Who Wrote the Autoimmune Protocol Diet?

December 9, 2025 •

3 min read

With more than 100 known autoimmune conditions affecting millions, many individuals are exploring dietary interventions to help manage their symptoms. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is one such strategy, but many wonder who wrote the autoimmune protocol diet and developed its specific framework.

Quick Summary

The autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet was originally developed by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, with foundational concepts derived from the work of Dr. Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf.

Key Points

Creator Identified: Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, known as "The Paleo Mom," wrote the definitive work on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet.
Building on Paleo: The AIP diet is a stricter, more targeted version of the Paleo diet, building on work by foundational figures like Dr. Loren Cordain.
Elimination Phase: The protocol begins with a strict elimination phase, removing common inflammatory foods like grains, dairy, eggs, and nuts.
Reintroduction Phase: After initial elimination, foods are reintroduced systematically to identify individual triggers.
Gut Healing Focus: The AIP's core theory is to heal the gut lining, which is believed to be compromised in individuals with autoimmune disease.
Holistic Approach: Beyond diet, the AIP framework emphasizes lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress management, and exercise.

With more than 100 known autoimmune conditions affecting millions, many individuals are exploring dietary interventions to help manage their symptoms. Among the most well-known of these is the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet, but for those new to the concept, the question of who wrote the autoimmune protocol diet and developed its specific framework is a common starting point. The story of the AIP diet involves several influential figures, but one in particular is credited with formalizing the protocol into the system it is known as today.

The Architect of the AIP Diet: Dr. Sarah Ballantyne

The most direct and accurate answer to who wrote the autoimmune protocol diet is Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, often known as "The Paleo Mom". A medical biophysicist with a PhD, Dr. Ballantyne applied her scientific background to the study of nutritional immunology and its relationship with autoimmune diseases. She developed the AIP diet after a personal health journey and detailed her research and experience in her 2014 book, The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. This book outlines the scientific principles and the phased approach of the AIP for managing autoimmune disease.

The Paleo Foundations

While Dr. Ballantyne is the architect of the AIP, the concept builds on the broader principles of the paleo diet. Dr. Loren Cordain, a physical education professor, is credited with initial groundwork suggesting certain foods trigger inflammation in those with autoimmune predispositions. Robb Wolf, author and health advocate, further outlined the autoimmune protocol concept in his book, The Paleo Solution. Dr. Ballantyne's contribution was creating a more rigorous, evidence-based protocol specifically for autoimmune sufferers.

The AIP's Multi-Phase Process

The AIP diet is a multi-phase system to identify and eliminate individual dietary triggers. Phase 1: Elimination: Strict removal of foods believed to cause gut inflammation and immune system dysregulation, including grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nightshade vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Processed oils, sugars, additives, alcohol, and coffee are also removed.

Phase 2: Reintroduction: After 30-90 days or symptom improvement, foods are slowly reintroduced one by one to monitor for adverse reactions and identify personal triggers.

Phase 3: Maintenance: A personalized long-term plan based on reintroduction findings, avoiding triggers while incorporating tolerated foods.

AIP vs. Traditional Paleo: A Comparison


Feature	Traditional Paleo Diet	Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
Primary Goal	General health, weight management, and performance.	Reduce inflammation and manage autoimmune disease symptoms.
Key Food Restrictions	Grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods.	Stricter. Eliminates grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades.
Phase-Based	Not structured into phases.	Follows a strict elimination and reintroduction process.
Emphasis on Testing	Less emphasis on identifying specific food sensitivities.	Central to the protocol to pinpoint individual trigger foods.

The Scientific Perspective and Growing Interest

The AIP theory links gut health and autoimmune disorders, specifically increased intestinal permeability. Proponents believe removing irritating foods and focusing on nutrient-dense, gut-healing foods aids gut lining repair. While research is ongoing, small studies show promise. For example, studies on IBD and Hashimoto's patients reported symptom and inflammation improvements. For more on the scientific appraisal of AIP, see the National Library of Medicine review. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11755016/]

Why the Autoimmune Protocol Matters

For many with conditions like Hashimoto's, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or Crohn's disease, AIP offers a structured way to manage chronic symptoms like fatigue and joint pain by identifying and removing dietary triggers. It's a holistic protocol emphasizing diet plus lifestyle factors like stress management, sleep, and exercise.

Conclusion

Dr. Sarah Ballantyne is largely credited with formalizing the autoimmune protocol diet into its current structure and scientific underpinnings. Building on paleo principles by figures like Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf, Dr. Ballantyne created a personalized, phased elimination and reintroduction process. Her work empowers individuals to use diet and lifestyle to identify triggers, reduce inflammation, and improve their quality of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the AIP diet is a stricter, more targeted form of the paleo diet. While both eliminate grains, legumes, and processed foods, AIP also removes other potential irritants like eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshades in its initial phase.

Nightshade vegetables are a family of plants that includes common foods such as tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers, and eggplant. The AIP diet eliminates these during the initial phase as they can be inflammatory for some individuals.

During the initial elimination phase of the AIP diet, eggs must be completely avoided. In the reintroduction phase, individuals can test their tolerance for egg yolks first, followed by egg whites, to see if they cause a reaction.

The 'leaky gut' theory suggests that increased intestinal permeability allows particles to cross the gut barrier and enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation. The AIP diet is designed to remove foods that may contribute to this permeability and promote gut healing.

The length of the elimination phase varies, but most people follow it for a period of 30 to 90 days, or until they notice a significant improvement in their symptoms.

While anecdotal reports are common and some small pilot studies have shown promise for certain conditions, the overall scientific evidence for the AIP diet is limited. More large-scale, rigorous research is needed to confirm its efficacy across various autoimmune diseases.

Besides Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, other figures who contributed to the early conceptual framework include Dr. Loren Cordain, who pioneered paleo nutrition, and Robb Wolf, who wrote about the autoimmune protocol in his book The Paleo Solution.

The maintenance phase is a personalized, long-term diet plan based on an individual's tolerance. It involves continuing to avoid specific trigger foods identified during reintroduction while re-incorporating well-tolerated foods for maximum dietary variety.

References

1
A personalized elimination diet for patients with autoimmune diseases