As if it was not difficult enough to have rosacea, now, it could be possible that some of your most beloved foods may be contributing to the exacerbation of your rosacea symptoms. Gluten intolerance has become as mainstream as doughnuts these days. Sadly, millions of people have negative side effects to gluten. One of such gluten side effects is inflammation, which is also related to rosacea. So, I set to find out if gluten causes symptoms of rosacea to become more extreme or if there is any correlation at all…
Gluten Intolerance
A gluten intolerance also referred to as non-celiac gluten sensitivity, has become somewhat of a global phenomenon in recent years. Tens of millions of North Americans are said to suffer from gluten complications. A rather basic breakdown of the definition of gluten intolerance is that people who have it will have adverse reactions to a protein found in wheat-based products, as well as barley, oat, rye, and spelt. Some products might include:
- Beer
- Breads
- Cereals
- Pastas
- Salad Dressing
- Soy Sauce
- Toothpaste
Today, it is becoming easier and easier to find foods sans gluten. It may take a bit of an adjustment to eliminate or substitute some of the foods you love, however it may just improve your rosacea symptoms significantly over time.
*Please note a gluten intolerance is different from a wheat allergy and celiac disease.
Gluten and Rosacea
University of Maryland’s Center for Celiac Research recently published a study stating that it is believed the inflammation caused by gluten does affect other areas of the body. They fall short of saying that gluten has a direct impact on our skin, however, they elude to the fact that it is a real possibility and that more research must be conducted. In January 2017, another study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information concludes there is an association between some gastrointestinal diseases and rosacea; however, it too only suggests that a gluten intolerance may be one of such diseases linked. It does not say without a doubt that rosacea and gluten are directly correlated.
Product and Food Balance
The scientific community is slowly beginning to suggest that the elimination of specific food types may be beneficial to certain skin conditions such as rosacea. While there may not be a significant amount of research yet published on the connection between the two, hundreds if not thousands of sufferers have posted their experiences on rosacea support pages stating that once they eliminated various combinations of wheat, dairy, and eggs from their diet, their symptoms improved greatly over time. For some others, it was less effective. There are also additional foods that can have a positive and negative impact on rosacea.
Everyone is going to have a different reaction to the elimination of gluten. From the message boards, people often suggest it could take up to a few months to see results. And, in most cases, rosacea symptoms did not go away entirely, however they were greatly improved. This could be they did not eliminate gluten entirely or that gluten only acts as an exacerbator for rosacea symptoms rather than an actual cause of the skin condition. This has yet to be proven. For those who are not positively impacted by the elimination of gluten and for those who wish to see even greater relief, do not forget to use rosacea-friendly products. These products will often relieve additional symptoms that may not be associated with gluten, and provide you with the perfect balance between internal and external care.
It seems no study has yet to solidly prove and declare the direct connection to gluten and rosacea, however, several studies are suggesting it is highly possible. Many rosacea communities recommend keeping a food journal to determine which foods cause flare-ups and which do not for the most effective results. It is suggested that flare-ups will occur within 10 to 15 minutes after eating a rosacea-offending food type.
What is your experience with gluten and rosacea?