Question: Can Fish Oil Cure Eczema Problems?

My daughter suffers from eczema. She is seriously underweight and short,  she is 10 years old and weighs  22.3kg  [49 lbs].

Can the Pharmax Fish Oil cure eczema problems?

Will this improve appetite and digestion?

Thanks
M.J.

Answer:

Hi M.J.,

Your question is a common one so do not feel discouraged. I get this question often, thus, I am well-informed of how to tackle it for the most part.

There are many potential causes for stunted growth, one being thyroid function. Have you tested your daughter's thyroid? That is very important.

Talk with her doctors about ordering a thyroid lab test. If you have ordered one already and have results, please share them with me.

When I order thyroid tests, I like to see values for:
- TSH
- free T4
- free T3
- reverse T3
- anti-thyroglobulin
- anti-TPO
- salivary cortisol (24 hour)

I would also suggest that her doctor order a general hormone panel for your daughter. Perhaps there is a hormonal imbalance which is stunting her growth.

Read this article about Growth Hormone from Wikipedia.

Given that your daughter is not gaining weight, there are some things which can help.

Fish oil, as you wisely pointed out, is great. However, given that she does not digest well, I would not choose liquid fish oil. I would go towards gelatin capsules as they are easier to digest. However, if you mix the fish oil in a smoothie, the  will be well-tolerated.

The easiest thing to do is make a smoothie for your daughter each morning and perhaps another in the evening as well.

The ingredients for to help your daughter gain weight are:
- Whey Slim with L Carnitine by Seeking Health. Now this may seem like an odd product to give to someone that is underweight. However, Slim in this context means ideal body composition which means muscle over fat.

The ingredients in Whey Slim with L Carnitine are quickly absorbed thereby giving a boost of energy and nutrients for growth.

Whey by itself is composed of numerous amino acids which are building blocks for all forms of development, namely muscles and neurotransmitters.

Add L-carnitine to the mix and your daughter has an extra nutrient designed to stimulate growth.

Mix 1 scoop of Whey Slim with L-carnitine to her smoothie.

- The fish oil you chose is a good one. I recommend that you add 1 tablespoon of Pharmax Finest Pure Fish Oil Liquid to her smoothie once a day.

- Probiotics are essential to absorbing nutrients, establishing a strong immune system and preventing harmful bacteria from taking over the digestive tract.

Studies are showing that children taking probiotics have improved immune systems, less allergies, less skin problems like eczema, healthy weight and improve nutrient status.

Here is one abstract that discusses probiotics and weight gain:
Saran, S., S. Gopalan, et al. (2002). "Use of fermented foods to combat stunting and failure to thrive." Nutrition 18(5): 393-6.
        OBJECTIVES: The present study was based on the hypothesis that failure to thrive is the result of damage to the gut epithelium incurred during repeated bouts of gastrointestinal infections. Promoting the regeneration of the damaged gut epithelium through the use of lactobacillus-rich fermented foods may yield beneficial results. This low-cost procedure can be widely used, even in poor communities. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect in poor Indian communities of supplementation with a probiotic on the growth of children (aged 2 to 5 years) with growth retardation and assess the difference in morbidity between those receiving the supplement (n = 50) and the control group (n = 50), mainly with respect to the frequency, severity, and duration of diarrheal episodes. METHODS: One hundred children aged 2 to 5 y from an urban slum of New Delhi were matched for their age (+/-36 d), sex and weight (+/-1 kg) and assigned to one of two groups (experimental n= 50 and control n= 50). The experimental group received a probiotic supplement (50 ml curd containing Lactobacillus acidophilus) and the control group received an isocaloric supplement daily for 6 mo. Weight, height, and morbidity profile with respect to diarrhea, fever, cough, and cold was recorded. RESULTS: Increases in weight (P < 0.002) and height (P < 0.001) were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group. In addition, after 6 mo, of supplementation, there were fewer cases of diarrhea (P < 0.005) and fever (P < 0.001) in the intervention group then in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, it can be concluded that 6 mo of probiotic supplementation may be beneficial with respect to decrease in diarrheal morbidity and accelerated growth in the experimental group.

The probiotic I recommend for your daughter is ProBiota 12 Powder. Have her take 1/4 teaspoon each evening at dinner. The taste is quite palatable; however, if she does not like it, go ahead and mix it in a 2 ounces or so of her favorite juice.

There are countless servings in one bottle. ProBiota 12 Powder will last her for 2 to 3 months.

If she prefers capsules, have her take 2 of the ProBiota 12 capsules. Two capsules contain the same amount of probiotics as ProBiota 12 powder: 100 billion beneficial bacteria in 12 different types.

- L-glutamine is essential in repairing the digestive system. Many with eczema have issues with gastrointestinal health. L-glutamine combined with probiotics may reduce the symptoms of eczema, allow her to absorb nutrients and gain weight.

- The last product I recommend is Nitric Oxide Support. This product contains L-arginine which stimulates the production of human growth hormone.

Consider taking 1/2 scoop of Nitric Oxide Support twice daily. You may add it to her smoothie but for best effect, take separately away from food.

In summary, to gain weight, height and reduce eczema:
- Take 1 tablespoon of Fish Oil each day mixed in her smoothie for 1 year.
- Take 1 scoop a day of Whey Slim with L Carnitine for 6 months.
- 1 scoop of L-glutamine to heal her digestive system, reduce eczema and stimulate growth.
- Take 1/4 teaspoon of ProBiota 12 Powder or 2 capsules of ProBiota 12 with dinner for 6 months.
- Take 1/2 scoop of Nitric Oxide Support twice a day away from meals. Once on rising and once in the afternoon. If headaches occur or other symptoms, reduce dose to 1/4 scoop. Arginine opens the blood vessels which may cause headaches and dizziness if standing too quickly.

The smoothie I make almost each morning consists of:
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- 1 cup of frozen raspberries
- 2 cups of filtered water
- 1 scoop of Whey Slim with L-Carnitine
- 1 scoop of L-glutamine
- 1 tablespoon of Finest Pure Fish Oil
- about 20 almonds which were soaked overnight
- about 40 raisins
- touch of maple syrup

That recipe will work well for her also. Do each morning.

To stimulate digestion, each morning, when she first wakes up, have her drink:
- 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup of filtered water.
- Add honey or maple syrup to taste.
- This will stimulate her digestive enzymes
- After drinking this mix, she will be hungry within 15 minutes.

Keep me posted how she does. Also let me know what you find out about the lab testing.

Stimulating growth hormone, adding highly available amino acids, providing potent mix of probiotics and mixing in fish oil, your daughter has more a chance to increase in height, weight and reduce her eczema.

Should you have further questions, please do ask.

In health,

Dr Ben
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