You are browsing the Blog for permeability.

The Benefits of Probiotics –Teaser Excerpt from The Paleo Approach

February 12, 2013 in Gut Health, Supplements, The Paleo Approach Excerpts

The Paleo Approach by Sarah BallantyneThere are many topics that I am researching and writing about for the book that I’ve been meaning to write about for the blog for ages (the book just gives me a firm deadline).  I have decided take some of these topics (especially the more blog-sized ones) and publish them as teaser excerpts for the book (also because I think this information should be here too).

The book also contains a detailed (yet easy-to-follow) description of the components of the immune system, so when you read the book, you’ll already know why modulating Th1 versus Th2 versus regulatory T-cells is important and you’ll know what dendritic cells, antigen presentation and cytokines are. For a quick primer: Th1 and Th2 cells are over-activated in autoimmunity and cause damage (typically one or the other is over-activated).  Regulatory T-cells are supposed to keep all the other immune cells in check and suppress both over-activation of the immune system and autoimmunity (they tend to be deficient in autoimmune disease).  Cytokines are chemical messengers of inflammation.  Dendritic cells are a type of sentinel cell that detects foreign invaders.  Antigens are small sequences of amino acids on foreign invaders that are recognized by the immune system.   When a dendritic cell detects foreign invaders, they “show” the antigens to B-cells and T-cells (cells of the adaptive immune system).  Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue is the collection of immune cells and other tissues just inside the intestinal barrier in the gut.  Enterocytes are the cells that line the small intestine and form the barrier between inside the gut and outside the gut.

So, forgive the references to Chapters 2, 3, 8 and 12.  While you’ll have to wait until the book is out in September to read those sections, in the meantime, please enjoy this part of my section of probiotics (actually, probiotics are talked about in 4 separate sections-this section is from the chapter on healing foods).

Excited to read The Paleo Approach?

Pre-Order Your Copy Now!

Consumption of probiotics, either as a supplement or in the form of unpasteurized fermented foods, can dramatically help modulate the immune system.  A vast number of scientific and clinical studies have evaluated the various effects of the commensal bacteria in the gut (those healthy gut bacteria) and/or probiotic supplement of specific bacterial strains on various aspects of the immune system.  The cliff notes?  It’s all good.

The exact mechanisms behind the many observed benefits of probiotics remain largely unknown.  This may be because different bacterial strains have different effects on the body and interact differently with the immune system.  For example, some probiotic strains stimulate production of cytokines (those chemical messengers of inflammation) that promote Th1 cell development (which may augment the immune system to help fight infection and prevent cancer).  Other probiotic strains stimulate production of cytokines that promote regulatory T-cell development, thereby providing that all important immune system modulation needed in autoimmune disease (see Chapter 2).  Yet other probiotic strains, including several lactobacillus strains, are beneficial both in diseases of compromised immune systems and diseases of excessively activated immune systems.

It has been shown that probiotics interact with dendritic cells during antigen presentation during the initiation of adaptive immune responses, meaning that probiotics are useful in preventing immune-related diseases (see Chapter 2).  However, they also affect the effector phase of adaptive immunity, so they can be used as a treatment for established immune-related diseases (this applies to both immune-related diseases like asthma and allergies but also autoimmune diseases).  In fact, probiotic supplementation has been shown to be beneficial in a variety of autoimmune conditions, including:  autoimmune myasthenia gravis, inflammatory bowel diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune thyroid disease.

It used to be believed that probiotic supplementation and the consumption of unpasteurized fermented foods provided health benefits by re-inoculating the gut with beneficial strains of bacteria and yeast.  Having a healthier variety and types of gut microorganisms would then be responsible for the positive benefits of probiotic supplementation.  However, recent scientific research puts this explanation into doubt—at least in some cases.  A recent study of diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome demonstrated that the administration of probiotic supplements did not to alter the composition of the gut microflora.  It’s important to emphasize that probiotic supplementation was still beneficial.  This implies that the benefits of probiotic consumption might be directly due to the interaction of those probiotic bacteria (and yeast) with the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (see Chapter 2) as it passes through the body, at least in some cases.

There are clearly still some situations where probiotic supplements do have profound effects on the gut microflora.  For example, studies have shown differences in the composition of the gut microflora after taking antibiotics in people who supplemented with probiotics compared to those who didn’t.  There may also be more impactful effects on those with bacterial overgrowths.  Probiotic microorganisms have the capability to affect the gut microflora through a variety of mechanisms, including: reducing the acidity in the intestinal lumen (the area in the middle of the “tube” that forms the gut), competition for nutrients, secretion of antimicrobial compounds by the probiotics themselves, stimulating the production of antimicrobial compounds by your cells, and preventing adhesion and interaction of other bacteria with gut epithelial cells.  In these ways, probiotics may help to “correct” gut dysbiosis.

Beyond restoring balance to the gut microflora and modulating the immune system, research has shown that administration of probiotics can have a direct effect on the tight junctions between enterocytes in the gut—resulting in decreased intestinal permeability.  So, taking a probiotic or eating food naturally rich in probiotic organisms can directly help heal a leaky gut.

As already mentioned in Chapter 3, what you eat has a profound effect on the types, relative quantities and location of different bacteria growing in your gut—this effect is largely independent of the benefits of consuming fermented foods or taking probiotic supplements.  However, consuming probiotics has the great potential to speed healing and modulate the immune system and should not be underrated in importance when dealing with autoimmune disease.

Some researchers are taking on the task of characterizing the precise effects of each probiotic strain on the human body (recall that there are approximately 35,000 of them among all humans).  Certainly some strains have already been isolated for their anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory properties, yet others for their abilities to improve the barrier function of the gut or the ability to reduce visceral hypersensitivity.  It is completely possible that in the future, probiotic supplements will be tailored to address specific health problems by providing specific strains known to counteract those issues.  However, until then, the best focus is on variety.

Because different probiotic strains have slightly (and sometimes vastly) different effects (which may also depend on your genetics, level of inflammation, and current gut health), the best way to ensure complete modulation/regulation of the immune system is to consume as many different probiotic strains as possible.  So, where do you get variety?  You actually get far more variety from fermented foods and soil than you do from most supplement available (that doesn’t mean that probiotic supplements aren’t useful—see chapter 8 for more information specific to probiotic supplements).  Every time you make a new batch of homemade sauerkraut, the probiotic organisms within it will be slightly different.

So, what are good food sources of probiotics?

  • Raw unpasteurized sauerkraut
  • Raw unpasteurized lactofermented vegetables (kimchee, beets, carrots, pickles)
  • Raw unpasteurized lactofermented fruits (green papaya, chutneys)
  • Raw unpasteurized lactofermented condiments (relishes, salsas)
  • Water kefir
  • Milk kefir grown in coconut milk
  • Kombucha
  • Beet Kvass

Some form of probiotic should be consumed every day.  It is typically understood that a small amount several times per day is more beneficial than a large amount at one sitting.  When you first start consuming probiotic foods, it’s a good idea to keep the amount very small (as little as 1 teaspoon) and see how you feel.  Some people with severe gut dysbiosis can have dramatic gastrointestinal symptoms from probiotics.  If one probiotic food doesn’t work for you, try another.  If none of them work for you, you may have more luck with a supplement or just might need more time to heal your gut before introducing probiotics.  It’s okay if you need to follow The Paleo Approach for a couple of weeks before adding probiotic foods (for more information, see the Troubleshooting section in Chapter 9).  The amount you eat at any given time can then be slowly increased over the course of several weeks.  And of course, you can skip ahead to Chapter 12 to start making probiotic foods in your own home.

An often underrated source of probiotics is soil.  Soil-based organisms (SBOs) have not been as extensively studied as the lactobacillus and bifidus genus of bacteria.  However, they are normal residents of a healthy gut, have been shown to be potent modulators of the immune system, and supplementation with SBOs has been shown to be beneficial in diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Soil-based probiotic supplements are available (see Chapter 8 for more information).  You can also get exposure by playing in the dirt (a good excuse to take up gardening as a hobby!) and by growing your own vegetables organically (or buying locally-grown organic vegetables) and eating them without washing them.  Okay, you can rinse the big clumps of dirt off.

 

Barbara, G., et al., Mucosal permeability and immune activation as potential therapeutic targets of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome, J Clin Gastroenterol. 2012 Oct;46 Suppl:S52-5

Bittner, A.C., et al., Prescript-assist probiotic-prebiotic treatment for irritable bowel syndrome: an open-label, partially controlled, 1-year extension of a previously published controlled clinical trial, Clin Ther. 2007 Jun;29(6):1153-60.

Chae, C.S., et al., Prophylactic effect of probiotics on the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis, PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e52119.

Corridoni D, et al., Probiotic bacteria regulate intestinal epithelial permeability in experimental ileitis by a TNF-dependent mechanism, PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e42067

Fooks LJ and Gibson GR Probiotics as modulators of the gut flora. Br J Nutr 2002 88(Suppl 1):S39–S49.

Gerritsen, J. et al., Intestinal microbiota in human health and disease: the impact of probiotics, Genes Nutr. 2011 August; 6(3): 209–240.

Kiseleva, E.P., et al., The role of components of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in pathogenesis and serologic diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease, Benef Microbes. 2011 Jun;2(2):139-54.

Kobayashi T, et al.,  Probiotic upregulation of peripheral IL-17 responses does not exacerbate neurological symptoms in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse models, Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2012 Jun;34(3):423-33

Le Bert, N., et al., DC priming by M. vaccae inhibits Th2 responses in contrast to specific TLR2 priming and is associated with selective activation of the CREB pathway, PLoS One. 2011 Apr 1;6(4):e18346

Michail, S. & Kenche, H., Gut microbiota is not modified by Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial of VSL#3 in Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins. 2011 Mar;3(1):1-7

Ng SC, et al., Mechanisms of action of probiotics: recent advances. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009;15(2):300–310.

Ruemmele F.M., et al., Clinical evidence for immunomodulatory effects of probiotic bacteria, J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009 Feb;48(2):126-41.

Shida, K. & Nanno, M., Probiotics and immunology: separating the wheat from the chaff, Trends Immunol. 2008 Nov;29(11):565-73.

Shida K, et al., Flexible cytokine production by macrophages and T cells in response to probiotic bacteria: a possible mechanism by which probiotics exert multifunctional immune regulatory activities, Gut Microbes. 2011 Mar-Apr;2(2):109-14

Schiffer, C., et al., A strain of Lactobacillus casei inhibits the effector phase of immune inflammation, J Immunol. 2011 Sep 1;187(5):2646-55

Tlaskalová-Hogenová, H., et al., Commensal bacteria (normal microflora), mucosal immunity and chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, Immunol Lett. 2004 May 15;93(2-3):97-108.

Tsilingiri K & Rescigno M., Postbiotics: what else?, Benef Microbes. 2012 Dec 27:69-75.

Soil-based organisms improve immune function: shift cytokine profile from TH2 to TH1, Posit Health News. 1998 Spring;(No 16):16-8

http://www.old-herborn-university.de/literature/books/OHUni_book_8_article_4.pdf

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
16 Comments »

The WHYs behind the Autoimmune Protocol: Alcohol

November 8, 2012 in Foods in Moderation, The WHYs of the AIP

Alcohol is restricted in the paleo diet autoimmune protocol; and for those of us with autoimmune disease, it can feel like there are no pleasures left!  My inner monologue goes something like this “Seriously, first I give up grains, legumes, dairy, modern vegetable oils and refined sugar.  THEN, I give up eggs, nightshades, nuts, seeds, coffee and chocolate.  And NOW you want me to give up my wine?!  I thought red wine was supposed to be good for me! Waaaaaaah”

Moderate consumption of alcohol (not just red wine) seems to provide diverse health benefits; including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease 1, reducing the risk of developing type II diabetes 2, preventing Alzheimer’s disease 3, and it may even reduce the risk of some cancers 4. (Don’t get too excited about the cancer prevention piece… moderate alcohol consumption also increases the risk of other cancers.)  While alcohol is not technically paleo, there is certainly evidence that prehistoric man would have imbibed fermented fruit and probably got pretty darned stinkin’ drunk from time to time.  Almost every version of the paleo diet condones low to moderate consumption of alcohol (usually restricted to gluten-free alcohols, so mainly wine and spirits), including Prof. Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf.   It is a Neolithic pleasure that most people following a paleo diet still enjoy.

So, with all the research supporting that moderate consumption of alcohol (especially wine) is healthy, why is it then a problem for those with autoimmune disease?  Once again, it boils down to the fact that those with autoimmune disease have more sensitive systems and face more challenges to healing a leaky gut than others.

Alcohol consumption directly causes an increase in intestinal permeability (i.e., a leaky gut) 5.  Alcohol unravels the tight junctions and adherens junctions that glue the cells that line the gut (called gut epithelial cells or enterocytes) together to form the  barrier between the inside of the gut where undigested food and bacteria live and the inside of our body.  Effectively, alcohol creates little holes between the gut epithelial cells.  It does this through several mechanisms 5.  Importantly, the “holes” that alcohol makes in the gut epithelial barrier are known to be big enough to allow some very large molecules into the body, most notably endotoxin.  Endotoxin is a toxic protein derived from the cell walls of gram-negative bacteria, such as E. Coli, which live in our guts (usually in the large intestine, but often in the small intestine in those people with autoimmune disease).  As these bacteria die (as part of their normal life cycle), endotoxin is released.  If it gets into the blood stream, it stimulates systemic inflammation, stimulates the immune system, and damages the liver 5.

Normally the majority of bacteria that grow in our guts are gram-positive bacteria (although some gram-negative bacteria is normal).  What does gram-negative and gram-positive mean?  This refers to a staining technique that differentiates between these two major classes of bacteria.  Basically, gram-negative bacteria have more complex cell membranes/walls and these tend to be pathogenic (i.e., they cause disease).  E. coli is an example of a gram-negative bacteria.  Lactobacillus (the probiotic found in supplements, yogurt and fermented vegetables) is an example of a gram-positive bacteria.  So, here’s the kicker:  alcohol consumption feeds gram-negative bacteria such as E. Coli to create bacterial overgrowths of these more toxic bacteria and therefore excess endotoxin production in the gut.  Excessive alcohol consumption is also correlated with gram-negative bacteria growing very high up the digestive tract, in the duodenum and sometimes even the stomach 5,6.

So, alcohol increases the production of endotoxin within the gut and increases intestinal permeability to endotoxin.  Another toxin that is produced by both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria is called peptidoglycan (another component of the cell wall that is released into the gut when the bacteria die).  There is evidence that alcohol increases the permeability to peptidoglycan and that this toxin is very effective at stimulating the immune system and causing inflammation 5.

And that’s not all.  Even fairly small amounts of alcohol can damage the lining of the gut; specifically, alcohol leads to “mucosal damage in the upper small intestine with a loss of epithelium at the tips of the intestinal villi, hemorrhagic erosions and even hemorrhage in the lamina propria” 5.  If that sounded bad, that’s because it is.  It’s similar to the damage caused by gluten in celiac patients.

Most of the current understanding of the link between alcohol consumption and increased intestinal permeability (a.k.a. leaky gut) comes from studies of chronic alcohol consumption.  But, there are studies to show that this damage occurs even from a single drink.  Occasional drinkers basically don’t damage their intestines as much because they don’t consume as much alcohol at one time and they have more time for the guts to heal in between drinks.  This might lead to some adaptive mechanisms, which might be part of how low-to-moderate alcohol consumption can actually provide a health benefit.

So, what does this mean for those with autoimmune disease?  If you have autoimmune disease, you have a collection of genes that makes you more susceptible to developing a leaky gut and to having an exaggerated immune reaction to substances that leak out.  This means that anything that increases intestinal permeability should be avoided.

There’s some good news.  If you are being very strict with the autoimmune protocol, you are likely to tolerate an occasional drink (make sure to stay away from any grain-based alcohols though, especially beer and ale which contain gluten).  Chris Kresser puts the limit on one 5oz glass of wine twice per week (or equivalent amount of hard alcohol that is not derived from grains such as rum, tequila, sherry, cognac and brandy).  However, I advise avoiding all alcohol until you are starting to see some success on the autoimmune protocol. 

There’s some other good news.  It’s actually the alcohol that is the problem here, which means that cooking with wine or hard liquor (where the alcohol is burned off in the cooking process) is totally okay.  Well, with one more caveat:  some people are can be sensitive to the yeast content of wine (the yeast used in wine fermentation is a potential gluten cross-reactor) or can be sensitive to the the sulfites found in wine.

In summary, alcohol is not good for anyone dealing with leaky gut issues.  However, an occasional drink once your body is healing is probably okay.  Cooking with alcohol is also probably okay for most people, even if you don’t tolerate an actual drink.  But once again, I do urge caution as you experiment to find where your individual line is.

1 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110222192913.htm

2 Mekary RA et al “Joint association of glycemic load and alcohol intake with type 2 diabetes incidence in women” Am J Clin Nutr December 2011 ajcn.023754

3 http://www.jsonline.com/features/health/50590097.html

4 http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-truth-about-breast-cancer-and-drinking-red-wine-or-any-alcohol/251171/

5 Purohit V et al “Alcohol, Intestinal Bacterial Growth, Intestinal Permeability to Endotoxin, and Medical Consequences” Alcohol. 2008 August; 42(5): 349–361.

6 Sekirov I et al “Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease” Physiol Rev, 2010 July; 90( 3): 859-904

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
7 Comments »

Overcoming Medical Dogma–Eczema

July 28, 2012 in Overcoming Medical Dogma

The recurring series “Overcoming Medical Dogma” is a collaborative effort between The Paleo Mom Sarah Ballantyne, PhD, scientist turned stay-at-home-mom, and Paleolithic MD Dr. Ernie Garcia, MD, Internal Medicine and Sleep Medicine specialist.  The goal of these co-written posts is to go beyond the typical physician-patient interaction where the patient describes symptoms, the physician diagnoses and prescribes medication and/or dispenses diet and lifestyle advice. In each post, we will discuss a common medical condition, the typical treatments that your doctor may recommend, and what you should know about these conditions that your doctor may not tell you. We will reference relevant research and present our recommendations for addressing this condition.  Lastly, we will address the benefits of pharmaceuticals (prescription and OTC) as well as home/natural remedies which may help.

What is Eczema?  Eczema is a general term used to describe a collection of skin conditions (the most common being atopic dermatitis) in which the skin is inflamed and irritated.  The inflammation in these skin conditions is in the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin, and this is the main distinction between eczema and other skin conditions.  The presentation varies and can include any of the following symptoms:  redness, skin edema (swelling), itching, dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding.  It can affect any area of the body and areas can range in size from quite small to very large.  Eczema affects about 10% to 20% of infants and about 3% of adults and children in the U.S. 

It was once thought that eczema was a primary immune system disorder, where an overactive immune system, led by a type of white blood cell called T-Cells, responded to environmental factors by initiating an inflammatory response.  This idea made sense because not only would inflammation produce the red, irritated skin characteristic of eczema, but this dysfunctional immune response also provided an explanation for the observed incidence of atopic dermatitis in conjunction with asthma, hay fever, and other allergies.  However, the most up-to-date research does not support this explanation. 

The most current research points to a different origin of eczema.  It is now thought that eczema results from structural defects in the epidermis resulting in “impaired barrier function”.  Essentially, abnormalities in the skin make it more permeable to toxins and antigens, which then causes an exaggerated immune response 1.  You could think of this as “leaky skin”, where the skin no longer is able to fulfil its primary role as the first line of defence between the body and the outside world.  Once the barrier function of the skin is disrupted, various substances (like toxins, allergens, antigens; basically anything that the immune system views as a foreign invader) can “leak” in from the outside and this is what activates the immune response.  This model is supported by recent isolation of specific mutations in the gene for filaggrin, a structural protein in the epithelial cells of the skin.  This defective gene (and perhaps other similar gene mutations) may lead to a dysfunctional epidermal barrier and is likely the primary cause of eczema. 

What is your doctor likely to tell you about it?  Your doctor will likely tell you that the exact cause of eczema is unknown, but it’s thought to be linked to an overactive response by the body’s immune system to an irritant.  He or she may not be aware of the newest research on eczema, but that will not affect decisions on treatment.  It’s fairly common and not life threatening.

What is your doctor likely to prescribe?  Treatment of any skin condition should always start with proper care of your skin.  In the case of eczema, you should avoid triggers such as heat, perspiration, and low humidity, and keep the skin well hydrated at all times. The standard pharmaceutical treatment is the application of topical corticosteroid creams, which can be purchased in your local pharmacy or prescribed in stronger strengths by your doctor.  If allergies are suspected, a daily antihistamine such as loratidine (Claritin) may be suggested.  In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe an oral corticosteroid, such as prednisone. 

Now if you have your thinking hats on (and we’re sure you do), you are asking “If eczema is no longer considered a primary immune disorder, why is the standard of treatment aimed at stopping inflammation and controlling the immune response?”  The answer is that the symptoms of eczema are indeed caused by an immune response, but it is a response from environmental triggers entering the body through “leaky” skin as opposed to an immune system run wild and attacking itself. 

What should you know that your doctor may not tell you?As discussed above, the most current belief is that those with eczema carry a genetic predisposition to “disrupted epidermal barrier function” 1.  This could be thought of as “leaky skin” and is a very analogous to a “leaky gut”.  In fact, because of the similar roles of the skin and the gut to act as a barrier, it is no surprise that eczema is also associated with increased intestinal permeability 2, i.e., a leaky gut.  It is still unknown whether a leaky gut contributes to the development of eczema, however.   

Eczema is also often seen in conjunction with a multitude of autoimmune diseases.  For example, eczema occurs about three times more frequently in celiac disease patients and about two times more frequently in relatives of celiac patients, potentially indicating a genetic link between the two conditions.  For this reason, gluten sensitivity is suspected as a possible root cause for eczema, but that is still unconfirmed.  Anecdotally, many people find that their eczema goes away when they adopt a gluten-free diet.  Other people find elimination of additional foods, such as eggs, are required to see improvement.  There also appears to be a strong link between eczema and immune hypersensitivity 3.  For example, more than 50% of children with atopic dermatitis go on to develop asthma and allergies.  This may be related to the association with increased intestinal permeability or may reflect an as yet unknown common causal mechanism (such as a gene mutation or environmental factors).   

Although progress had been made toward understanding this complex condition and how it relates to other health issues, the cause of eczema remains unknown.  We are certain the coming years will bring more information and we will try to update everyone as it is available.

A Comprehensive Approach to Treatment:  We believe that a paleo diet is an excellent initial approach to dealing with eczema.  This is because a paleo diet reduces inflammation and heals the gut.  Including glycine-rich foods like homemade bone broth and organ meat can help speed the healing of both the gut and the skin (glycine is an essential component of connective tissue and the extracellular matrix that acts as a scaffold for cells).  Sun exposure and eating vitamin D-rich foods such as fish and organ meat can be very helpful in speeding healing (you might also consider a Vitamin D3 supplement, but check with your doctor first).  Consuming plenty of oily cold-water fish (at least three times per week) as well as eating grass-fed and pastured meat will also help because the high omega-3 content of these foods (and low omega-6 content) could help resolve inflammation.   

Anecdotally, most people report alleviation of their symptoms with adoption of a paleo diet.  In extreme cases, or in individuals who do not see alleviation of their symptoms with out-of-the-box paleo, it may be worth trying a more restricted implementation of the paleo diet, such as the Autoimmune Protocol, a paleo version of the GAPS diet, or even something as simple as completing the Whole 30 Challenge from Whole 9 Life.   

Over the counter topical corticosteroid creams may still provide some alleviation of symptoms (most notably the itching) and might be required initially.  Other moisturizers which may help heal the skin faster and relieve itching include extra virgin coconut oil and lotions containing calamine, aloe vera, arnica montana, Vitamin D and/or Vitamin E.  Diane Sanfilippo provides herbal supplement recommendations in her new book Practical Paleo (herbal supplement recommendations are generally beyond both of our backgrounds and we recommend that you consult with someone with specific training in these supplements such as a Naturopathic Physician).  If your attempts to control symptoms with diet and supplements alone do not produce adequate relief, we suggest visiting your doctor for advice on more specific pharmaceutical intervention in the form of stronger topical steroids or short courses of oral steroids in extreme cases.

1 Elias PM and Steinhoff M  “Outside-to-Inside” (and Now Back to “Outside”) Pathogenic Mechanisms in Atopic Dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2008 May; 128(5): 1067–1070.

2 Pike MG et. al. Increased intestinal permeability in atopic eczema. J Invest Dermatol. 1986 Feb;86(2):101-4.

3 Boguniewicz M.  Atopic dermatitis: beyond the itch that rashes. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2005 May;25(2):333-51.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
24 Comments »