One of the most enlightening revelations about psoriasis is that it’s not just a skin condition, but a complex autoimmune disease with systemic implications.

Psoriasis manifests as scaly, red and itchy skin, but is far more than just skin-deep. It can cause unseen damage, affecting the joints, blood pressure and heart health.

And according to researchers at Uppsala University, psoriasis even has an invisible gut connection to Crohn’s disease.

Here’s how…

Inflammatory activity and impaired intestinal barrier function

The scientist studied 18 patients with mild levels of psoriasis, along with 15 healthy controls as subjects, comparing samples from both their small and large bowel.

According to the researchers, “It turned out that psoriasis sufferers had higher numbers of certain types of immune cells in their small intestine, and the cells showed signs of pro-inflammatory activity. Interestingly, we found the same type of immune cells in skin flare-ups from psoriasis patients, suggesting that the inflammation of the skin may have an impact on the gut, or vice versa.”

But that wasn’t all…

Half of the psoriasis patients in the study had increased intestinal barrier permeability, also known as leaky gut.

The problem with leaky gut is that when the intestinal mucosa, which is supposed to act as a protective barrier, isn’t functioning properly, it allows bacteria and harmful substances to leak through.

As these substances spread through your bloodstream, your body experiences widespread inflammation.

“Previous research has also shown that people with psoriasis have more gastrointestinal problems than the general population. However we didn’t know much about why this is the case. With our study, we can now show that people with psoriasis often have invisible inflammation in their small intestines, with an increased risk of what’s called leaky gut,” says Maria Lampinen, researcher at Uppsala University.

The researchers say these results are significant, stating that, “Given that the psoriasis patients in our study had relatively mild skin disease and showed no visible intestinal inflammation in a gastroscopy, they had surprisingly clear changes in their small intestine compared to healthy controls. These changes could explain why psoriasis sufferers often have gastrointestinal problems and an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease.”

Reducing psoriasis symptoms and supporting the gut

This means that if you’re living with psoriasis, it’s vital to not only work to reduce psoriatic inflammation but also to promote a healthy gut.

Steps to take to slay psoriasis issues include:

• Losing any extra weight since higher BMI may contribute to increased inflammation of the skin
• Add in a vitamin D supplement because multiple studies have connected vitamin D deficiency to psoriasis
• Eat your way to clear skin with the diet that’s been shown to by eating the Mediterranean diet (which has been shown to reduce the likelihood of severe psoriasis symptoms by 29%), with its high levels of fresh fruits and veggies, olive oil and fatty fish

The Mediterranean diet also leans anti-inflammatory and nutrient-rich, making it a good choice for healing a leaky gut.

In addition to diet, these five supplements are the most recommended to help the gut lining heal. One, of course, is a daily probiotic.

Researchers at the University of North Texas found that people who took a spore-based probiotic benefitted from a 42 percent reduction in the amount of toxins that seeped into their bloodstream after meals.

I also have to give a shout-out to the black seed oil of the Nigella sativa plant. An immune system that overreacts is part and parcel of autoimmune conditions. The plant’s black seeds have anti-inflammatory properties and contain a compound called thymoquinone, considered to be an immune system modulator for a more balanced immune response.

Sources:

Inflammation may explain stomach problems in psoriasis sufferers – ScienceDaily

Gassy, bloated and tired? You’ve got a leaky gut – Easy Health Options

The one supplement that truly plugs a leaky gut – Easy Health Options

My psoriasis vanished when my extra weight did – Easy Health Options

The vitamin that squashes psoriasis symptoms – Easy Health Options

Don’t let psoriasis destroy your arteries – Easy Health Options

The diet that slays stubborn psoriasis symptoms – Easy Health Options