An honest look at
a chronic disease.
While Crohn's disease causes are unknown—what is known is that it is a chronic,
or ongoing, inflammatory disease of the digestive or gastrointestinal tract.1
It appears to be a result of a complex interaction of factors, including2:
- Inherited genes
- The immune system
- Environmental factors
Foreign substances (antigens) in the environment may be the direct cause of the
inflammation, or they may stimulate the body's defenses to produce inflammation
that continues without control.2
Once the immune system is “turned on” it doesn't know how to "turn off."
Researchers believe people with Crohn's experience an overactive immune response.
As a result, damaging inflammation occurs in the digestive tract and leads to Crohn's
symptoms.2
Crohn's can affect people of all ages.
While most men and women diagnosed with Crohn's disease are between the ages of
15 and 35, it can affect people of any age.
Males and females appear to be affected equally. In addition, more Caucasians than
people from other racial groups develop Crohn's.2