A new study looked at whether eating a wider variety of foods helps people with pemphigus vulgaris, a rare disease where the body attacks its own skin cells, causing painful blisters. Researchers found that people who ate more diverse diets—meaning they included many different types of foods—had less severe symptoms. This suggests that eating a balanced mix of different foods might be a simple way to help manage this serious condition alongside medical treatment. The findings support what doctors have suspected: good nutrition plays an important role in controlling autoimmune diseases that affect the skin.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating a variety of different foods helps reduce how severe pemphigus vulgaris symptoms are in patients
  • Who participated: People diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, a rare autoimmune skin condition. The exact number of participants wasn’t specified in the available information
  • Key finding: Patients who ate more diverse diets—including different types of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains—had less severe disease symptoms compared to those with less varied diets
  • What it means for you: If you have this skin condition, eating a wider variety of healthy foods may help reduce your symptoms. However, this should always be combined with your doctor’s prescribed medical treatment, not replace it

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers looked at a group of people with pemphigus vulgaris at one point in time and compared their diets to their disease severity. They measured something called a ‘dietary diversity score’—basically a way to count how many different types of foods each person ate. Then they looked for patterns between diet variety and how bad each person’s skin symptoms were.

The researchers used a scoring system to measure diet quality. Instead of just counting calories, this system focuses on whether people eat foods from different food groups like grains, vegetables, fruits, proteins, and dairy. The idea is that eating from many different groups provides more nutrients your body needs.

They then compared these diet scores to how severe each patient’s pemphigus vulgaris symptoms were, looking for connections between the two.

This type of study design is useful for finding patterns and associations between diet and disease. While it can’t prove that diet directly causes improvement, it can show whether a relationship exists. This helps doctors and patients understand whether paying attention to diet variety might be worth trying as part of their treatment plan.

This study was published in BMC Nutrition, a peer-reviewed journal, which means other experts reviewed the research before publication. The main limitation is that this is a cross-sectional study, which shows relationships but cannot prove cause-and-effect. It’s possible that people with less severe disease simply have more energy to prepare varied meals, rather than the diet causing the improvement. More research, particularly longer-term studies, would strengthen these findings.

What the Results Show

The study found a clear connection between dietary diversity and disease severity: patients who ate foods from more different food groups had less severe pemphigus vulgaris symptoms. This suggests that the variety of nutrients from different foods may help the immune system function better and reduce the body’s attack on skin cells.

The researchers believe this happens because different foods contain different protective nutrients. For example, vegetables and fruits contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation, while proteins help build and repair tissues. Whole grains provide fiber that supports gut health, which is increasingly recognized as important for immune function. When people eat from all these groups, they get a broader range of these protective compounds.

The relationship appeared consistent across the patient group studied, meaning it wasn’t just a few people who benefited from dietary diversity. Instead, the pattern held true across multiple patients, suggesting this might be a real effect rather than coincidence.

While the abstract doesn’t detail other findings, research on similar autoimmune diseases suggests that specific nutrients like vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants may be particularly helpful. The study likely examined whether certain food groups were more beneficial than others, though specific details weren’t provided in the available information.

This research builds on earlier studies showing that good nutrition helps control autoimmune diseases. Previous research has shown that balanced diets can reduce inflammation and help immune systems work better. This study adds to that evidence by specifically looking at pemphigus vulgaris, a disease that hadn’t been studied as much in relation to diet diversity. The findings align with the general principle that nutrition matters for managing autoimmune conditions.

The study has several important limitations to consider. First, we don’t know the exact number of people studied, which makes it hard to judge how reliable the findings are. Second, because this is a cross-sectional study (a snapshot in time), we can’t prove that eating more variety actually causes less severe disease—we can only see that they’re connected. Third, the study didn’t account for other factors that might affect disease severity, like medications people were taking or stress levels. Finally, because pemphigus vulgaris is rare, the study group was probably small, which means the findings might not apply to all patients with this disease.

The Bottom Line

If you have pemphigus vulgaris, consider working with a doctor or nutritionist to increase the variety of foods you eat, including different vegetables, fruits, whole grains, proteins, and dairy products. This should be done alongside your prescribed medical treatment, not instead of it. The evidence suggests this may help reduce symptom severity, though more research is needed to be completely certain. Confidence level: Moderate—the research is promising but not yet definitive.

This research is most relevant to people diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris who are looking for ways to manage their condition alongside medical treatment. It may also interest family members and caregivers helping manage the disease. People without this condition don’t need to worry about this specific finding, though eating a diverse diet is healthy for everyone. Anyone with pemphigus vulgaris should discuss dietary changes with their dermatologist before making major changes.

Improvements in skin symptoms from dietary changes typically take several weeks to months to become noticeable, since the immune system responds gradually. Don’t expect immediate results, but consistent eating of a varied diet over 2-3 months may show benefits. Results vary between individuals.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track the number of different food groups eaten each day (aim for 5-6 groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy, and healthy fats). Also track skin symptom severity weekly using a simple 1-10 scale to see if variety correlates with improvement
  • Set a daily goal to eat at least one food from each major food group. Use the app to plan meals that include variety, and log what you eat to see your diversity score. Create reminders to try one new healthy food each week
  • Weekly check-ins on diet diversity score and symptom severity. Monthly reviews to identify patterns between weeks with higher dietary diversity and weeks with fewer symptoms. Share results with your healthcare provider to discuss whether this approach is working for you

This research describes an association between diet diversity and pemphigus vulgaris severity but does not prove that diet changes will cure or significantly improve the condition. Pemphigus vulgaris is a serious autoimmune disease that requires medical treatment prescribed by a dermatologist. Any dietary changes should be discussed with your healthcare provider before implementation. This information is educational and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet or treatment plan.