Evidence supporting the use of: Omega-6
For the health condition: Psoriasis

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Omega-6 fatty acids, particularly gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), have been studied for their potential role in managing psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition. The rationale stems from the fact that omega-6 fatty acids are precursors to eicosanoids, which can have both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects depending on the specific metabolites produced. GLA, found in evening primrose oil and borage oil, is thought to favor the production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.

Some early clinical trials and small studies have suggested that supplementation with GLA may improve skin hydration and reduce scaling and erythema in psoriasis patients. For example, a few randomized controlled trials in the 1980s and 1990s reported modest improvements in symptoms with evening primrose oil. However, larger and more recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found the evidence to be inconsistent and generally weak, with most studies suffering from small sample sizes, short durations, and methodological limitations.

Neither the American Academy of Dermatology nor major psoriasis guidelines currently recommend omega-6 supplementation as a standard treatment. The overall scientific support for omega-6 fatty acids as an effective adjunctive therapy for psoriasis is limited, and more rigorous, large-scale studies are needed to clarify their role.

In summary, while there is some scientific investigation into omega-6 fatty acids for psoriasis, the evidence is limited and does not strongly support their use as a primary treatment.

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Products containing Omega-6

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