Eczema
Research
Diet &
Lifestyle
Nickel - a cause for
concern for eczema sufferers
Nickel, which is frequently found to
contaminate food, can cause a relapse of contact eczema and also
widespread chronic allergic skin reactions in
sensitised patients.
Research carried out at the Allergy
Department, Asola Hospital, Mantova, Italy(1) involving 112 people
evaluated the results of an elimination diet and of the taking of
nickel salts in adults suffering from chronic urticaria or
angioedema, pruritus or atopic dermatitis.
All of the participants were prescribed a low nickel diet for four
weeks. Of those that greatly improved, they were given two
successive doses of 10 and 20 mg nickel sulphate hexahydrate
respectively equal to 2.23 and 4.47 mg of elemental nickel. A search
for the specific IgE and the check on skin reactivity by skin-prick
test against nickel were carried out in the patients who had shown
particularly severe reactions after taking the nickel.
The results of the study found that a low
nickel diet was effective in controlling the symptoms in 44 patients
(39.28%). The nickel trial was very positive in that all the
patients who favourably responded to the elimination diet, except
one. This research appears to demonstrate that, in some patients
with contact allergy, intolerance to ingested nickel salts might be
the real cause or trigger of the onset of symptoms of continued
chronic, allergic-type skin conditions.
A further study in Denmark(2) which was
part of the Biological Risk Assessment of Human Metal Sensitisation
(BRAHMS) aimed to understand the clinical and physiological effects
of repeated exposures to nickel.
Using two groups of individuals, half of
which were allergic to nickel and suffering with eczema on the hand.
Both groups had similar levels of nickel
in urine, while the level of nickel in the blood was significantly
lower in nickel
allergic individuals.
Using diet to measure the study, the Nickel
allergic individuals had a significantly lower intake of nickel-rich
food items (chocolate, nuts, beans,
porridge oats). The blood nickel levels correlated with intake of
these foods,
suggesting that the difference in the blood nickel levels was caused
by differences
in dietary nickel intake.
These research papers indicate that eczema
sufferers may be helped by avoiding the main food groups which tend
to be high in nickel - chocolate, nuts, beans, porridge oats - and
that an allergy test or food elimination diet are worth considering
to help overcome the condition.
Sources:
(1) Allergy Asthma Proc 1999 Jul-Aug;20(4):235-42
Antico A, Soana R Allergology Department, Asola Hospital, Mantova,
Italy.
(2) Toxicol Lett 1999 Sep 5;108(2-3):185-9
Christensen JM, Kristiansen J, Nielsen NH, Menne T, Byrialsen K
National Institute of Occupational Health, Lersoe Parkalle 105,
Copenhagen, Denmark.
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