Importance of Diet in Psoriasis
Next Steps in Derm and the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, in partnership with the Dermatology Education Foundation (DEF) and Physicians Resources, interviewed Dr. April Armstrong, professor of dermatology and associate dean for clinical research at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. Watch as Dr. Armstrong outlines her three tips for addressing diet with psoriasis patients. Find out what research has to say about the impact of a gluten-free diet on psoriasis severity and the optimum calorie restriction that can help reduce symptoms. Don’t go into your next office visit unprepared – hear the latest scientific research about diet and psoriasis so you can best counsel your patients.
Dr. April Armstrong lectured on this and other topics at the recent DERM2022 NP/PA CME conference held July 28-31, 2022.
Further Reading
If you want to read more about the role of diet in psoriasis, check out the following articles published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology:
ABSTRACT
Background: Studies have proposed a link between psoriasis and imbalanced gut microbiome. Therefore, the modulation of the gut microbiota with probiotics may improve clinical outcomes, chronic inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with psoriasis. Methods: In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, forty-six patients with psoriasis randomly assigned into probiotic capsules contains multi-strain at least 1.6× 109 CFU/g bacteria or placebo for two months. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), blood pressure, quality of life (QOL) pro-inflammatory cytokines (hs-CRP and IL1-β), and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were measured.
Results: Improvements in QOL was significant in patients taking probiotics supplementation comparing to the placebo group and PASI (-5.06±2.10 vs 0.30±1.80, P=0.049) as well. After the intervention, a considerable reduction in serum LPS levels (-7.21±10.33 vs -2.74±0.97 mmol/L, P=0.010), hs-CRP levels (-1.67±0.95 vs -0.70+ 0.38 mg/L, P=0.013), and IL1- β levels (-1.64±1.10 vs 0.17+ -0.20 mg/L, P=0.043) in the probiotics group.
Conclusion: This study shows that probiotics significantly improved the quality of life and seriousness in psoriatic patients. Moreover, it enhances cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory/oxidative stress markers.
Nutritional Clinical Studies in Dermatology
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nutrition has long been associated with skin health, beauty, integrity and aging through multiple pathways and cofactors implicated in skin biology. The onset and clinical course of various common skin diseases, especially acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and hair loss, have been suggested to be critically affected by nutrition patterns and habits. The relationship between acne and diet, predominantly the role of high glycemic load diets and dairy consumption have recently gained increased interest. Abnormal nutritional conditions such as obesity or malnutrition often manifest themselves by specific cutaneous features and altered skin function. Skin photoprotection, rendered by various nutrients, is well documented and appropriate nutritional supplementation has been shown to exert beneficial effects upon impaired skin integrity, restore its appearance and promote skin health. It is our intention to provide a comprehensive review of the most recent information on the role of nutrition for common skin diseases and regulation of skin biology.
METHODS: Nutritional clinical studies in dermatology have been reviewed using the MedLine literature source and the terms “diet” or “nutrition” and “skin”.
RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: The data on the relationship between nutrition and skin are until now controversial and much more work is needed to be done to clarify possible etiological correlations.
