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Hemp Seed Oil may benefit Eczema symptoms
Medical researchers at the University of Kuopio, Finland, have found
evidence of the positive effects of Hemp Seed Oil on Eczema
Researchers, led by Dr. J
Callaway, at the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Clinical
Nutrition at the University, followed a group of patients with atopic
dermatitis, also known as eczema, which is a type of allergy that causes dry
and itchy skin and often requires medical treatment.
"We are still processing some of the biochemical
data,” said Dr Callaway, "but the subjective results from the patients are
already in and they have been correlated with the diagnostic reports from
the dermatologist.
"In short, we saw a remarkable reduction in
dryness, itching and an overall improvement in the symptoms of these
patients while they were using the hemp seed oil, and no significant change
at all while they were using the olive oil. We also noticed a reduction in
the frequency of influenza when these patients were taking the hemp seed
oil," continued the researcher.
The patients orally consumed two tablespoons of
oil a day for two months in a randomised, double-blind crossover design. The
other oil in the study was cold-pressed olive oil, and a two month washout
period separated the two oil intervention periods.
Previously, these same researchers investigated
the effects of hemp seed oil in a group of healthy volunteers and
subsequently found elevated blood levels of GLA (gamma-linolenic acid; a
naturally occurring fatty acid).
"This is a good thing because decreased GLA is
thought to be associated with several chronic health problems, such as
allergies and other disorders of the immune system,” said Dr Callaway. Over
the last 10 years, numerous anecdotal reports have claimed that hempseed oil
improves skin integrity, strengthens finger-nails and thickens hair. "In a
way, this all makes sense because skin, hair and nails are all formed from
the same line of dermal stem cells,” said Dr Callaway.
While hemp seed oil is relatively new to the
modern Western palate, it has been used as an inexpensive substitute for
butter in most Eastern European cultures in the past, particularly in
Russia. Hempseed oil is more than 90 per cent unsaturated and, for this
reason, should not be used for frying.
"Hemp seed oil is an exceptional source of EFAs;
the essential fatty acids that we must obtain from our daily diet because,
like vitamins, we can't produce them on our own. Judging from the fatty acid
profile of hempseed oil, the numerous anecdotal reports over the years and
now the results of our initial clinical investigations, I'd have to conclude
that this is probably the healthiest oil on the market,” said Dr Callaway.
"Clearly, this is an important and useful
discovery that will need to be investigated further,” added Dr Callaway.
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