New research investigating the effects of modified intermittent fasting (MIF) on the skin of people with psoriasis has yielded promising results.
Psoriasis is a chronic, systemic immune-mediated skin disorder that makes skin cells multiply faster than normal and form scales and itchy, dry patches.
In the study presented at the EADV Spring Symposium, participants with mild psoriasis who followed the 5:2 MIF diet exhibited a significant reduction in scaling and thickness. In the 5:2 diet, people eat normally for five days of the week and follow a low-calorie diet on two consecutive days.
A total of 24 subjects were enrolled in the study, half the group followed MIF for 12 weeks, and the other half stuck to their regular diet. Fasting subjects reported significantly less scaling and skin thickening at 6 and 12 weeks, with 30 per cent of patients also reporting a decrease in itching.
‘The results of this study add to the growing body of evidence linking the impact of gut health on the skin, offering some promising results for patients of psoriasis,’ said the lead author of the study.