High Tyrosine and Phenylalanine Intake Linked to Greater Severity of Pemphigus vulgaris: Study

Written By : Dr. Shravani Dali Published On 2025-11-04T20:30:30+05:30 | Updated On 4 Nov 2025 8:30 PM IST

A recent cross-sectional study by Pariya Mostafazadeh and colleagues, published in Scientific Reports, found that higher dietary intake of the aromatic amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine is associated with increased severity of Pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The researchers assessed 138 patients with confirmed PV using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire to estimate consumption levels of tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan. After adjusting for age, sex, disease duration, corticosteroid use, protein intake, body mass index and total energy intake, they observed that individuals in the highest quartile of tyrosine consumption had significantly greater disease severity compared with those in the lowest quartile. Additionally, phenylalanine intake showed a positive linear association with PV severity in fully adjusted models.

What this suggests is that dietary patterns rich in certain aromatic amino acids may play a role in modulating autoimmune skin disease severity. The authors discuss plausible mechanisms: aromatic amino acids can feed into immune-modulating pathways, alter gut microbiota composition, generate metabolites that influence inflammation, and disrupt immune tolerance—all of which may exacerbate blistering disorders like PV. Although tryptophan intake did not show a significant link, the results for tyrosine and phenylalanine point toward potential nutritional triggers or modulators of disease activity beyond the well-recognised immunological drivers.

From a clinical standpoint, these findings open up an important dialogue about the role of diet in managing autoimmune dermatological conditions. While treatment for PV currently focuses on immunosuppression and biological agents, recognising that high intake of tyrosine and phenylalanine might worsen disease severity suggests clinicians should also consider nutritional assessment and counselling as part of holistic care. The authors emphasise that prospective studies are needed to confirm causality and to explore whether restricting these amino acids can translate into improved outcomes. Until then, understanding that diet may intersect with disease activity offers a useful insight for both patients and practitioners.

Keywords: aromatic amino acids, tyrosine, phenylalanine, pemphigus vulgaris, autoimmune skin disease, dietary intake

Reference:

Mostafazadeh, P., Nouri, A., Najafi, A., Balighi, K., Daneshpazhooh, M., & Ebrahimpour-Koujan, S. (2025). The association between aromatic amino acids consumption and the severity of pemphigus vulgaris: a cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 37392. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-20564-y

aromatic amino acidstyrosinephenylalaninepemphigus vulgarisautoimmune skin diseasedietary intake

Source : Scientific Reports

Dr. Shravani Dali

Dr. Shravani Dali has completed her BDS from Pravara institute of medical sciences, loni. Following which she extensively worked in the healthcare sector for 2+ years. She has been actively involved in writing blogs in field of health and wellness. Currently she is pursuing her Masters of public health-health administration from Tata institute of social sciences. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.