itchy skin Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Dietary Supplements for Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

AHA Publisher — Wed, 05 May 2021 07:00:13 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Are there dietary supplements that can help with atopic dermatitis? Atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, ranks “as the skin disease with the greatest health burden worldwide” because it’s just so common, affecting maybe one in ten kids and about 3 percent of adults, causing patches of red, itchy skin. Topical steroids, like cortisone cream, have been “the mainstay treatment” since their Nobel Prize-winning discovery in 1950. People are scared of steroids, though, and “it is not uncommon for patients to express irrational fear and anxiety about using topical corticosteroids”—steroid creams and ointments. This phobia may arise from confusing topical steroids with oral or injected steroids, which have different effects. Really potent topical steroids can thin your skin, but skin thickness should return to normal a month after stopping. So, yes, topical steroids can cause side effects, but the concern people have “seems out of proportion” to the small risk they actually pose. Still, if there’s a way you can resolve a problem without drugs, that’s generally preferable. What did they do for eczema before the 1950s? In the 1930s, some researchers tried using vitamin D dissolved in corn oil, and to their surprise, it worked—but so did the corn oil without the vitamin D they were using as a control. Others reported cases improving after feeding flaxseed oil and even ingesting lard, from a study “aided by a grant from the National Live Stock and Meat Board,” which apparently did not want to be left out of the action. The problem is that none of these studies had a control group. So, yes, after feeding someone corn oil for 12 to 18 months, they got better—but maybe they would have gotten better anyway. You don’t know until you put it to the test. Nearly all of those researchers who claimed benefit from the use of the various fats apparently “lack[ed]…any great interest in a controlled series,” but one researcher tested some oils and found no evidence of benefit over routine treatment. Indeed, as you can see at 2:06 in my video Eczema Treatment with Evening Primrose Oil vs. Borage Oil vs. Hempseed Oil, most got better either way, which suggests that the previous “benefits claimed may be due to the usual treatment, with perhaps a dash of enthusiasm.” By then, hydrocortisone was out, so the medical community gave up on dietary approaches—until a letter was published in 1981 about the treatment of eczema with supplements of evening primrose oil, which contains gamma linolenic acid, an anti-inflammatory omega-6. And, indeed, when it was put to the test, it seemed to help, but then a subsequent larger study found no effect. Whenever there are conflicting findings, it helps to do a meta-analysis, where you put all the studies together. So, there was the study that showed benefit, the one that didn’t, and seven other studies. What did those find? Seven out of the seven showed benefit. “The results show that the effects of Epogam [a brand of primrose oil supplement] are almost always significantly better than those of placebo.” Case closed, right? Well, the analysis was funded by the supplement company itself, which can be a red flag, and where exactly were the other seven studies published? They weren’t. The company just said it did those seven studies but never released them. When asked to hand them over, the company said it would but never did, even threatening a lawsuit against researchers who dared to question the studies’ efficacy. An independent review failed to find evidence that evening primrose oil or borage oil worked better than placebo. “As we bid goodnight to the evening primrose oil story, perhaps we can awaken to a world where all clinical trial data…reach the light of day…” Borage oil actually has twice the gamma linolenic acid as evening primrose yet it still didn’t work, but that didn’t stop researchers from trying hempseed oil, which “has been used as a food and medicine for at least 3000 years in China.” Researchers tried giving about a quarter cup of hempseeds’ worth of oil to people every day for a few months and found significant improvements in skin dryness, itchiness, and the need for medications—but not compared to placebo. In fact, studies of dietary supplements across the board, whether fish oil, zinc, selenium, vitamins D, E, or B6, sea buckthorn oil, hempseed oil, or sunflower oil, overall, showed “no convincing evidence that taking supplements improved the eczema of those involved.” That’s disappointing, but wait a second. That’s just for oral supplements. What about natural remedies applied topically? I discuss that in my video Eczema Treatment with Coconut Oil vs. Mineral Oil, vs. Vaseline. Meta-analyses can be skewed the other way, too, when negative results are quietly shelved so only positive findings are published. Antidepressant medications are a classic example of this publication bias. Check out my coverage of it in my video Do Antidepressant Drugs Really Work?. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

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Probiotics Reverse Skin Damage

AHA Publisher — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 07:00:55 +0000

Al Sears MD, CNS – Our skin was designed to be porous enough to soak up moisture from the air. But these same open pores make your skin vulnerable to assault by the harmful chemicals in our modern environment. Today’s airborne pollutants are so tiny that it’s easy for them to enter your pores or easily slip through the fat-filled spaces between skin cells. In a recent study by the Leibniz Research Institute, researchers followed 743 Chinese women ages 28 through 70. By the end of this long-term clinical trial, they determined that almost every volunteer had 25% more hyperpigmentation — or age spots — than when the study began. A follow-up study1 by the same researchers determined these pollutants also increase the likelihood of: Uneven skin tone Enlarged pores Redness Dry, itchy skin Eczema Atopic dermatitis Acne Skin cancer But airborne pollutants aren’t the only toxins that destroy your skin’s delicate microbiome… Surprising Cause of Skin Aging Is Sitting on Your Bathroom Counter Turns out… the products we choose to put on our face do the most damage to this delicate microbiome. Some of the most common ingredients in skincare products are actually the same chemicals listed under “hazardous materials” on warning signs and labels. They definitely shouldn’t be used in your skincare routine. The four worst offenders include: Sodium lauryl sulfates. These harsh, corrosive ingredients help body washes and shampoos bubble and lather. But you’ll also find them in household scrubbing solutions and car wash soap. They cause skin irritation, flaking and increased dryness. Over time, that develops into fine lines and wrinkles. Ethanol, methanol and other alcohols. These are all drying ingredients that strip away skin’s natural oils and lead to premature aging and irritation. Mineral oil. Derived from petroleum, it forms a film over your skin, clogging pores and hindering the skin’s natural ability to cleanse itself. With extended use, it can encourage acne and actually irritate and inflame skin. This results in an aging effect that makes fine lines and wrinkles much more visible. Soap. Unless you’re washing your hands, steer clear of commercial soaps. Not only are they drying, most have a pH of 10. And that’s the pH level that bad bacteria thrive in. Nothing can throw your microbiome out of balance faster. Many of today’s commercial skincare products cover your face with chemicals and strip your skin of its natural defenses. Even with the help of soaps and cleansers, you almost never get the environmental toxins and grime out of your pores where they’re hiding. So, what to do? Here are my recommendations for clean, protected skin that will keep you looking young and healthy. Feed Your Skin’s Microbiome to Protect, Repair and Reduce Signs of Aging Clean with rosehip seed oil. Plant derived oils contain essential fatty acid chains that closely resemble your skin’s own lipid matrix. They also contain prebiotics that help nourish and protect the microbiome. One of the best is rosehip seed oil since it’s naturally high in retinoic acid — a cousin to vitamin A. It’s been proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scars.2 Look for rose hips in your body cleansers. Regenerate tired skin with aloe vera juice. Since ancient Greece, aloe has been used for its ability to reduce inflammation, provide moisture and help restore damaged skin. But today, we know it’s a powerful prebiotic that feeds beneficial bacteria to keep your skin’s biome in balance.3 Note: don’t buy aloe vera gel from the pharmacy. It’s synthetically thickened. Get edible aloe from your health food store. Or grow your own plant. Feed your skin with probiotics. Topical probiotics act like a physical barrier and block harmful microbes from damaging your skin. My favorite is a proven strain called Bifidobacterium longum. In my last letter, I introduced you to foods rich in this probiotic that improve your skin microbiome from the inside. But when its combined with enzymes that help break it down, it brings dull, dry skin back to health. In fact, a recent study found that it strengthens your skin barriers by 25% and stops skin moisture from evaporating.4 To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS 1. Hüls A, et al. “Traffic-related air pollution contributes to development of facial lentigines: Findings epidemiological evidence from Caucasians and Asians.” J Investig Dermatol. 2016:;136(5):P1053-1056. 2. Griffiths C, et al, “Restoration of collagen formation in photodamaged human skin by tretinoin (retinoic acid).” NEJM. 1993;329(8):530-535. 3. Kim Y, et al. “Lactobacillus brevis strains from fermented aloe vera survive gastroduodenal environment and suppress common food borne enteropathogens.” PLoS One. 2014;9(3):e90866. 4. Guéniche A, et al. “Bifidobacterium longum lysate, a new ingredient for reactive skin.” Exp Dermatol.2010;19(8):e1-8. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Al Sears, MD click here.

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