Eczema

Eczema is fundamentally linked to low thyroid function and intestinal irritation, with Ray Peat identifying hypothyroidism as the most common underlying factor in ordinary cases. 5 When thyroid function is low, circulation to the intestine becomes poor and serotonin rises, allowing endotoxin to enter the circulation; the combination of endotoxin and serotonin then causes the skin to develop abnormal growth patterns. 5 Peat also pointed to transglutaminase, an enzyme activated by estrogen and found abundantly in both the skin and intestines, as a mechanistic link between gut irritation and skin eruptions. 2 This enzyme reacts to gluten, and Peat argued that gluten is inherently toxic to everyone, not just those with diagnosed coeliac disease, because the seed proteins are designed to cause inflammation in the intestines of animals that eat them. 4

Dietary management centers on eliminating gut-irritating foods and correcting nutritional deficiencies. Peat advised that both eczema and psoriasis tend to flare up when people eat bread, other grains, beans, or seeds, and recommended checking the diet thoroughly for poorly digested, irritating foods as the first step. 2 In infants, he suggested that if the baby is breastfeeding, the mother should carefully examine her own diet for allergens passing into the milk; if the baby is eating solid foods, one food should be eliminated at a time for a week to identify triggers. 2 He also noted that heated or fried fats are more irritating to the intestine, and that sensitivity to them is exaggerated when vitamin D, calcium, and thyroid are low. 9 Nutritional support should prioritize foods like liver, eggs, oysters, fruits, and milk, with particular attention to vitamin A deficiency as the most likely insufficiency, though he cautioned that supplementing vitamin A can increase the need for thyroid hormone. 2

Peat explicitly rejected the use of polyunsaturated fats for eczema, stating that omega-6 oils like safflower oil only appear to help because their two basic functions are slowing metabolism and causing inflammation. 6 Instead, he recommended hormonal and systemic interventions. Thyroid supplementation very often helps, and pregnenolone can produce significant changes by turning off the stress system, since stress reactions from the pituitary-adrenal axis are associated with flare-ups of skin problems. 8 Topically, he described a case where a solution of procaine (Novocaine) dissolved in water with a little alcohol made eczema disappear instantly, and noted that topical aspirin and caffeine are antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. 2 Blood tests for vitamin D deficiency or an excess of phosphate in the diet relative to calcium—such as from eating too much meat over milk and cheese—can reveal factors that activate the inflammatory system. 3