after exposure to stressors. In this state, cellular resources focus on protection and eliminating invaders rather than performing normal functions. While this process is helpful and necessary for repair, cells can get "stuck" in this defensive mode, and as we age, more cells become trapped in this state, potentially triggering autoimmunity and other chronic conditions.

The CDR model explains several important aspects of chronic illness. First, if the initial triggering factor isn't removed, the CDR either can't be treated or will quickly resume after treatment. Second, directly treating CDR-induced problems like mitochondrial dysfunction can cause a backlash as the system "needed" to be in that dysfunctional state. Third, lifestyle practices that signal safety to the body (like nourishing relationships or stress reduction) help cells exit the CDR state. Many regenerative therapies essentially work by resolving the CDR, and treatments like exosomes, suramin, DMSO, and ultraviolet blood irradiation have shown effectiveness by helping cells exit this defensive state.

12: What lifestyle factors most significantly impact autoimmune conditions?

Sleep quality profoundly affects autoimmune conditions, with disrupted sleep cycles frequently observed in autoimmune patients. Improvements in sleep hygiene and avoiding blue light often lead to condition improvement. Sunlight exposure is another critical factor despite being demonized by the medical field; lack of sunlight correlates with many autoimmune conditions including multiple sclerosis, and resuming healthy exposure often benefits patients. The benefits from ultraviolet blood irradiation for autoimmune conditions further supports sunlight's importance.

Exercise significantly impacts autoimmunity through improved fluid circulation, particularly addressing lymphatic stagnation that can lead to autoimmune reactions. The text advocates gentle but sustainable exercises that improve circulation (walking, tai chi, swimming, trampolining) rather than strenuous ones difficult to maintain. Stress is another major factor, with 80% of autoimmune patients reporting unusual stress before disease onset and studies showing stress disorders increase autoimmune risk by 46-129%. Addressing toxic relationships, stressful careers or environments, and treating past trauma can significantly improve autoimmune conditions and sometimes allow medications to work that previously didn't.

13: How does diet influence autoimmune conditions, and which approaches show the most promise?

Food allergens frequently contribute to autoimmune conditions, particularly arthritis. The most common offenders are gluten and pasteurized dairy, followed by other allergens like eggs and lectin-heavy foods (nightshades, many gluten-free products). Many patients experience remarkable benefits by eliminating common allergens or following an elimination diet to identify specific triggers. The Mediterranean diet has the strongest evidence supporting its use for autoimmune disorders, though its benefits diminish when good quality foods and oils aren't available.

Insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction correlate strongly with inflammation and fluid stagnation, with less than 1% of autoimmune patients showing normal insulin resistance parameters. Addressing these metabolic factors often improves autoimmune outcomes. Fasting significantly benefits autoimmune conditions by improving insulin sensitivity and enhancing autophagy (cellular cleaning). Some patients achieve long-term remission after prolonged water fasts, particularly when followed by low-allergen diets. For most people, intermittent fasting (eating within a 4-8 hour window daily) provides similar benefits more sustainably. Some evidence also supports avoiding seed oils or adopting ketogenic diets for autoimmunity.

14: What is the relationship between stress and autoimmune disorders?

Stress is a powerful trigger for autoimmune disorders, with 80% of autoimmune patients reporting unusually stressful situations prior to disease onset. Research confirms this connection, with one extensive study finding that stress disorders increase the risk of developing a single autoimmune disorder by 46% and multiple disorders by 129%. Stress also commonly triggers flares of existing autoimmune conditions. Importantly, high stress levels can actually prevent medications from working effectively, with some rheumatologic drugs only becoming effective once stress is reduced.

The text strongly advises cutting off sources of chronic stress for autoimmune patients, whether these come from toxic relationships, stressful careers, or problematic environments. Interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy or support groups can be beneficial for managing unavoidable stress. The text also notes that addressing past trauma can sometimes produce profound improvements in autoimmune conditions, suggesting that "trapped emotions" stored in the body over years can contribute to chronic inflammation. This mind-body connection appears particularly important in autoimmune disorders where the immune system is already dysregulated.

15: How does fasting potentially benefit autoimmune conditions?

Fasting benefits autoimmune conditions primarily through improving insulin sensitivity and enhancing autophagy—the body's cellular cleaning process that eliminates harmful components like inflammatory mitochondrial DNA. While not consistent for everyone, many cases show long-term remission following prolonged water fasts, particularly when the fast is followed by a low food-allergen diet. This suggests fasting may help "reset" dysfunctional immune responses and reduce systemic inflammation.

For most people, the more sustainable approach of intermittent fasting (eating only during a 4-8 hour window each day) provides similar benefits without the extreme nature of water fasting. Fasting appears to work through multiple mechanisms: improving metabolic parameters, reducing inflammatory markers, enhancing cellular repair processes, and potentially addressing fluid stagnation that contributes to autoimmunity. The text notes that fasting is one of the practices consistently observed among very elderly patients who maintained health and vigor into their 80s and 90s, suggesting its benefits extend beyond just autoimmune conditions to overall longevity and resilience.

16: What is the significance of blood stasis in Chinese Medicine's understanding of disease?

In Chinese Medicine, blood stasis became established as a primary cause of disease around 1830 and has grown in perceived importance since then. Blood stasis refers to the impaired flow of blood, which leads to pathological changes in tissues and organs. The text connects this concept to the introduction of the smallpox vaccine in 1796 (arriving in China by 1805), suggesting that the unusual and severe injuries caused by this vaccine matched those attributed to blood stasis in Chinese medicine, potentially explaining the increased recognition of blood stasis as a disease factor.

Chinese medicine views the progression of disease as moving from superficial to deep energy channels, correlating with increasing blood stasis and loss of zeta potential obstructing larger vessels. Unlike Western approaches that counteract symptomatic reactions, Chinese treatments often aim to expel pathogenic factors. The text proposes that fluid stagnation (or blood stasis) underlies many modern diseases and may explain the global decline in human vitality, noting that treatments addressing blood stasis or zeta potential frequently improve autoimmune conditions, particularly joint disorders that require proper fluid circulation for repair. This perspective offers an alternative framework for understanding how chronic illness develops and might be treated.

17: What supplements are most promising for autoimmune conditions?

Several supplements show particular promise for autoimmune conditions. Magnesium (especially L-threonate form) is crucial for mitochondrial function and helps address the mitochondrial dysfunction common in autoimmunity. Iodine and selenium are particularly important for thyroid autoimmunity, along with vitamin D. Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM) benefits inflammatory joint conditions, gradually improving arthritic joints and preventing cartilage loss, with specific formulations helping degenerative bone changes in conditions like Sjögren's syndrome.

Astaxanthin, found in marine life like krill, serves as a safe NSAID alternative by stabilizing cell membranes to prevent inflammatory phospholipid release. It also protects photosensitive patients from sun-induced rashes, prevents cataracts and retinal damage, and directly improves arthritic joints. Urolithin A (often from pomegranates) heals leaky gut syndrome—a common autoimmunity contributor—while improving mitochondrial function and lean muscle mass. Other beneficial supplements include curcumin, boswellia, ginger, omega-3s, garlic, and skullcap, though these typically work more slowly. The text cautions that some herbs like echinacea stimulate immune function and may worsen autoimmunity.

18: What is DMSO and how might it serve as an alternative to steroids?

DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is described as a forgotten therapy that offers a safer alternative to steroids for various conditions. It possesses multiple beneficial properties: it's highly anti-inflammatory, excellent at improving circulation, effective at eliminating mycoplasma, and capable of resolving the cell danger response. These properties make it suitable for many conditions typically treated with steroids, including neurological injuries (elevated intracranial pressure, spinal cord trauma), pain, chronic injuries, and various autoimmune conditions.

According to the text, DMSO frequently produces results superior to steroids without their significant side effects. The author reports receiving thousands of testimonials from people who tried it and notes that physicians have shared remarkable results in their medical practices. One physician, James Miller, reportedly saw DMSO help challenging autoimmune conditions, even saving lungs that had previously required transplantation. DMSO appears to address multiple underlying factors in chronic inflammation rather than simply suppressing symptoms, potentially offering a more holistic approach to conditions typically managed with steroids.

19: What is Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation and what conditions might it help?

Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation (UVBI) is a therapy that exposes a small amount of blood to ultraviolet light before returning it to the body. This treatment produces rapid significant changes and offers multiple benefits: improving circulation, taking cells out of the cell danger response, and eliminating infections including mycoplasma and viruses (particularly effective against Epstein-Barr). Its potent anti-inflammatory properties make it beneficial for various autoimmune conditions.

The text references data showing UVBI effectively treats inflammatory organ diseases like hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and transplant rejections. It's also helpful for conditions with suspected inflammatory processes that don't respond to other treatments, such as certain types of headaches. Some of UVBI's effects can be partially achieved through direct sunlight exposure, particularly via the eyes. The text notes that efficacy varies somewhat between different UVBI units, with O3UV identified as having the best equipment available. This therapy represents another approach that addresses underlying inflammation rather than simply suppressing symptoms.

20: What is Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and how does it work for autoimmune conditions?

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) utilizes small amounts of naltrexone, an opioid blocker originally developed for addiction treatment. In 1985, a doctor discovered that low doses improved AIDS progression by stimulating endorphin production (as naltrexone blocked receptors, the body compensated by producing more endorphins). LDN has since become popular for various illnesses, particularly autoimmune conditions, serving as a safer NSAID alternative and helping neuropathies, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, POTS, dysautonomias, inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune thyroid conditions, mast cell activation syndrome, and autoimmune complications from COVID-19 vaccine injuries.

For optimal results with LDN, starting with a low dose (1-2 mg) and gradually increasing is recommended, rather than expecting overnight success. If someone's system is already depleted, they may not tolerate the initial endorphin blockade. LDN works through a different mechanism than steroids or traditional immunosuppressants—instead of directly suppressing immune function, it modulates the body's own regulatory systems. Some conditions that respond to LDN also benefit from methylene blue, which can rapidly improve fibromyalgia, brain fog, chronic fatigue, cravings, and thyroid conditions.

21: How do chronic infections potentially trigger or perpetuate autoimmune disorders?

Chronic infections can underlie many autoimmune disorders through several mechanisms. In some cases, organisms contain antigen sequences that match normal tissue, provoking an autoimmune attack. The text identifies several types of problematic infections: periodontal disease and dental infections (which can trigger autoimmune conditions, cancers, heart attacks, or strokes), cell wall deficient bacteria and mycoplasma (which can be addressed with specific antibiotics or transformed into non-pathogenic states), and persistent microbes like Lyme, bartonella, mycoplasma pneumonia, chlamydia pneumoniae, HHV-6, and Epstein-Barr virus.

Many autoimmune cases that don't respond to conventional treatment improve when underlying infections are identified and treated. However, not everyone harboring these infections becomes ill. Often, the body's reaction to an infection results from incomplete recovery (continuing to exert rather than resting during or after illness) or from sensitization triggered by environmental toxins. Testing for these infections can be valuable in treatment-resistant cases, and treatment approaches include specific antibiotics, avoiding toxin exposure, detoxification, and various integrative antimicrobial therapies including ultraviolet blood irradiation, which is particularly effective against Epstein-Barr virus.

22: What is the significance of dental infections in relation to autoimmune conditions?

Dental infections represent an often-overlooked trigger for autoimmune conditions. Periodontal disease and oral infections can set off autoimmune disorders, certain cancers, heart attacks, and strokes, yet their significance is frequently unrecognized because oral health typically falls under the purview of dentists who don't treat the rest of the body. These infections can manifest as general gum inflammation, infected root canals (particularly problematic due to bacteria toxins affecting the nerve root and connected areas), or specific problematic infections in the teeth.

The text provides specific examples, noting cases where strep infections in the canine teeth caused lupus. Various approaches for treating dental infections include DMSO applications, direct gum injections, and appropriate oral hygiene practices. The separation between dental and medical care creates a significant gap in addressing these infections' systemic effects. By recognizing and properly treating oral infections, practitioners may be able to resolve the underlying trigger for certain autoimmune conditions rather than merely suppressing symptoms with medications like steroids.

23: What are exosomes and how might they help with autoimmune conditions?

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles derived from cells that contain various bioactive molecules like proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. The text specifically highlights amniotic fluid-derived exosomes as particularly effective at resolving the Cell Danger Response (CDR), a defensive state that cells enter after exposure to stressors. Since the CDR often underlies autoimmune conditions when cells become "stuck" in this state, exosomes can help by signaling cells to exit this defensive mode and resume normal function.

The author reports witnessing many cases where patients rapidly recovered after exosome infusions, including from COVID-19 and difficult-to-treat autoimmune conditions. Exosomes appear to work by providing regenerative signals that help restore proper cellular communication and function. Unlike steroids that simply suppress inflammation, exosomes may address the underlying cellular dysfunction driving autoimmune processes. The text suggests exosomes represent one of several systemic therapies developed to treat the CDR, alongside other approaches like suramin for autism, and positions them as potentially more holistic alternatives to conventional immunosuppressive treatments.

24: What conventional pharmaceutical alternatives to steroids exist for autoimmune conditions?

Several conventional pharmaceuticals offer safer alternatives to steroids for autoimmune conditions. For rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate is widely used (treating 60-70% of cases) but has significant side effects. Safer alternatives include leflunomide (similar efficacy with less toxicity) and rapamycin/sirolimus (works as well as methotrexate with fewer side effects and even treats conditions methotrexate causes like hair loss and pulmonary fibrosis). Hydroxychloroquine has relatively low toxicity and serves as a first-line therapy for many conditions including inflammatory osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus without impairing immune function.

Other options include sulfasalazine for inflammatory arthritis with bowel components, Rinvoq (upadacitinib, a Janus Kinase inhibitor) with excellent safety-to-efficacy ratio for various autoimmune conditions, Otezla (apremilast) for skin conditions and psoriatic arthritis, Orencia (abatacept) for challenging autoimmune cases, TNF-Alpha receptor antibodies like Cimzia and Humira when absolutely necessary, Kevzara (sarilumab) for normalizing systemic inflammation, Rituxan (rituximab) for patients unresponsive to other treatments, and Acthar gel containing adrenocorticotropic hormone for specific challenging situations. These medications, while not without risks, generally offer better risk-benefit profiles than long-term steroid use.

25: How do different medical specialists view the use of steroids in their practice?

The text presents perspectives from seven different specialists on steroid use. A rheumatologist now almost entirely avoids steroids due to long-term toxicity, using them only for life-threatening autoimmune exacerbations as a bridge to less toxic treatments. An orthopedic surgeon warns patients that steroid injections accelerate joint degeneration and likely lead to joint replacement. An ICU doctor/surgeon has seen steroids save patients from circulatory collapse but notes subsequent infectious complications often cause severe debilitation, and has observed worse cancer outcomes in patients with prolonged steroid use.

A dermatologist considers topical steroids generally safe but avoids oral steroids due to risks like Cushing's syndrome. An integrative gastroenterologist calls steroids "the ultimate bandaid" that deteriorates multiple organ systems. A psychiatrist highlights steroid-induced psychiatric changes that often go unrecognized, particularly in hospital settings. An ER doctor supports acute short-term steroid use for life-threatening conditions but cautions against use beyond 5-7 days. Lastly, a pulmonologist/ICU doctor believes there's too much fear around systemic steroids, having seen thousands of patients benefit with minimal side effects. These diverse perspectives highlight the complex risk-benefit calculations involved in steroid prescribing.

26: What is the connection between gut health and autoimmunity?

Gut health plays a crucial role in autoimmune disorders through several mechanisms. Leaky gut syndrome, where the intestinal barrier becomes permeable allowing food particles and microbes to enter the bloodstream, is a common contributor to autoimmunity. The text specifically mentions urolithin A (from pomegranates) as excellent for healing leaky gut and significantly improving various autoimmune conditions. Many joint conditions (spondylopathies) have an unrecognized inflammatory bowel disease component, often detectable with Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae Antibody tests for Crohn's disease.

The microbiome's disruption also contributes to chronic illness, with antibiotics potentially creating chronic infections by altering gut bacteria and allowing opportunistic microbes to flourish. Food allergens, particularly gluten and dairy, frequently aggravate autoimmune conditions through their effects on gut integrity. The text notes that inflammation in the middle portion of the bowel, which standard scopes don't reach, can be missed in conventional diagnostics. This gut-autoimmunity connection explains why dietary interventions, probiotic protocols, and treatments targeting intestinal permeability often improve autoimmune symptoms, addressing a root cause rather than merely suppressing inflammation with steroids.

27: How does zeta potential relate to fluid circulation and autoimmune conditions?

Zeta potential refers to the electrical charge that keeps colloidal systems (like blood) from clumping together. The text indicates that impaired zeta potential contributes to fluid stagnation, microclotting, and lymphatic congestion—all factors in autoimmune conditions. Proper fluid circulation, particularly lymphatic flow, is essential for immune system function, as the lymphatic system relies on physical movement for circulation. Sedentary lifestyles can lead to lymphatic stagnation, which may give way to autoimmunity.

Treatments that improve zeta potential or address blood stasis frequently improve autoimmune conditions, particularly those affecting joints, which require cyclic fluid circulation for repair. The text provides examples like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu helping rheumatoid arthritis by creating changes in blood flow direction, and notes that high glucose levels cause colloidal systems to clump together similar to zeta potential impairment. The connection between hydroxychloroquine's effectiveness for autoimmunity and its ability to reduce blood "sludging" is highlighted, suggesting improved fluid dynamics may be an underappreciated mechanism in treating autoimmune conditions. This model explains why activities that improve circulation—exercise, hot-cold therapy, sunlight exposure—often benefit autoimmune patients.

28: What criticisms does the text offer regarding modern medical training?

The text criticizes modern medical training for requiring doctors to be knowledgeable in so many topics that complex subjects get reduced to simple axiomatic truths that are memorized and never questioned. This leads to blindness about potential harms of common treatments, as challenging these axioms would disrupt standard practice. There's also criticism that doctors become habituated to patients being progressively sicker, normalizing declining health rather than questioning what's causing it.

Another criticism involves the pharmacologic focus of the medical system, which creates a general lack of awareness of non-pharmacologic options freely available to patients. The text suggests that medical training fails to teach doctors to recognize when suppressing symptoms might create worse problems later—a principle like Hering's Law of Cure that remains "largely unrecognized" despite compelling cases supporting it. The compartmentalization of medical specialties (like separating dental from medical care) prevents practitioners from seeing connections between issues like oral infections and systemic autoimmunity. Overall, the text portrays modern medical training as creating practitioners who manage symptoms through standardized protocols rather than addressing root causes or recognizing the body's self-healing capacities.

29: What detoxification approaches are suggested for addressing chronic illness?

For detoxification, the text recommends several approaches based on the understanding that environmental toxins (chemical, emotional, or electromagnetic) often trigger sensitization that leads to chronic illness. Adequate hydration combined with regular sauna use (especially infrared saunas) to sweat out toxins is emphasized as most important, alongside being in a clean environment with air free of particulate matter and eating a clean diet. Binders that capture released toxins, such as PectaClear or chlorella, are suggested as helpful additions.

For more intensive detoxification, the text mentions IV treatments including phosphatidylcholine, plasmapheresis (since many toxins like microplastics, pesticides and metals bind to albumin), or aluminum-free EDTA chelation therapy depending on what needs to be removed. Interestingly, the text notes that toxic patients who don't respond to chelation therapy often have better results when given IV trace minerals beforehand, suggesting these might support detoxification enzymes or displace heavy metals bound to tissues. When addressing both toxins and infections, the text recommends starting with detoxification before antimicrobial treatment, as this approach typically yields better results and fewer reactions.

30: How does insulin resistance relate to inflammation and autoimmune conditions?

Insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction are intrinsically linked with inflammation and autoimmune conditions. The text states that less than 1% of autoimmune patients show normal insulin resistance parameters when tested using the HOMA-IR test. This metabolic dysfunction contributes to inflammation partly by affecting fluid dynamics—high glucose levels cause colloidal systems to clump together similarly to zeta potential impairment, potentially creating fluid stagnation that underlies many inflammatory conditions.

Addressing insulin resistance through lifestyle changes or pharmacologic measures often improves autoimmune outcomes. Fasting, which enhances insulin sensitivity, frequently benefits autoimmune conditions by reducing inflammation and enhancing autophagy (cellular cleanup processes). The Mediterranean diet, which helps regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation, shows the strongest evidence for helping autoimmune disorders. The text also mentions that liver metabolic dysfunction associates with systemic inflammation, with increasing numbers of young people developing both nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (fatty liver disease) and multiple autoimmune syndrome (three or more concurrent autoimmune diseases). This connection between metabolic health and autoimmunity suggests that addressing insulin resistance should be a key component of autoimmune treatment.

31: What is the Vectra DA test and how is it useful for autoimmune conditions?

The Vectra DA test measures 12 inflammatory cytokines and scores patients as having low, moderate, or high inflammation. This test is described as very helpful for managing both autoimmune conditions and Long Covid, though it often requires an inflammatory arthritis diagnosis for insurance reimbursement. The test provides objective measurement of systemic inflammation that can guide treatment decisions and monitor progress.

Importantly, the Vectra DA test can show how improving lifestyle factors (like sleep, sunlight exposure, stress reduction, or dietary changes) affects systemic inflammation. This allows practitioners to identify which interventions are most effective for individual patients and to track improvements objectively rather than relying solely on subjective symptom reports. The test can also indicate if critical factors contributing to inflammation, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, have been overlooked in treatment planning. This represents a more precise approach to managing autoimmune inflammation compared to the broad suppression provided by steroids, allowing for targeted interventions addressing specific inflammatory pathways.

32: How might sunlight exposure influence autoimmune conditions?

Sunlight exposure significantly influences autoimmune conditions despite being demonized by the medical field as a cancer cause. The text states that lack of sunlight is tied to many autoimmune conditions, particularly multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune patients often improve after resuming healthy sunlight exposure. The benefits may come from multiple mechanisms, including vitamin D production, improved fluid circulation throughout the body, and immune modulation.

Morning sunlight exposure (without glass obstruction) helps reestablish circadian rhythms and restore healthy sleep, which further benefits autoimmune patients since sleep disruption commonly accompanies autoimmunity. The text suggests that sunlight's effectiveness for autoimmune conditions is supported by the benefits seen with ultraviolet blood irradiation therapy, which mimics some of sunlight's effects. Sunlight is also identified as one of the practices consistently observed among the oldest patients who maintained vigor and health into their 80s and 90s. The text criticizes the medical field for lacking a "commercial lobby" to advocate for sunlight, leading to its benefits being underappreciated despite evidence that insufficient sunlight makes individuals 60% more likely to die.

33: What is the historical context of steroid development and use in medicine?

The first synthetic steroid (cortisone) was synthesized in 1946, and by 1948, enough had been produced to test on a human, where it improved rheumatoid arthritis symptoms—winning the 1950 Nobel Prize and being hailed as a "wonder drug." This success led to rapid adoption for a range of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders and the development of other steroids like prednisone, hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone.

By the late 1950s, however, serious side effects from long-term use became apparent, causing steroids to be "shunned altogether by the rheumatology community" in the early 1960s. This led to NSAIDs being named "non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs" specifically to distinguish them from the disastrous steroids. Over time, steroids were prescribed more cautiously and at lower doses, experiencing a rebirth in the 1980s under low-dose regimens. Despite this history of recognized harms, steroid use has gradually increased, with 7.7% of American adults using oral steroids in 2018 (up from 6.4% in 2009), and 21.4% of adults receiving at least one oral steroid prescription within a three-year period.

34: How might environmental toxins contribute to autoimmune conditions?

Environmental toxins are identified as major contributors to chronic illness and autoimmunity, particularly chemical toxins, but also electromagnetic and emotional toxins. The text suggests that for many people who were healthy into their teenage years, autoimmune sensitization often results from environmental toxin exposure. These toxins can trigger the body to react negatively to even small amounts of antigens from common infections, pushing the immune system into the Cell Danger Response state where it becomes hyperreactive.

Identifying specific problematic chemicals is challenging because thousands exist with inadequate safety testing focused only on acute lethal toxicity rather than chronic low-grade exposure. One researcher testing hundreds of chronically ill patients for thousands of chemical toxins couldn't find a consistent pattern, suggesting individual genetic susceptibility plays a role in determining which toxins affect which people. The text recommends focusing on detoxification approaches rather than identifying specific toxins, including regular sauna use, adequate hydration, clean environments, clean diets, and sometimes specific binding agents or IV treatments. For sensitive patients, detoxification should generally precede antimicrobial treatment to avoid severe reactions to microbial die-off.

35: What are the key differences between treating symptoms versus addressing root causes?

Treating symptoms versus addressing root causes represents a fundamental distinction between allopathic and alternative medical approaches. The text argues that allopathic medicine focuses on suppressing unpleasant symptoms, which provides short-term improvements but often leads to more severe illnesses emerging later. This approach is criticized for forcefully overriding the body's innate healing mechanisms rather than supporting them. In contrast, alternative approaches like homeopathy, naturopathy, and Chinese medicine aim to identify and address underlying causes while supporting the body's self-healing capacity.

Hering's Law of Cure illustrates this distinction by proposing that healing occurs from inside out, head down, and in reverse order of symptom appearance, while disease progresses in the opposite direction. By suppressing symptoms (like fever) that represent the body's attempt to expel pathogens, conventional approaches may drive illness deeper into the body. The text provides examples of this process: children developing autistic regression after vaccine reactions are suppressed with Tylenol, or COVID patients deteriorating after fever suppression. This critique extends to autoimmune treatment, where the text argues for addressing underlying infections, toxins, lifestyle factors, and gut health rather than merely suppressing inflammation with steroids and other immunosuppressants.

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