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Could a daily moisturizer help to lower markers of inflammation and reduce anxiety, panic, PTSD, phobias and social anxiety?

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Could using a good quality moisturizer on a daily basis help to lower markers of inflammation (proinflammatory markers) and actually help reduce anxiety, panic, PTSD, phobias, social anxiety and other mental health symptoms, plus other chronic health conditions at the same time? Based on a new pilot study, I’m going out on a limb and saying this may well pan out to be true. And there is certainly no harm in making this a daily self-care routine until further research confirms this, certainly because of the other benefits of using a moisturizer.

New study: a skin moisturizer reduces markers of inflammation

Let’s take a look at this new study which reports how using a skin moisturizer actually reduces markers of inflammation in the body: Topical Applications of an Emollient Reduce Circulating Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Chronically Aged Humans: A Pilot Clinical Study

Emollients are moisturizers that help keep the skin moist and supple by reducing water loss from the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin.

The study set out to mirror an animal study where skin problems in older/aged mice was tied to elevated markers of inflammation called cytokines. When epidermal function/skin health in the mice was improved, the circulating cytokine levels were reduced:

Thirty‐three aged humans were treated twice‐daily for 30 days, with ≈3 ml of an emollient, previously shown to improve epidermal [i.e. skin] function

Changes in epidermal function and levels of three key, age‐related, plasma cytokines (IL‐1β, IL‐6 and TNFα) were measured at baseline and after treatment.

Circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the body, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and TNFα, were higher in the older adults before the use of the emollient. After topical use, i.e, using the cream on their skin twice a day for 30 days:

circulating levels of IL‐1β and IL‐6 normalized, while TNFα levels declined substantially.

The authors suggest larger clinical trials to confirm this connection between high levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chronic inflammatory disorders and to show how improving skin health by moisturizing may prevent chronic inflammatory disorders such as heart disease, type II diabetes, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults.

The University of California explains the mechanism:

Our skin starts to deteriorate around age 50 with changes to epidermal pH, hydration, and the permeability barrier, which keeps water in and bacteria and other potential pathogens out. A loss of moisture and breaks in the permeability barrier cause the skin to release inflammatory cytokines. Ordinarily, these cytokines help to repair defects in the barrier, but in aging skin the barrier can’t be fixed as easily, so the inflammatory signals continue to be released, eventually reaching the blood.

This article and the study authors are suggesting this is an issue to be addressed with older adults and with respect to the above chronic diseases, but there is enough research on the role of inflammation on anxiety and other mental health conditions at any age, that this study had me perk up and take notice. Also, if you’re young and not moisturizing or living in a dry climate or have other factors contributing to inflammation (more on that below), could this be happening too? I believe it’s highly likely.

The role of inflammation on anxiety and other mental health conditions

Here is one of the many anxiety-inflammation studies: Inflammation in Fear- and Anxiety-Based Disorders: PTSD, GAD, and Beyond, reporting that:

heightened concentrations of inflammatory signals, including cytokines and C-reactive protein, have been described in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), and phobias (agoraphobia, social phobia), etc.

And concludes that:

targeting inflammation may serve as a potential therapeutic target for treating these fear- and anxiety-based disorders in the future

Inflammation plays a role in depression too. This paper, Role of Inflammation in Depression and Treatment Implications reports that:

Numerous studies (including meta-analyses) have found elevated peripheral and central inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in depression.

The ongoing inflammation affects neurotransmitters and makes antidepressants less effective:

Chronic exposure to increased inflammation is thought to drive changes in neurotransmitters and neurocircuits that lead to depressive symptoms and that may also interfere with or circumvent the efficacy of antidepressants.

Many approaches for reducing cytokines and inflammation

I do want to address the one statement in the emollient study where they say that “approaches that reduce circulating cytokines are not yet available.” There are, in fact, many approaches for reducing cytokines and inflammation.

In one study vitamin D supplementation improved mood, reduced anxiety and lowered markers of inflammation (CRP and IL-10) in female diabetics who had low levels of vitamin D.

In another study looking at anxiety in women with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), probiotics and selenium improved their mental health and hormonal profiles, lowered markers of inflammation and reduced oxidative stress.

This paper lists a number of underling root causes that cause systemic inflammation and depression: psychosocial or life stressors, poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, altered gut permeability (i.e. leaky gut), atopy (a genetic tendency to allergies – this could include gluten sensitivity), poor dental health, sleep issues and vitamin D deficiency.

Of course, these factors may also play a role in anxiety and using a functional medicine and nutritional approach, you can reduce the inflammation and eliminate the anxiety/depression. It’s a matter of finding your root cause/s and addressing them.

Research is also finding that GABA, one of the main calming neurotransmitters, may also have a possible role in “neuroimmune interaction, being involved in the modulation of immune cell activity associated with different systemic and enteric inflammatory conditions.”

Low zinc and low vitamin B6 are also factors in inflammation, and addressing low levels reduces inflammation and eases anxiety such as pyroluria (a social anxiety condition) and low GABA and low serotonin anxiety because zinc and vitamin B6 are co-factors for making these brain chemicals.

The benefit of touch and a boost of oxytocin

I’d like to mention other benefits of using a daily moisturizer – the benefits of touch, massage and a boost of oxytocin:

  • Hand massage and therapeutic touch has been shown to decrease anxiety and make the elderly in a nursing home feel more comforted. If you’re a caregiver to a parent, make daily moisturizing part of your routine.
  • Swedish massage reduces anxiety in ICU patients and improves vital signs.
  • Touch increases the release of oxytocin improving well-being and may also have “applications in neuropsychiatric disorders especially those characterized by persistent fear, repetitive behavior, reduced trust and avoidance of social interactions.”

Adding skin moisturizing to your daily self-care routine

I feel very comfortable saying you now we have a new tool – daily skin moisturizing – to add to your toolbox to help lower your markers of inflammation and reduce anxiety, panic, PTSD, phobias and social anxiety. Let’s use everything at your disposal to heal and feel your absolute best.

It’s something most women (and a few men) are already doing, and this information can give you more reason to continue to do it.

It’s a lovely self-care routine if you’ve not been doing it for some time or have never regularly used a moisturizer. This information can be an incentive to add it back to your daily routine or start doing it.

The biggest problem I see with moisturizing is using toxic chemicals and less than ideal creams on your skin so I reached out to colleagues and my community on Facebook to get input on their favorite home-made and store-bought moisturizers:

In the meanwhile, feel free to share your favorites and what your moisturizing self-care routine is like, and if you get regular massages and use moisturizing creams with love ones. Simply comment below.

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Comments

  1. Ingredients of the moisturizer used in the trial:
    Glycerin, Vitis vinifera (Grape) seed oil, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Portulaca oleracea extract, Phytosterols, Sodium hyaluronate, Arginine, Tocopheryl acetate, Myristoyl/palmitoyl oxostearamide/arachamide MEA

    I’d suspect just Jojoba oil in it’s own would work as well. It’s what I use as a mosturizer

    It’s only a pilot study and it looks like there was no actual intervention in the control group – e.g. massage, so the actual ‘massage’ or ‘touch’ component of the treatment my also be part of the effect

    Reply

    • Drew
      I love that you make your own blend and that it creates pure bliss! Neal’s Yard Remedies look like a lovely company. I love that they hold classes on so many health-related topics.

      I’m curious about this product and if you know if it’s gluten-free? If yes they should really say that on the site/product label. Also it’s the first moisturizer I’ve seen that has soy oil as a major ingredient and although EWG Skindeep rates it a 1 (https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702679/GLYCINE_SOJA_%28SOYBEAN%29_OIL/) I’d be cautious about soy allergies and would want to know if it’s cold-pressed. I’d also want to know if the sunflower oil is cold-pressed, free of solvents and pesticides (https://fsi.colostate.edu/sunflower-seeds-draft/). EWG rates potassium sorbate a 3 (https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/705225/POTASSIUM_SORBATE/) and some folks are allergic to it. I personally love it when companies have a good FAQ page explaining each ingredient – why it’s used, why it’s a good choice and what to be aware of.

      Reply

      • Thanks for your informative input Trudy. I wrote to Neals Yard Remedies and this was their response:

        Dear Drew

        I can confirm that the product is gluten free.

        With regards your question about our oils, I have found the following information:

        The Sunflower used in the majority of our products is the “standard” high Oleic acid type (around 70% Oleic acid content) The Sunflower used in our baby products (since the 2016 reformulation) is a high Linoleic version (approx. 50 – 70% Linoleic acid content) Both oils are cold pressed, organic certified, no solvents involved in their manufacture.

        Most of our oils are cold pressed, but not all. Not all oils can be viably produced using this process, & other methods, such as CO2 extraction & expeller pressing are also used.
        Our non-organic Grapeseed & Wheatgerm oils are expeller pressed (pressed under high pressure). Chemical solvents are not used in the production of any of our vegetable oils.

        The product is soil association certified as organic and as such cannot be subjected to pesticides.

        I hope this helps.

        Regards
        Nicola Dimmer
        Customer Care Co ordinator
        advice@nealsyardremedies.com
        T: 01747 834 634
        Neal’s Yard Remedies
        Natural Organic Health & Beauty
        Peacemarsh, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4EU
        nealsyardremedies.com

      • Drew
        What a great response from the company. As I mentioned I really love it when information like this is listed on the FAQs or ingredients page on the company site but when it is isn’t, contacting them directly is the next best thing. They didn’t say anything about soy allergies or potassium sorbate?

        Just like with diet and nutrients there is no one-size fits all so the important thing is finding something that works for your skin and it seems you have.

      • Yes, they didn’t mention soy allergies or potassium sorbate!

        Neal’s Yard Remedies is great, I source a lot of products from them and essential oils too. Their Focus, Meditation, Organic Defense and Woman’s Balance EO blends are lovely. I also get all my herbal teas from them, i.e.:

        Dandelion Dried Herb
        Burdock Leaf Dried Herb
        Burdock Root Dried Herb
        Yellow Dock Root Dried Herb
        Milk Thistle Dried Herb
        Skullcap Dried Herb
        Pau D’Arco Dried Herb
        Ginkgo Dried Herb
        Vervain Dried Herb
        Lemon Balm Dried Herb

        I’d love to visit their factory in Devon one day!

        http://www.bloomremedies.co.uk in Cornwall is also a firm favourite of mine with gorgeous products and Marie the founder is a gem. Their sleep mist is wonderful for lightly spraying on bed clothes at bed time.

        And finally http://www.nhrorganicoils.com is great too for pure essential oils.

  3. I’ve used both organic, cold pressed coconut oil or avocado oil on my face for years. I love pure Shea butter as a body cream scented with jasmine or lavender essential oil.

    Reply

    • Cibele
      Lovely – thanks for sharing. I’ve been hearing that coconut oil may be disruptive of the skin microbiome and can be drying in some folks – have you noticed this?

      Reply

      • Yes, I thought I was crazy, finding coconut oil drying but no one else mentioning it. As to the previous post re: Richard’s Yard soy oils being organic, I wonder if they are also non-gmo. The organic label doesn’t rule that out.

  4. I would like to know how much of ones body needs to be moisturised., and if it is also necessary to be done twice per day. Such a simple but effective way to help with anxiety. Will be slathering a lot more in the future! I have Sjogren’s so everything is dry, skin, mouth, eyes, hair. I have been trying to keep my face much “moister” and I am sure my wrinkles have lessened. I find rice bran oil is also quite good.

    Reply

  5. Any suggestions for USA based healing moisturizers? What about Arbonnne? EveryOne? Others? Thanks!

    Reply

  6. Have you shared your opinion of fragrance in creams and lotions? I follow a dermatologist on YouTube who advises we avoid fragrance. I’m another woman with Sjogren’s and it causes many difficulties for me, so I’m a seeker of the best information I can find and feel comfortable with. Thank you for your endeavors to help people with autoimmune conditions.

    Reply

  8. Great blog and research topic. The simple things are so underestimated! I openly admit I’m a dedicated life-time Ayurvedic student so that makes me bias perhaps. Copious daily application of plain oils and medicated oil (oils infused with herbs generally) have been part of a reccommended balanced daily routine in Ayurveda for several thousand years. It is particularly encouraged in any conditions related to the nervous system! 🙂 Always cool to see Western science highlighting ancient wisdom to make it relevant to more people today. Thanks for sharing . <3

    Reply

    • Lauren
      Thanks for your kind words and yes sometimes it takes time for Western science to catch up with ancient wisdom! This Ayurvedic practice deserves an entire blog post for those who are not familiar with it.

      May I ask what you mean by plain oils? Something like the sesame oil that is typically used?

      Reply

      • Yes. Sorry I was not particularly clear 🙂
        Sesame, Almond, Coconut, even ghee. I would highly suspect that there were other ones used as well. Having been to an Ayurvedic Hospital once in India that was still very traditional, I was made aware of how many medicines and treatment protocols have been lost or sometimes just don’t make it to N.America and other countries.
        It definitely would make an excellent blog Trudy! I”m sure many could be made! 🙂
        If you need some reputable Ayurvedic practitioners or physicians and teachers for resources, I certainly could email you the name of a couple in the U.S. and one or two in India.
        Thanks for sharing your passion.

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