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Psoriasis and Gluten Sensitivity

Psoriasis is a Symptom of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
Skin disease is common in those with gluten sensitivity. The most commonly seen skin affliction is called dermatitis herpetiformis.
Scientists at the Medical University of Silesia in Poland decided to find out whether or not antibodies for celiac disease could be found in the blood of those with psoriasis. They already knew that psoriasis was seen in some patients that had celiac disease without symptoms (called non-celiac gluten sensitivity) plus the fact that a remission could be seen in the psoriasis with a gluten-free diet. A remission of the psoriasis could even be seen in those who had had psoriasis for years.
The researchers took blood serum samples from 67 patients with psoriasis as well as serum from healthy people without the disease. They looked for antibodies against transglutaminase enzyme and against gliadin. They found that patients with psoriasis had higher antibody levels of both transglutaminase and gliadin for IgA. Both of these correlated with psoriasis activity.
The Polish researchers concluded that these results imply that there is an association between psoriasis and celiac disease / gluten intolerance without the symptoms.
Source: J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol, Sept 2008; Vol. 22, No. 9, 1055-61.

Gluten Free Society’s Stance

Someone with gluten sensitivity doesn’t always manifest symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea that are commonly associated with celiac disease.
Psoriasis is just one more of the skin manifestations of gluten sensitivity.
Each year, millions of people visit their doctor with rashes of all types. Many of them are sent home with corticosteroid creams that do little for the rash.
After reading this research study, we now know that dermatologists can solve some of the cases of rashes just by recommending a grain-free diet. A gluten-free diet usually eliminates rye, wheat and barley, but a true gluten free/grain-free diet eliminates all grains.
Do you have psoriasis or any other type of ‘mysterious’ skin disorder that has not responded to traditional medical treatment or to a standard gluten free diet (wheat, barley, and rye elimination)? If so, consider eliminating all grains and see what happens!

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45 Responses

  1. I have had psoriasis for over 35 years and has gotten worse over the years. I tried light therapy and even had a unit in my home. Went through a couple medication trials, Raptiva and was on Raptiva for over 2 years until it was taken off the market. I tried every cream, gel and ointment available in the US time after time. Then I went on Enbrel which took care of the psoriasis fine, but when I would get sick it took more and more time to get well. This past Feb. I got sick and was literally in bed for a month. During this time I did not take my weekly Enbrel shot because of the havoc it plays on the immune system. After getting well from URI symptoms including getting tubes in my ears, I decided to stay off the shot and go on a gluten free diet. I have been on the diet over a month now, with NO PSORIASIS SYMPTOMS AT ALL. I know this is not a long time but previously if I missed a shot I would break out. My hands and feet actually bled from the lesions. I hope this gluten free is going to continue making me psoriasis free and if so, I will stay on it the rest of my life.

  2. I was diagnosed with Coeliac’s disease at the start of 2011. Before that I would eat anything and everything and still can’t seem to stop. I’ve been having very severe stomach pains and lots of other pain in my abdominal area for a long time. I try so hard to eat foods without gluten because of the fear the doctor has put into me, but get so dang frustrated. I try to bake bread but seem to mess it up. If I get it right then it goes bad fast. It’s like I can’t seem to maintaina healthy diet and enjoy food. I have no patience for making “everything” that I eat and no will power. I’m 238 pounds and 5’8″ tall and way obese according to the BMI index. Living in a remote region in Alaska makes it a bit incovenient to buy gluten-free products without paying a seal and a whale for shipping. So… I . I dont know how much longer I can keep this up. I constantly say to myself that I’ve been eating this way for 41 years and have been miserable for just about that long that why does it matter if I’m gluten free? It’s an everyday struggle with life and I really have no support groups except what’s on this internet.

  3. Florentino — look into the original Atkins diet. It is gluten free and easy to follow. Also, if you go to fatsecret.com, you can join for free and meet others who are doing Atkins to be Gluten free. It’s been a big help to me and you may find it useful.

  4. Accidentally discovered cure to my psoriasis by cutting out wheat to lose weight. Now psoriasis free for first time in 31 years!!!!!!!!! Yippee! Cant believe it. Psoriasis has been so bad at times it bled and skin peeled off in sheets. Had to vacuum bed every morning errrgh. Yuk! disgusting disease. Have tried steroids, coal tar, light therapy etc etc. have been on dovonex but area affected so large I virtually gave up trying to treat myself and just accepted this is the way my life would be. I am sooo excited at finding this site as I thought I must be imagining the connection between wheat and psoriasis. Good health to everyone!

  5. I am 29 now, and have lived with moderate/severe psoriasis for 19 years. I went on the Dukon Diet to lose weight, which eliminates all bread, oats and grains from the diet. With an increase of lean proteins. After a few weeks on the diet I noticed an significant improvement. When I reached my goal weight I started to introduce oats and grains back into my diet, behold my psoriasis came back with a vengeance, the only thing I could make a connection to was the grain and oats. Since then I have followed a gluten free diet and have found that although I still have lesions I don’t have to use creams or steroids to live and breath in my own skin anymore. But beware of hidden gluton products like soy sauce and teriyaki sauce.

      1. What about white rice?Ive eaten it my whole life.I started drinking beer a lot and developed skin problems.I’ve stopped the beer.Where do I go from here?

  6. Yes, I have also discovered the wonderful absence of my psoriasis when I cut out grains. I was dumb founded and a little angry that I have suffered with psoriasis that manifested on the palms of my hands and soles of my feet for 24 years, but instead of being informed of dietary influences I was given different creams and gels. I was diagnosis when I was 25, I am 49 now and this past year I have been almost totally psoriasis free when I cut out grains. When I do ocassionally eat grains, including beer, with in 3 days my psoriasis is back. One benefit for me has been the 45 lb weight loss I have experienced since cutting grains from my diet!

  7. I agree with the article, but feel like I must clarify some wording. Celiac disease without symptoms is called silent Celiac. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is a term used to describe a sensitivity to gluten where Celiac testing is negative.

  8. I have suffered with Psorasis on and off for 20 years. Since the birth of my two wonderful children (5 years ago) my symptoms have become infinitely worse. I have tried so many different treatments and nothing has worked. I feel dispair with my skin and frustration with the suggestions doctors have made that don’t work! Today was my first day off of Gluten. I’m hoping I will be able to join the many of you here who have found relief from dietary changes. I pray this will work.

  9. Interesting…I have suffered with Psorasis for almost 30 years…anything that can save me money and get me off meds is worth a try…so glad I stumbled across this article…

  10. It sickens me to know that they have known about this for five years and I am just now hearing about it!

  11. I have had Psorasis for about t 10 years. Nothing the doctors offered did any good at all ! I found that using Crisco as a lotion in the affected area’s helped better than all the lotions and steroids. Then, on advise from a friend, I started using liquid vitamin E on the areas. I have been using it 2-3 times a day for almost a month and have had significant healing, stronger skin, and the scales are gone. Not a cure, but a huge improvement !

  12. I have had servere psoraisis since the age of 5 years old and am now 62. I was told by a friend that cutting out gluten from my diet would prevent psoriasis 10years ago. I cut out the gluten and the rash disappeared completly after about 6 months and I have now had normal skin for the last 10 years. I was wondering if gluten had caused my high blood pressure as well, as I have been having anti-hypertensive tablets for 20years and my blood pressure is now 119/71?

  13. I was having trouble losing the last 10 lbs of a 50 lbs weight loss and tried the Wheatbelly plan to get the last belly fat off. I didn’t believe the wheatbelly “hype” about all it could cure, but I said if it cured my psoriatic arthritis I would shout it’s praises from the mountain tops! Not only is my knee now bending completely pain-free, but my “rotted” toe nails are growing back in pink! It took about 3 weeks to believe it, and it’s un-disputable to me. I slipped up and ate some pancake mix I thought was gluten-free (it wasn’t) my skin started to rash-up, and my knee-pain flared up. I’m convenced. Tell the World!

  14. I am happy for those of you getting relief from your psoriasis by cutting out gluten. I wish I could say the same….I have been gluten free for over a year and I’m at the end of my rope as the psoriasis has gotten a ton worse in the last month or 2. Topicals and light therapy are doing very little. Even cutting out almost all dairy and sugar isn’t working. Unfortunately I will be back on the injections by Nov if no relief:(

    1. A daughter began making her own yogurt as found in the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as well as gluten/grain/sugar/dairy free. Made a big difference. Having the right gut bacteria may be the answer.

  15. Barbara — It sounds as tho you obtained relief in the beginning of your adherence to a GF diet, would that be correct? Many times those of us with biopsy diagnosed Celiac Disease have the same problem. We go GF and have improvement…. then months or as long as a year or two later, we develop many of the same symptoms again.

    You may have developed other food sensitivities. I would suggest you contact your dr. about being tested for Celiac Disease, as it’s been proven there is a definite correlation between Psoriasis and CD. Also, consider testing for food sensitivities. You or your dr. can contact CYREX LABS for further information, they are most reliable for this testing.

  16. I came across this site via Facebook, diagnosed coeliac 18 months ago, never suffered with psoriasis before but now have nasty outbursts on elbows and knees, I’m gluten free completely but I’m thinking perhaps the gluten is still getting into my diet somehow. Doctor just give me cream which is not a great help. Will have to check my diet more carefully.
    ,

    1. I have recently started this gluten free diet also. after about 2 months psoriasis wasn’t going away did notice however my gut feeling better after meals. So I dug in deeper and found that dairy and sugar play a part just as the gluten did so getting rid of one and not the other two would not cut it. So here I am w a tough choice on my hands.

  17. Many cosmetics lotions shampoos and espially toothpastes contain gluten. Once take it out of your diet it tak s a bit but the. You become sensitive to those small amounts also. That may be what has occurred.:(

  18. Another hidden source of gluten is in your prescriptions. Check with your pharmacist to ensure all your prescriptions are gluten free. Don’t forget to read the labels on everything you buy and check for the “other” names which can be an indication of hidden gluten, ie…. HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein), “natural” flavoring (check source), or food dyes.

    Molecular mimicry is another concern … example: using instant coffee. During the heating process for instant coffee, it changes the structure of the molecules so that our bodies think it contains gluten.

  19. Have had psoriasis for 56 years. Curtently have in scalp area. I was thinking regarding if there could be a connection between inflammation in the body and psoriais. Googled for info. and found this web site. I am going to try to get off gluten and check the results.

  20. Both my son and my mother have ecczema and a bit of psoriasis (i.e. persistent ongoing problem with dry flaky skin) on their hands – I bought the Lady Soma Skin Nail Cream for them and it cleared up within a week! Skin is now clear and healthy.

  21. I noticed I would get heartburn every time I ate spaghetti or pizza. Everyone told me it must be the acid in the tomato sauce, yet I could drink V-8 juice by the gallon and not have a problem. While eating raisin bran one morning for breakfast I got a bad case of heartburn. This was my first sign something in the cereal didn’t agree with me so I cut out all gluten in my diet. About one year later my psoriasis vanished puzzling my doctor. I can now eat a couple of pieces of pizza and some spaghetti with zero heartburn, a doughnut now and then too.
    However if I eat too much gluten in a day, my body immediately reminds me I’ve reached my limit and I get heartburn again.
    It’s great to be able to enjoy the foods I love in moderation and not have psoriasis anymore.

  22. There is a great FB group- Psoriasis healing Warriors with great advices, protocol that includes Gluten free eating. It is very a very helpful group..

  23. Hi
    I hv been suffering frm psoriasis for almost 15 years..I had it on my scalp, tummy, legs n elbows..tried everything..nothing worked..I hv always suffered frm severe headaches n digestion issues.
    One day I read a article about celiac disease.. n thought of giving a try to gluten free diet..n only within three weeks, it’s all gone..n m healed..let’s share our healing stories to help the community..praise the lord

  24. Suffering plaque psoriasis since 27 yrs. Last yr worsening, in march my lower legs where covered in palm size lesions. Stress at work and who knows maybe cover or strep (not tested) could be causes of the flare.. Now on a diet NO: grains, nightshades, dairy, nuts seeds, spices from seeds or pods, legumes, sugar,coffe,black or green tea, alcohol, honey etc, fruit,egg,corn….

    I eat all meats, salmon, all leafy greens, kales and cabbages and all from that family, berries, coconut and all from coconut, bone broth every day 3 times a day, berries(bramble,blueberries,rasberries,lingonberries), fermented cabbage and carrot.

    I do cold water bath in the sea (Im inStockholm Sweden), mild exercis, lymphatic massage and meditation. I have been on sick leave from work for 4 weeks.( economic setback.. but will crash if I would have gone on the way I was…) Actually the staying at hpóme theme in these cover times are not bad for me.. I needed the calm.

    Now after 1month after strict diet… seeing clearing on my huge lesions. Also the scalp (a war zone…) is noticing my efforts! Also my elbows are clearing..

    Supplements: zinc, magnesium, probiotics ,vit: D,C, 5Htp, oregano oil, pau dárco tea, marigold tea, hibiscus tea.
    Looking into: Childhood trauma healing, Infra red therapies, cats claw.
    Wishing everybody well on their way to healing.

  25. Off grains, dairy, and sugar since 2017. Retired and financially comfortable with no other stress. What else could cause psoriasis?

  26. Right, Dr. O, and thanks. I just want to know where else to look if the True GF diet hasn’t worked. I found the Glutenology Matrix through Health Means and have listened to all the modules several times, and have implemented Dr. O’ Bryan’s dietary suggestions too.

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