Canada 
Alberta 
British Columbia 
Manitoba
New Brunswick 
Newfoundland Labrador 
Nova Scotia 
Ontario 
Prince Edward Island 
Quebec 
Saskatchewan 
United States 
Belgium
France 
Italy 
Switzerland
Elsewhere
Elsewhere
×
Elsewhere
Elsewhere
Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet: What Does Science Say?
Conclusion
The AIP diet may improve certain symptoms in the short term, largely due to the elimination of ultra-processed foods, increased attention to dietary habits, and reduced caloric intake rather than a direct effect on autoimmune processes.
However, there is currently no strong evidence supporting its long-term use or its superiority over less restrictive, evidence-based dietary approaches. A balanced, varied diet tailored to individual needs remains the best strategy to support people living with autoimmune diseases without imposing unnecessary dietary restrictions or unrealistic promises.
*FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that are partly responsible for causing symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). For more info, read this article.
Sources
- Davidson A, Diamond B. Autoimmune diseases. N Engl J Med. 2001;345(5):340–350.
- Cordain L. The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 2002.
- Ballantyne S. The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Publishing; 2014.
- Well Theory. The Ultimate Guide to the AIP Diet. https://www.welltheory.com/guide/ultimate-guide/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-aip-diet
- Bischoff SC, Barbara G, Buurman W, et al. Intestinal permeability – a new target for disease prevention and therapy. BMC Gastroenterology. 2014;14:189.
- Camilleri M. Leaky gut: mechanisms, measurement and clinical implications. Gut. 2019;68(8):1516–1526.
- Calder PC. Nutrition, immunity and inflammation. Proc Nutr Soc. 2013;72(3):299–309.
- Davis C, Bryan J, Hodgson J, Murphy K. Definition of the Mediterranean Diet; a literature review. Nutrients. 2015;7(11):9139–9153.
- Ramsden CE, Zamora D, Majchrzak-Hong S, et al. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data. BMJ. 2016;353:i1246.
- Konijeti GG, Kim N, Lewis JD, et al. Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet in inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2017;23(11):2054–2060.
- Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Moubarac JC, et al. Ultra-processed foods and health: a systematic review. Public Health Nutrition. 2019;22(5):936–941.
- Forsythe LK, Wallace JM, Livingstone MB. Obesity and inflammation: the effects of weight loss. Proc Nutr Soc. 2008;67(2):157–167.
- Benedetti F. Placebo effects: mechanisms and clinical implications. Lancet. 2005;366(9481):1105–1117.
- Pardali EC, Gkouvi A, Gkouskou KK, Manolakis AC, Tsigalou C, Goulis DG, Bogdanos DP, Grammatikopoulou MG. Autoimmune protocol diet: A personalized elimination diet for patients with autoimmune diseases. Metabol Open. 2024 Dec 30;25:100342. doi:10.1016/j.metop.2024.100342. PMCID: PMC11755016; PMID: 39850611.
Author
Lyna is a McGill University–trained registered dietitian and has been a member of the Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) since 2020. Through several years of varied clinical experience, she has developed a strong interest in science-based nutrition that is meant to be understood and applied in everyday life. Always with her glass of mint tea, she enjoys making complex nutrition concepts clear, practical, and accessible. She is particularly interested in the development of tools and projects with a broad positive impact, supporting informed and sustainable food choices.
Leave a Reply