A new study indicates that certain types of the keto diet may worsen psoriasis and other types of skin inflammation.
The worst fats for psoriasis
Researchers from Austria’s Paracelsus Medical University fed groups of mice with psoriasis different types of keto diets. One group had a high content of long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which contain fats like those found in soybean oil, nuts, fish, olive oil, avocado, and meat. These mice neither got better or worse in terms of psoriasis-like skin inflammation.
But mice fed the keto diet with a high content of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)—which contain fats like those found in coconuts—had worsened psoriasis after following the diet, especially when eaten in combination with omega-3 fatty acids.
Why MCTs promote inflammation
According to one of the co-lead investigators, keto diets supplemented with MCTs pose two problems:
- They induce the expression of cell signaling proteins.
- They lead to an accumulation of white blood cells that affect the skin’s immune response.
“Neutrophils [a type of white blood cells] are of particular interest since they are known to express a receptor for MCT,” explains Roland Lang, Ph.D., “and therefore a ketogenic diet containing MCTs may have an impact on other neutrophil-mediated diseases not limited to the skin.”
It’s important to note, however, that the mice were all fed extremely high-fat diets—77% fat—which most humans wouldn’t eat. To be safe, however, anyone with psoriasis or other skin inflammation may want to avoid a keto diet just in case.
“I think most people following a ketogenic diet don’t need to worry about unwanted skin inflammation side effects,” says co-lead study author Barbara Kofler, Ph.D. “However, [people] with psoriasis should not consider a ketogenic diet and adjuvant therapeutic option.”
When in doubt, talk to your doctor and/or dermatologist before starting a keto diet.
The study was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
