I'm often asked my opinion about the cause or treatment of some medical condition,

but the question to instead ask is, what does the science say?

What is the best available balance of evidence published in the peer-reviewed medical literature

you have to say right now?

Welcome to the Nutrition Facts podcast.

I'm your host, Dr. Michael Greger.

Today we start with the Mycobacterium paratroculosis in contaminated meat and dairy that may play a role in an autoimmune disease called sarcoidosis.

Here's our new senior research scientist, Dr. Christine Dennis. Sarcidosis is a disease characterized by granulomas, which are collections of immune cells caused by chronic inflammation.

They can form in our lungs, lymph nodes, on our skin, and in other parts of our body.

The occurrence of sarcoidosis varies greatly around the world, from fairly low levels in countries like

South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, to up to 100 times higher levels in Sweden and Canada.

Race also seems to matter, with black populations experiencing much higher rates of disease

and higher rates of death at younger ages. It's possible black people may be at greater risk

of disease and disease

severity, but there are also longstanding systemic health and social inequities that limit access

to quality care. The routine way to treat sarcoidosis is with immune-suppressing corticosteroid

drugs to manage the inflammation. Thugs come with their own limitations, though, including steroid

resistance, no response to the medications, and a long list of potential side effects.

Could nutrition help in sarcoidosis treatment?

Possibly.

Certain components in food may have anti-inflammatory effects in lung diseases.

So maybe sarcoidosis patients should be encouraged to eat antioxidant and polyphenol-rich diets,

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