So, you’re taking probiotics for gut health. Here’s why you should be taking them for your skin: the gut-skin connection.
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Probiotics and gut health are gradually becoming the answer to many health and wellness queries from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), bloating, immunity and now, skin.
Probiotics may be the key to glowing skin since they help reinforce the skin’s natural barrier function.
What exactly is the gut-skin axis?
“The gut-skin axis is a term used to describe the relationship between the microbiomes of our gut and skin,” says April Valenzuela, specialist gastroenterology dietician. This means that your gut health could be affecting how your skin is functioning and looking. “As the microbiome of the gut changes, it can have direct consequences on our skin health,” says Valenzuela, these changes are most likely to be “due to an infection or change in diet.”
Gut health in itself “is the balance of good and bad bacteria,” says Valenzuela, “the digestive tract contains over 100 trillion bacteria to make up the gut microbiota.” This is why people take probiotics – to boost the good bacteria – and prebiotics – to feed the good bacteria – to maintain the balance.
Probiotic supplements or vitamins?
According to Mintel, the supplements market in the UK alone was worth £568 million in 2023 with beauty supplements and women’s health supplements increasing their foothold in growth. From multivitamins and probiotics to iron and vitamin D supplements – if you live in the UK and don’t see the sunlight for six months of the year – it can beging to feel like you need to set a reminder to take each one. Luckily there are a select few brands prioritising a one-capsule-covers-all and alternatives to capsules for example, Ashley Graham told Vogue Beauty she took her “doctor approved” vitamins in gummy form.
Could your gut health be the cause of your skin problems?
It’s not you, it’s your gut bacteria. “Negative changes to the microbiome can have wide-ranging effects including production of toxic chemicals, changes to the lining of the gut wall, and lowered immunity,” says Valenzuela. In turn, your skin takes the brunt of it, as the “changes go on to affect the skin microbiome, which can cause inflammation and skin conditions including acne and dermatitis.”
The knock-on effect of an imbalanced gut microbiome lowering the immune system can cause skin health to deteriorate, making it more prone to inflammation and flare-ups.
What about fermented foods?
Valenzuela warns of the increasingly used “umbrella term ‘fermented foods’ such as kimchi, kombucha and kefir.” This is because the key to reaping the benefits of probiotics means that “probiotics must be live, and in the case of fermented foods, the bacteria can be killed during processing,” says Valenzuela. Regardless of the food being fermented, it may not be full of probiotics.
Does topical probiotic skincare have the same effect?
You may have seen probiotic cleansers, and kefir milk toners cropping up. However, because of the nature of the gut-skin axis and its relationship being internal, “topical alternatives to probiotics aren’t so impactful in overcoming an unbalanced gut-skin axis,” says Valenzuela.
Many topical probiotics skincare ranges do not actually contain live microbes, people with sensitive skin might also steer clear of the direct application of probiotics onto the skin as it may cause a sudden change and imbalance in the skin surface’s microbiome and lead to flare-ups. Valenzuela explains, “this is down to it not really combating the internal relationship and because topical probiotics aren’t always safe.”
Which probiotics are best for your skin and gut?
Valenzuela advises to “do some research and seek advice from a professional to make sure that anything you try or buy will actually be effective, to save you money and time.”
Probiotics, like anything you put in your body, will be different for each individual. We’ve researched some gastroenterology approved probiotics to explore.
Maintaining good gut health to boost your skin’s health and promote its radiance may just be the skincare secret you hold most dear.
Enhanced Synbiotic, £39
Day Pill, £45
Beauty Probiotic+, £35
Skin Clear Biome, £33
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