If you have psoriasis there is a chance that you may have a gluten sensitivity or even celiac disease. Celiac disease and psoriasis are both autoimmune disorders. The immune system is attacking the body as it would toxic invaders.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammation of the skin. After the gluten protein in wheat is eaten, villi in the intestine are the main target in celiac disease but multiple body systems are affected by CD, including the skin.
According to an article from October 11, 2010 on About.com, approximately 4 percent of those with psoriasis have also been diagnosed as having celiac disease. The number of undiagnosed cases of CD, as well as cases of gluten sensitivity, may be significantly higher.
The article reported on research suggesting that people with psoriasis experience high levels of gluten antibodies. A high level of gluten antibodies is an indication that these individuals have a reaction to eating gluten. It's possible that many people with psoriasis are also enduring undiagnosed celiac disease or some other type of gluten intolerance.
One study has found that patients with psoriasis had greater levels of two antibodies used in the diagnosis of celiac disease than controls without psoriasis. On the other hand, no psoriasis patients had IgA anti-endomysial antibodies. These antibodies are considered to be the most significant in forming such a diagnosis.
It was not possible for researchers to determine whether psoriasis may somehow cause celiac or gluten sensitivity, or indeed whether this gluten intolerance may be a contributing factor to having psoriasis. But the apparent link is intriguing to researchers.
Though the results are less than conclusive, some psoriasis patients have tried a gluten-free diet in an attempt to find relief. Some psoriasis patients have found that their skin improved after embarking on a gluten-free diet.
Research was reported on July 29, 2010 on Celiac.com which undertook to better understand any link between celiac disease and psoriasis. The celiac-associated antibodies gliadin IgA, gliadin IgG, and tissue transglutaminase IgA as well as associations with the HLA Cw6 gene were studied by researchers from the Division of Immunopathology inthe Department of pathology at the Institute of Medical Sciences, the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, and the Academic Staff College at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India.
Psoriasis patients had much higher celiac-associated antibodies for gliadin IgA and IgG and tissue transglutaminase IgA than control subjects had. The research indicated that patients with psoriasis tend to display latent celiac disease or celiac-associated antibodies.
Sources:
Celiac Disease, Psoriasis Linked Through Antibodies to Gluten. Celiacdisease.com. Web. August 21, 2011.
http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/commoncomplicationsofcd/a/Celiac-Disease-Psoriasis-Linked-Through-Antibodies-To-Gluten.htm
Coeliac Disease Associated with Psoriasis. Medscape.com. Web. August 21, 2011.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/720256
Psoriasis Patients Show Celiac Disease-associated Antibodies, No Correlation with HLA Cw6 Geneotype. Celiac.com. Web. August 21, 2011.
http://www.celiac.com/articles/22229/1/Psoriasis-Patients-Show-Celiac-Disease-associated-Antibodies-No-Correlation-with-HLA-Cw6-Geneotype/Page1.html
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Reviewed August 22, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg R.N.