Treat Psoriasis Naturally with Turmeric

• Leaky Gut Connection?
• Types
• Conventional Treatments
• How Can Turmeric Help?

Psoriasis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease condition. It's most common in the Arctic, Norway, and western European populations and much less so in natives of warm, sunny climates (such as Africa, Samoa, and South America). ^(ix.19-21)

The most common type of psoriasis causes thick, scaly flakes on reddened skin. At the cell level, the skin of people with psoriasis makes new cells at 10 times that of normal skin, while shedding it at the slower, normal rate. ^(ix.19-21)

Psoriasis Is a Debilitating Condition

Psoriasis can have a substantial negative impact on a person's sense of well-being. In fact, research shows that the effect on quality of life is similar to patients with congestive heart failure. ^{(ix.20, 22, 23)}

The often chronic nature of psoriasis requires long-term treatment that can be expensive, time-consuming, and come with adverse side effects. Combined with the embarrassment, self-consciousness, and discomfort of psoriasis, it's easy to understand its effects on quality of life. ^(ix.23)

Increased Risk for Other Diseases

Psoriasis is linked to greater risk for a number of other inflammatory diseases, including: ^(ix.20-22)

• Arthritis (psoriatic, which is similar to rheumatoid arthritis)
• Crohn's disease
• Depression
• Heart disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Type 2 diabetes

Conversely, metabolic syndrome conditions (including diabetes and obesity) appear to increase the risk for developing psoriasis. ^(ix.20, 24)

Psoriasis is also linked to higher risk of certain cancers (such as skin cancer and lymphoma). However, it's not clear whether this increased risk is due to psoriasis or a side effect of conventional treatments for it. ^(ix.20)

Causes and Triggers for Different Types of Psoriasis

Psoriasis can be either acute (appear suddenly) or chronic. There are 5 types of psoriasis. The causes/triggers and symptoms of each includes: ^(ix.20, 25)

Psoriasis At the Cellular Level

In people with psoriasis, immune cells are abnormally activated by triggers for the condition. These psoriatic T-cells produce inflammatory cytokine proteins, activate other immune cells, and create chronic inflammation. ^(ix.22)

What Aggravates Psoriasis?

Other conditions or lifestyle factors may increase the severity of psoriasis. This include: ^{(ix.20-22, 24)}

• HIV
• Poor diet (especially not enough essential fatty acids)
• Pregnancy
• Smoking

However, in about half of pregnant patients their psoriasis symptoms actually improve. ^(ix.22)

Some acute subtypes of psoriasis, such as von Zumbusch pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis, can be life-threatening. Pustular psoriasis may also increase the risk for developing other types of psoriasis. ^{(ix.20, 28, 29)}

Conventional Treatments for Psoriasis

Conventional therapy for psoriasis depends on the severity of the condition. Some treatments may be limited because of coexisting conditions that may make potential side effects worse. For example, people with kidney disease are cautioned when taking drugs that can impair kidney function. ^(ix.20, 31)

These drugs are associated with a number of other potentially serious side effects as well. The risk of developing an adverse side effect typically increases with the length of time the medication is used. ^(ix.20)

How Can Turmeric Help Psoriasis?

Decades of research shows that turmeric, turmeric oil, and its compounds have several different powerful properties that may help relieve psoriasis. These include helping to regulate the immune system, boosting liver function, and preventing the effects of metabolic syndrome conditions. ^(ix.37-42)

Turmeric's Anti-inflammatory and Immune System Activity

Abnormal immune system activation and the chronic inflammation it causes are key factors in the development and severity of psoriasis. Turmeric extracts and oil have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-psoriasis effects. So do many of its compounds (especially curcumin and quercetin). ^(ix.38, 39)

Curcumin Exerts Similar Activity as Pharmaceutical Drugs for Psoriasis

Curcumin helps regulate the immune system response, and experts suggest the turmeric compound may be a cheap and safe alternative treatment. Similar to the biologic drug Enbrel®, curcumin blocks TNF-alpha, a cytokine protein involved in severe psoriasis inflammation. ^{(ix.17, 29, 43, 44)}

Curcumin also helps counteract dysfunctional immune activity in cells that is involved in breaking down proteins. Called the ubiquitin-proteasome system (or UPS for short), UPS is also associated with psoriasis. ^(ix.45)

Clinical Evidence that Turmeric and Curcumin May Help People with Psoriasis

Clinical trials indicate that turmeric and its curcumin compounds may help treat psoriasis, but in different ways: ^{(ix.17, 46-49)}

Clinical Evidence of Turmeric Benefit in Psoriasis

Turmeric Form or Compound	Study Details	Take Away Point
600 mg/day of turmeric extract and 2 sessions of UVA therapy a week (ix.46) (for up to 8 weeks)	A pilot study was conducted with 22 patients suffering from moderate to severe psoriasis. (ix.46) Within 45-65 days, all patients had greater than 75% reduction in severity. (ix.46) By the end of the study, al had achieved over 90% improvement. (ix.46)	Turmeric supplements with ultraviolet-A phototherapy could significantly improve symptoms of psoriasis. (ix.46)
Topical treatment with ointment containing 1% curcumin (ix.47, 50)	Clinical research measured effects of gel containing the turmeric compound curcumin compared to placebo and Dovonex®-treated patients with psoriasis. (ix.47) Curcumin gel performed significantly better than placebo or calcipotriol (a vitamin D derivative) ointment. (ix.47) The turmeric compound dramatically reduced PhK enzyme activity involved in psoriasis. Patients treated with the curcumin gel showed an average of over 83% less enzyme activity than the placebo group, compared to about 46% reduction in those treated with Dovonex®. (ix.47) Reduced enzyme activity corresponded to reduced levels of other psoriasis markers (including activated immune system T-cells). (ix.47)	Topical ointments containing turmeric's curcumin compound could help suppress psoriasis activity. (ix.47)
4.5 g/day of curcumin C3 complex for 12 weeks (ix.50)	Open study involving 12 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. (ix.50) Only 2 of 12 study participants responded (16.7%) after completion of the study. (ix.50) The 2 responders showed 83-88% symptom improvement. (ix.50) However, this low rate of response could mean the patients showed a placebo benefit which wasn't caused by curcumin. (ix.50)	Oral curcumin may only help a limited number of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. (ix.50)

Experts suggest that using less-toxic topical or oral agents (such as Dovonex®) in combination with systemic drugs for severe psoriasis could be beneficial. Lower doses of drugs such as cyclosporine may be given, reducing its potential toxic side effects. This suggests turmeric and its compounds could offer the same benefit. ^(ix.31)

Studies suggest turmeric and its curcumin compounds could offer the same benefit. In fact, animal research show that curcumin actually reduced kidney damage caused by cyclosporine. And results of the pilot study mentioned above suggest that turmeric could be as effective as psoralen with UVA therapy in a shorter amount of time. ^{(ix.46, 47, 51, 52)}