This article originally appeared on Yahoo! Health

Taking a daily dose of probiotics may help you achieve beautiful and healthy skin, suggests early research on the live, friendly bacteria and skin health.

Combined with effective stress management strategies and a healthy diet, oral probiotics may help to reduce inflammation, explains Whitney P. Bowe, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology. By promoting a healthier digestive system, probiotics may prevent toxins in the gut from leaking into the bloodstream. In turn, this may help to reduce inflammation throughout the body, including acne and rosacea flares on the skin.

“To maximize the benefits of probiotics, you should try to reduce stress and minimize refined carbohydrates in your diet,” suggests Dr. Bowe. “Eat more complex carbohydrates, more fibre, more deeply coloured fruits and vegetables. All of those things will set the stage for adding healthy bacteria.”

Some probiotics might also be applied to the skin to act as a protective shield, guarding against harmful microbes that can trigger acne, rosacea, and other skin conditions. Dr. Bowe explains that friendly bacteria can produce antimicrobial substances, which kill unwelcome germs. Certain strains of probiotics may also calm skin cells, helping to limit unsightly immune responses, such as inflammation, redness, and bumps.

woman-with-yogurt-probiotic

Probiotics may boost skin health

Much research remains to be done – and probiotic hype may exceed actual health perks. However, investigators have found evidence linking friendly bacteria to healthier skin. For example:

  • In an in vitro study, Dr. Bowe and colleagues found that the probioticStreptococcus salivarius produced a zit-zapping substance that limited the growth of Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium linked with acne.
  • When applied to the skin, two probiotic strains of Lactobacilli helped to protect against skin infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, report researchers from The University of Manchester, UK. Among other infections,S. aureus can trigger boils.
  • In a small Italian study of 40 patients, those who received oral doses of probiotics along with standard acne treatments experienced better outcomes, compared to those who received standard treatments alone. In this investigation, the probiotics included freeze-dried Lactobaccilus acidophilusand bulgaricus, both of which are used in commercial yogurt production.
  • Mothers who drank milk with probiotic supplements during and after pregnancy cut their children’s odds of eczema by nearly half, found researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

In contrast, some research findings are less rosy. For example, a systemic review published by The Cochrane Library found no evidence that probiotics work for treating eczema – despite the fact that some clinicians already prescribe probiotics to treat the itchy skin condition.

Let friendly bacteria into your life

Cozying up with microscopic critters may sound creepy – but in fact, our bodies house more bacterial cells than human cells, reports the New York Times. As researchers from the Human Microbiome Project have found, many microbes play key roles in human health: they may help to shape our immune systems, aid in digestion, protect our skin, and more. In other words, we depend on friendly bacteria to survive and thrive.

Some people eat probiotics in supplement form to enjoy their purported health effects. Others nibble on naturally probiotic foods, including:

  • Yogurt or kefir products that contain live cultures
  • Raw sauerkraut, kimchi, or brined pickles
  • Kombucha, a fermented tea beverage
  • Unpasteurized miso paste

When it comes to skin applications, cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturers have developed probiotic cleansers, creams, and masks. Homemade alternatives may also soothe the skin, although more research on the subject is needed.

“Anecdotally,” Dr. Bowe says, “I’m getting some positive feedback from patients who make homemade masks, using yogurt with ‘live active cultures’ on the label. Some of them even add probiotic powders to the yogurt for an extra boost. They apply the mask to their skin for ten minutes and rinse it off. Most of those patients say their skin feels better, it tends to have a better glow, it tends to be less dry.”