If your skin is itchy, red and incredibly dry it could be eczema and you’re not alone: six million Australians will have eczema at some point in their life and the majority are children. Karen Fisher, nutritionist, shares how to treat eczema from inside out.
After my daughter developed eczema, I found conventional treatments such as topical steroids were not a long-term solution but a change in her diet and nutritional supplements were. Now after more than a decade of research and treating eczema patients (now at the Eczema Life Clinic in Sydney), this is the treatment program I prescribe.
Eczema and Diet
Your skin requires nutrients to build, repair and maintain the skin barrier. New skin cells form at the bottom of the epidermis and when they’re ready they move towards the skin’s surface. In normal, healthy skin this trip takes about 4 weeks. Topical skincare can be helpful to lock in moisture and speed up repair but it cannot supply all of the building materials required by the deeper layers of the epidermis where skin cells are made.
For adults and children over the age of one, I recommend an eight to twelve week program called The Eczema Diet (Exisle Publishing), which is dairy-free, wheat-free and low in chemicals including salicylates, amines and glutamates. Food sources of salicylates to avoid include sauces, citrus fruits, tomato, spinach, strawberries and grapes, which can cause eczema flare-ups.
Top ten nutrients to build and repair your skin from the inside out
While many vitamins and minerals can be supplied through a healthy diet, often eczema sufferers do not absorb nutrients from food as well as they should (which is partly why they have eczema), and supplementation is required.
Calcium
Research shows that people who suffer from eczema have lower levels of protective acid on their skin (known as the acid mantle), making the skin barrier defenceless against dust mites and Staphylococcus aureus infections. Calcium promotes a healthy acid mantle which protects the skin from harmful microbes, decreases the colonisation of ‘free-loading’ pathogenic bacteria and fungus and promotes beneficial bacteria, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
What type of calcium is best? A small proportion of eczema sufferers are sensitive to citric acid so avoid calcium citrate (calcium attached to citric acid) and favour a more alkaline form such as calcium carbonate, which also helps to restore acid-alkaline balance in the body.
Zinc
Zinc, vitamin C and vitamin E work together to speed up wound healing, according to research from the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant and natural antihistamine that destroys the imidazole ring of the histamine molecule. For this reason it’s imperative that allergy sufferers avoid developing vitamin C deficiency as it can result in histamine toxicity which can heighten allergic reactions to foods and substances. Avoid magnesium ascorbate as it can contain hidden sulfite preservative.
Vitamin E
A clinical trial published in the International Journal of Dermatology revealed that nearly 50 per cent of adults with atopic eczema who were treated with oral vitamin E daily for eight months showed great improvement, compared to only one person in the placebo group. There was almost complete remission of atopic eczema in seven people taking the vitamin E supplement.
Omega-3
Scientists gave two groups of women either flaxseed oil or a placebo (olive oil) for twelve weeks. After six weeks, the flaxseed oil group showed skin water loss was decreased by about 10 per cent. While the olive oil group had no significant change, at twelve weeks the flaxseed oil group had significantly less skin redness and roughness. Flaxseeds are best consumed fresh whole seeds or ground and they can be added to your breakfasts or smoothies.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is natural antihistamine that also helps to reduce sensitivities to salicylates and other food chemicals. For adults, less than 5mg daily is all that is required for healthy skin. Avoid high dose B vitamins as they are acidic and can promote itchy skin.
Biotin and vitamin B2
Deficiencies biotin and vitamin B2 can cause eczema and dermatitis. In 1942 volunteers in a biotin study ate a diet low in biotin plus raw egg whites which can trigger a biotin deficiency known as ‘egg white injury’. Within three weeks the volunteers had itchy, scaly rashes that were diagnosed as eczematous dermatitis. They were prescribed a biotin supplement and their eczema resolved in less than five days.
Molybdenum
According to research from RPA Hospital Allergy Unit, preservatives such as sulfites worsen eczema in more than 50 percent of eczema sufferers. Molybdenum is required by the body to detoxify sulfites and can help to prevent sulfite sensitivity.
Natural beta-carotene
Dunaliella salina is a natural microalgae and a good source of natural beta-carotene and essential fatty acids including omega-3. To survive in a salty environment, Dunaliella salina makes high concentrations of beta-carotene to protect against the intense UV light. In a similar way, when Dunaliella salina is consumed daily it provides mild sun protection for people with sensitive skin. Ensure the beta-carotene you consume is labelled ‘natural beta-carotene’ as artificial colours can exacerbate eczema.
Rather than give these nutrients separately (which can be costly and inconvenient), I prescribe Skin Friend, which was developed for adults and children with eczema, dermatitis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
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