When your body fights infection or injury, one of the first signals it sends is interleukin-1, a protein released by immune cells to trigger inflammation and alert the rest of the body. Also known as IL-1, it’s not just a messenger—it’s a starter switch for fever, swelling, and pain. Without it, your immune system wouldn’t know when to sound the alarm. But when it stays on too long, it can turn into a problem—fueling arthritis, heart disease, and even some autoimmune conditions.
Interleukin-1 works by teaming up with other cytokines, signaling molecules that coordinate immune activity. It tells your body to make more white blood cells, raise your temperature, and increase blood flow to the injured area. That’s why you feel hot and achy when you’re sick. But in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or gout, interleukin-1 keeps firing even when there’s no real threat, causing ongoing joint damage. That’s why drugs that block it—like anakinra or canakinumab—are used to treat these conditions. These aren’t just painkillers; they silence a specific part of your immune system that’s gone rogue.
It’s also linked to conditions you might not expect. Research shows high levels of interleukin-1 appear in people with type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and even severe cases of COVID-19. In each case, it’s not the virus or sugar or plaque causing the worst damage—it’s the body’s own overreaction, driven by this one protein. That’s why scientists are studying IL-1 blockers not just for arthritis, but for heart disease prevention and long-term brain health.
You won’t find interleukin-1 on a drugstore shelf, but you’ll find its effects everywhere—in the swelling of a sprained ankle, the redness of a sunburn, the stiffness of morning joints. And if you’ve ever taken a medication for an autoimmune disorder, there’s a good chance it’s working by calming down this exact signal. The posts below dive into how real drugs interact with this system, what side effects to watch for, and how targeting inflammation at its source can change outcomes.
Diacerein is a disease-modifying drug for osteoarthritis that reduces joint inflammation by blocking interleukin-1, slowing cartilage breakdown. Unlike painkillers, it works over months to protect joint structure. Learn how it compares to glucosamine and NSAIDs, its side effects, and who benefits most.
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