A debilitating skin condition that plagues more than a million Britons could be due to ‘too much’ of the nutrient iron, scientists have found.
Psoriasis leaves sufferers covered in disfiguring red, scaly patches and affects one in every 50 people in the UK.
Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, 43, and model Cara Delevingne, 32, have spoken about their struggle with the incurable disease.
Though doctors are unsure what causes flare-ups, those with psoriasis are believed to have too many skin cells, which build up to create itchy rashes across the body.
But now University of Bath research suggests the condition may be triggered by a fault in the hormone responsible for regulating iron levels.
Iron is essential for transporting oxygen through the body’s circulatory system as well as for maintaining healthy skin.
When too much is produced in the skin, however, the nutrient can be harmful – amplifying the effects of UV sunlight and causing diseases, such as psoriasis, where cells multiply more than normal.
The study, published in Nature Communications, claims the key to understanding over-production lies in the hormone hepcidin, which controls how much iron is absorbed from food and released into the body.
In healthy individuals, the hormone is exclusively produced in the liver but in patients with psoriasis, it is also produced in the skin.
Scientists used mice to show mammals develop psoriasis on being exposed to high levels of hepcidin.
Dr Charareh Pourzand, from University of Bath, said: ‘Psoriasis is a life-changing disease. A new treatment targeting iron hormone imbalance in the skin offers hope.
‘This innovative approach could significantly enhance the quality of life, restoring confidence and wellbeing.’
