Disease Origin — What Causes Crohn’s?
Why some people develop Crohn’s disease while others don’t is still an open question. Researchers have some theories and have identified a few risk factors — but there’s no single cause, and no one thing you did or didn’t do is to blame.
Crohn’s is not your fault
This is the most important thing to know in this chapter: Crohn’s is not caused by anything a person did — not by what you ate, how stressed you were, or any choice you made.
What Scientists Think Is Going On
Researchers have a few leading theories about how Crohn’s starts in the body:
🦠 Immune system “stuck on”
One theory is that a virus or bacterial infection may trigger Crohn’s. After the immune system fights off the infection, it doesn’t quite shut off — and it keeps mistakenly attacking healthy tissue in the gut.
🌱 The gut microbiome
Another theory points to the gut flora (microbiome) — the trillions of tiny helpful microbes that live in your digestive system. An imbalance in that mix may play a role in how Crohn’s develops.
Known Risk Factors
Even though the exact cause isn’t known, researchers have identified certain things that can make Crohn’s more likely to develop.
Genetic factors
Where and how you live
What about stress and diet?
Stress and diet don’t cause Crohn’s. They can, however, make symptoms worse during a flare-up, which is why later chapters talk about how to eat and manage stress well when you’re living with Crohn’s.