Psoriasis
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Alcohol consumption
- Fruit and vegetable deficiency
- Nutritional deficiencies, including zinc and essential fatty acids
- Sluggish liver function.
In a study on 100 patients with chronic psoriasis, heavy alcohol consumption was significantly more common in the most severe cases, in men. Monk BE et al: Alcohol consumption and psoriasis. Dermatologica 172(2):57-60, 1986.
The diets of psoriasis patients from 14 hospitals in Italy were compared with controls. Overweight was significantly associated with a higher risk of psoriasis. The consumption of higher amounts of carrots, tomatoes, fresh fruit and foods containing beta-carotene appeared to be the most protective against the disease. Naldi L et al: Dietary factors and the risk of psoriasis. Results of an Italian case-control study. Br J Dermatol 134(1):101-6, 1996.
Promising nutritional researchPsoriasis sufferers given fish oil capsules experienced a significant
reduction in symptoms. Bittiner SB et al: A double-blind randomised
placebo-controlled trial of fish oil in psoriasis. Lancet 1(8582):378-80,
1988.
Maurice PD et al: The effects of dietary supplementation with fish oil in
patients with psoroasis. Br J Dermatol 117(5):599-606, 1987
18 patients with psoriasis received capsules of fish oil or placebo together with ultraviolet therapy for 15 weeks. The patients in the fish oil group improved significantly compared with the placebo group. Gupta AK et al: Double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of fish oil and low-dose UVB in the treatment of psoriasis. Br J Dermatol 120(6):801-7, 1989.
17 patients with psoriasis were given supplements containing a combination of fish oil, linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). After 4 months good or moderate improvement had occurred in 10 patients. Kragballe K: Dietary supplementation with a combination of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids (super gamma-oil marine) improves psoriasis. Acta Derm Venereol 69(3):265-8, 1989.
30 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were given fish oil supplements for 4 months. Moderate or excellent improvement was observed in 58%. Kragballe K et al: A low-fat diet supplemented with dietary fish oil (Max-EPA) results in improvement of psoriasis and in formation of leukotriene B5. Acta Derm Venereol 69(1):23-8, 1989.
Vitamin D3 was administered orally (for 6 months) or topically (for 8 weeks) to 40 patients with psoriasis. Improvement was observed in 75% of those who received the higher oral doses of the vitamin, and in 84% of those who received the vitamin topically. (Vitamin D3 is found in cod liver oil.) Morimoto S et al: An open study of vitamin D3 treatment in psoriasis vulgaris. Br J Dermatol 115(4):421-9, 1986.