Why Is A Gluten-free Diet Advised For Psoriasis?
Author: Marko Balašević
Time for reading: ~2
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
Celiac disease and psoriasis are two autoimmune diseases with some points in common. It is believed that the presence of gluten in the diet exacerbates the manifestations of psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease characterized by the appearance of redness accompanied by thick whitish scales - they can appear in any part of the body. The condition is autoimmune - the body's own immune system attacks healthy tissues because it confuses them as enemy invaders in the body.
According to a study by the US Psoriasis Research Foundation, about 25% of people with autoimmune disease are highly sensitive to gluten and may have an allergic reaction to it.
Gluten is the name of a group of proteins found in cereals and other cereals - rye, oats and others. From there it falls into a number of foods - bread, spaghetti, cereals, pastas, biscuits. The safest way to avoid gluten is to carefully read the labels describing the contents of the product.
Most people do not have difficulty metabolizing gluten, but in those suffering from immunological and other diseases, gluten leads to a number of health problems. The most acute form of gluten intolerance is celiac disease - an autoimmune disease in which the immune system perceives gluten as foreign to the body and a dangerous invasive agent, leading to a sharp immune response that damages the stomach lining.
People with psoriasis may not have celiac disease, but they may be sensitive to gluten, which means that it can act as an allergen and lead to unpleasant consequences. Nearly 15% of the population has such sensitivity.
A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that when following a three-month gluten-free diet, levels of specific antigliadin antibodies dropped significantly in 82% of people studied. Antibodies are formed and activated when the body tries to fight off invaders (pathogens or inert particles).
According to experts, the immunological mechanisms of manifestation of the two autoimmune diseases have many points of contact, and it should be noted that among those suffering from psoriasis, celiac disease is very common. The theory is that strong stimulation of the immune system by allergens (such as gluten in sensitive people) activates a chain reaction leading to exacerbation of other autoimmune conditions.
The available data on the effectiveness of the diet are contradictory - some report on the relief of psoriatic symptoms, and others - on the insufficient or missing effect. Dermatologists advise anyone suffering from psoriasis to experiment with a three-month gluten-free diet to determine if it affects the skin manifestations - itching, joint pain and skin layers.
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