What’s good for the gut may be good for the skin. Probiotics have long been used and becoming increasing popular to manage digestive symptoms. But, they more offer skin and cosmetic benefits, too, related to their anti-inflammatory properties. According to the American Academy of Dermatology probiotics may help provide clearer skin, reduce redness and inflammation, and decrease sensitivity in patients suffering from acne and rosacea.
Probiotics and Skin Health
There are many ways that probiotics may improve skin health. Here’s what is known so far.
In and on our bodies are many microorganisms. Most of them are beneficial or at least neutral, but some of these microorgansisms can cause disease. The body mounts an inflammatory response to bad microorganisms. When it comes to the skin this can lead to redness and inflammation – the hallmarks of acne and rosacea. Probiotics “hide” the bad microorganisms preventing an inflammatory response from even occurring.
But, probiotics work in other ways to help treat acne and rosacea. Some probiotics have antibacterial activity and can kill the bad bacteria on the skin. Probiotic also decrease the ability of cells to trigger an inflammatory response in response to bad bacteria.
Gut-Brain-Skin Axis
Dermatologists now speak of gut-brain-skin axis. According to this theory stress plus or minus comfort foods slow digestion which in turn affects the composition of micoorgansims living in the gut to that of more bad bacteria. This then enables toxins to leak from the gut and be released them into the bloodstream where they travel to other parts of the body causing inflammation. This can then trigger flare ups of acne and rosacea in those predisposed to these conditions.
Based on this theory then there are at least three things sufferers of acne and rosacea can do to minimize flare ups.
- learn to better manage stress
- avoid unhealthy comfort foods (ususally those filled with simple sugars)
- take probiotics or eat foods containing them (yogurt, Kefir, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi)
Foods or probiotic supplements containing Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium seem most helpful for inflammatory skin conditions like acne and rosacea. Skin creams containing probiotics are now being developed. One line of skin products containing probiotics is TULA.
If you have acne or rosacea consider adding probiotics to your diet, or even your skin.
Originally published on AntiAging World
