Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder characterized by reddish-pink areas of skin that are covered in silvery scales and inflammation. Many people have found that taking omega 3 fatty acids can help to alleviate psoriasis symptoms and although the studies done are often with smaller groups or open studies providing non-conclusive results the overall benefits of omega 3 fatty acids as tested under other circumstances can be understood to provide benefits to those suffering from psoriasis.
One of the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids is that they help reduce inflammation. Psoriasis is an inflammatory disorder and by reducing the inflammation associated with it through the use of essential fatty acids it can be understood that it would in turn benefit and helps alleviate the disorder to a certain extent.
A study that was done to show the effects of omega 3 fatty acids on psoriases involved 83 patients who were hospitalized for chronic plaque psoriasis randomly allocated to receive either omega 3 treatment or the more conventional omega 6 treatment. Those patients who received the omega 3 were found to have better overall improvement in the severity of their psoriasis as opposed to those who had been given the omega 6 treatment.
If you are suffering from psoriasis you should probably therefore look at supplementing your diet with more omega 3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids may be found in fatty fish, fish oil supplements, certain nuts and seeds such as flax seed or flaxseed oil supplements, as well as a small amount being found in green vegetables. A good diet for psoriasis would therefore consist of fatty fish two to three times a week, large amounts of green vegetables as well as some nuts and seeds and perhaps a supplement of either fish oil or flaxseed oil.
Although many of the tests done to prove the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids on psoriasis have been inconclusive the fact that omega 3 fatty acids do help alleviate inflammation which is one of the characteristics of psoriasis as well as it's many other benefits to the body and skin as a whole should encourage psoriasis sufferers to supplement their diets with these essential fatty acids using fatty fish, seeds and nuts and green vegetables or fish or flaxseed oil supplements.
Glossary:
Omega 3 fatty acids - A group of fatty acids vital for physical and mental wellbeing including ALA, GLA and DHA.
Essential fatty acids - fatty acids that are vital for physical and mental well being but which the body is not able to produce.