Psoriasis Improvement in Patients Using Glutathione-enhancing, Nondenatured Whey Protein Isolate: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a common autoimmune disease with enhanced systemic inflammation and heightened levels of oxidative stress. Glutathione is the major antioxidant in human cells. OBJECTIVES: To determine if a nondenatured bioactive whey protein isolate previously demonstrated to increase glutathione levels can clinically improve patients with psoriasis vulgaris. METHODS: A single site, prospective, non-blinded trial. Seven patients with psoriasis were recruited to take a nondenatured bioactive whey protein isolate, 20g orally per day, in addition to their current treatments, if any. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores and photographs were taken at baseline and monthly for three months. RESULTS: Patients with psoriasis were found to have a beneficial clinical improvement, whether they were on existing topical therapy, narrowband ultraviolet B, or no other treatment. CONCLUSION: The positive preliminary outcomes from this pilot study suggest a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial would be worthwhile in evaluating whether this protein isolate would result in statistically significant improvement for patients with psoriasis.