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Fish Oil Supplementation
offers Relief for Psoriasis Patients
Fish Oil Treatment for Psoriasis
With more than 4.5 million adults in the United States suffering from it Psoriasis is considered a fairly common skin disease. Psoriasis is characterized by thick, silvery white scales on the skin surrounded by a red, inflamed border. Researchers believe that psoriasis is caused when the body's immune system sends faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle in skin cells. Researchers also believe that certain people carry genes that make them more likely to develop psoriasis, but not everyone with these genes develops psoriasis. Instead, a "trigger" makes the psoriasis appear in those who have these genes. Also, some triggers may work together to cause an outbreak of psoriasis; this makes it difficult to identify individual factors.
While much about psoriasis is yet to be discovered researcher believe that psoriasis is associated with high levels of arachidonic acid in the plaques and significant changes in the metabolism of eicosanoids leading to an increase in proinflammatory agents that cause the physiological and visible effects of psoriasis. It has been shown that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), found in fish oil, can counteract the formation of these pro-inflammatory agents. Some studies have actually shown that oral supplementation with fish oils can in deed benefit psoriasis patients.
A group of scientists from regions of Europe recently reported that intravenous infusions of a fish oil emulsion proved effective in treating the symptoms of chronic psoriasis. There study including 54 men and 29 women between the ages of 18 and 80 suffering from severe psoriasis. Once randomized, the patients were divided into two separate groups. The first group was administered 2 infusions of fish oil emulsion per day (100 ml of 10% emulsion) while the second group received two infusions of a placebo emulsion. At the end of the two-week study 16 of the patients receiving fish oil showed a 50% or greater improvement in their condition as compared to only 9 of the patients who were given the placebo.
It has also been suggested that fish oil may be applied topically to the skin to treat certain severities of psoriasis.
Are you thinking about purchasing Fish Oil? Check out our Guide for buying Fish Oils before you do!
A number of references in this text were taken from the following sources:
Mayser, Peter, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid-based lipid infusion in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Vol. 38, April 1998, pp. 539-47
Escobar, S.O., et al. Topical fish oil in psoriasis: a controlled and blind study. Clinical and Experimentology Dermatology, Vol. 17, 1992, pp. 159-62
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"I've never been much of a believer in supplements. However, after repeated invitations from my wife I started taking Omega 3 Fish Oil. Consequently, my cholesteral levels have improved and I've never felt so healthy."
"Since I started supplementing with high-dose fish oil nearly 8 months ago my skin has not been nearly so dry, my allergies have almost entirely gone away and my general health appears to be improving."
"After one month of taking fish oil, my husband starting noticing positive changes in the texture of his hair, and his blood sugar levels were dramatically stabilizing, as he is a type 1 diabetic (for the past 27 years)."