The Cayce readings state that the cause of most psoriasis is toxins leaking through the intestine into the bloodstream; the body tries to eliminate the toxins through the skin, leading to the lesions of psoriasis. There is also some evidence in the medical literature of a relationship between intestinal permeability and psoriasis (Hamilton et al., 1985; Humbert et al., 1991; Yates et al. 1982). We measured intestinal permeability before and after the Cayce therapies for psoriasis, to determine (1) whether psoriasis patients have abnormally high permeability, and (2) whether following the Cayce treatments leads to a change in the permeability.

    Intestinal permeability was measured with the lactulose/mannitol test. Lactulose and mannitol are water soluble sugar molecules that are not metabolized in the body. Participants drink a mixture of the sugars, and their urine is sampled the next day. Mannitol is readily absorbed by most individuals, whereas lactulose is only slightly absorbed. A high lactulose to mannitol ratio, or high recovery of both sugars, may indicate a "leaky gut," or increased intestinal permeability. The analysis was performed by Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory, 18A Regent Park Boulevard, Asheville, NC 28806.

    In the initial test, of the 9 participants, 5 had either a high lactulose/mannitol ratio, or high lactulose, indicating a leaky gut, based on the norms provided by the diagnostic laboratory. Person 6, with the most severe psoriasis symptoms as well as a variety of other complaints, also had the highest permeability, well outside the normal range.

    In the follow-up test, there were major changes in intestinal permeability in several subjects, but they were not all obvious improvements according to the norms. For example, Person 6 had major improvement in psoriasis, with a major decrease in lactulose permeability, but also with a major increase in mannitol permeability. For several other subjects (Persons 1, 2, 4, and 5) there was a substantial decrease in mannitol permeability.

    The changes in intestinal permeability were not obviously related to the degree of improvement (except in Person 6). It is interesting that Person 5, who had psoriatic arthritis and was the only subject to report no improvement at all, had initial permeability in the middle of the normal range.

    At this time, the two conclusions that may be drawn are: (1) that there is a tendency toward high intestinal permeability in psoriasis patients, and (2) that following the Cayce therapeutic regimen can result in major changes in intestinal permeability as well as improvement in psoriasis symptoms in some but not all patients. Both individual variability in psoriasis causes and symptoms, and individual variability in compliance with the treatment protocol, may play a role. To learn more will require more subjects and a control group.

References

Hamilton, I., Fairris, G.M., Rothwell, J., Cunliffe, W.J., Dixon, M.F., Axon, A.T. Small Intestinal Permeability in Dermatological Disease. Quarterly Journal of Medicine 1985;56:559-567.

Humbert, P., Bidet, A., Treffel, P., Drobacheff, C., Agache, P. Intestinal Permeability in Patients with Psoriasis. Journal of Dermatological Science 1991;2:324-326.

Yates, V.M., Watkinson, G., Kelman, A. Further Evidence for an Association Between Psoriasis, Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. British Journal of Dermatology, 1982;106:323-330.