Ketogenic Diet Reduces Inflammation in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Patients: Study

A recent study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences unveiled the impact of diet patterns on psoriasis (PSO) and psoriatic arthritis (PSA). The study evaluated the effectiveness of a Mediterranean diet (MD) and a Ketogenic diet (KD) among the patients with these conditions. A total of 26 patients were included in the study with a crossover design that alternated between the Mediterranean diet and Ketogenic diet for periods of 8 weeks with a 6-week washout interval in between.

The results indicated significant improvements in several health markers for patients on both diets. The participants experienced a considerable reduction in weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, total fat mass and visceral fat on both the Mediterranean diet and Ketogenic diet, where latter showed a slightly more pronounced effect in terms of weight loss and fat reduction. These improvements are crucial, as excess weight and obesity are known risk factors that can exacerbate PSO and PSA symptoms.

However, the most significant outcomes were observed when analyzing the impact of these diets on specific markers of inflammation and disease activity. The patients following the Ketogenic diet demonstrated a marked reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and the Disease Activity Index of Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA). Also, key inflammatory markers such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17 and IL-23 showed significant reduction that suggests that the Ketogenic diet may help reduce the inflammatory processes linked with PSO and PSA. While the Mediterranean diet also contributed to overall health improvements, it did not express a significant impact on these disease-specific markers.

These findings suggest that dietary interventions like the Ketogenic diet, could play a vital role in managing and improving the outcomes for patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The Ketogenic diet's ability to significantly reduce markers of inflammation and disease activity explores its potential as a therapeutic strategy alongside traditional treatments. While further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these effects and to explore the long-term implications of such dietary changes, this study a new avenue for treatment strategies for individuals with PSO and PSA.

Reference:

Lambadiari, V., Katsimbri, P., Kountouri, A., Korakas, E., Papathanasi, A., Maratou, E., Pavlidis, G., Pliouta, L., Ikonomidis, I., Malisova, S., Vlachos, D., & Papadavid, E. (2024). The Effect of a Ketogenic Diet versus Mediterranean Diet on Clinical and Biochemical Markers of Inflammation in Patients with Obesity and Psoriatic Arthritis: A Randomized Crossover Trial. In International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Vol. 25, Issue 5, p. 2475). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052475