Three vitamins, minerals to treat eczema
Atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is the most common form of eczema, a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked.
If emollient treatments don’t work, some experts recommend natural vitamin and mineral supplements, express. co.uk wrote.
Atopic eczema is more common in children, often developing before their first birthday. However, it may also develop for the first time in adults and for many can become a chronic condition (appearing in cycles of remission and flares), having a significant impact on quality of life.
Emollients and topical corticosteroids are treatments recommended by doctors and the UK National Health Service, but these don’t always work for everyone. Many sufferers, and parents of children with the condition, are also searching for more natural alternatives to pharmaceutical medications, some of which can cause negative side-effects when used long-term.
The gut lining houses over 70 percent of the body’s immune cells and our beneficial gut bacteria play a crucial role in keeping it healthy.
Studies have observed alterations in the composition of the gut microflora in many eczema sufferers (most consistently a reduced proportion of Bifidobacteria and/or an increase of Staphylococcus aureus).
Gut hyper-permeability (‘leaky gut’) may also be implicated, triggering inflammation in the skin. Improving gut health is therefore a top priority when aiming to reduce eczema severity.
For this reason, supplementing your diet with certain nutrients may prove effective in treating eczema. Nutritional Therapist Hannah Braye recommended a number to try.
Zinc
Zinc levels have been observed to be low in some eczema suffers, with lower levels correlated with increased symptom severity.
Hannah explained, “Zinc has many important functions within the body including supporting the immune system and maintaining the health of the cells lining the gut. Zinc is found in foods such as organic meat, legumes, nuts, seeds and eggs.”
Probiotics
Studies indicate that supplementation with live bacteria, such as Bio-kult Advanced Multi-strain Formulation or Bio-kult Infantis for children, may help rebalance the gut flora, decrease intestinal permeability and improve immune function.
Hannah said, “A recent metaanalysis including 25 clinical trials with a total of 1599 subjects concluded that treatment with multi-strain products significantly decreased eczema symptom severity ratings in children over the age of one year.
“Studies suggest supplementation during pregnancy and early childhood may also prevent development of the condition in the first place (important given eczema’s genetic link).”
Omega-3
Polyunsaturated fats are divided into two families: Omega-6 and omega-3. In the last several decades, dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids has declined, while intake of omega-6 has increased, according to Hannah.
“In fact some sources report omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids are now consumed in a ratio of about 20:1 in the modern Western diet, relative to 2:1 traditionally,” she added.
Research has suggested that this imbalance may result in increased inflammation.
Hannah said, “A 2012 Cochrane review found promising evidence for the use of omega-3 fish oils in atopic eczema, with significant improvements in quality of live observed.
“Omega-3 can be derived from the diet in foods such as oily fish and flaxseeds. Emerging research also indicates that omega-3 may have a positive effect on the gut microflora, which may explain some of its benefits.”