Gut and skin inflammation

June 1, 2021

Written by Vu-Hoang Lê

June 1, 2021

Written by Vu-Hoang Lê

The health of your skin depends upon many factors, from genetics and hormones to diet and nutrition, the skin is usually a mirrored image of what's happening internally within the body. So, it should come as no surprise that an unhealthy gut can reveal itself through various skin conditions. On the flip side, a well-balanced gut can help keep off potential complexion concerns. Here may be a guide to everything you would like to understand about the connection between the gut and therefore the skin.

What is a Gut?

The word ‘gut’ actually refers to a person’s alimentary canal. This includes the whole alimentary canal from the mouth, passing through the digestive organs (like the esophagus, stomach, and intestines), and ending with the rectum and anus. The gut is liable for processing all nutrients that are consumed, and it uses peristalsis to maneuver the food through the gastrointestinal system.

Your gut also houses the bulk of the bacteria within the body. Researchers have found out that the body contains trillions of microorganisms that outnumber human cells by a ten to at least one margin, and therefore the largest number of microbes are often found within the large and little intestine.

While the word ‘bacteria’ tends to possess a negative connotation, it's important to recollect that there are good bacteria. Microorganisms within the microbiome exist to assist digestion, stimulate the system, break down potentially toxic food compounds, and synthesize certain vitamins and amino acids critical to human living. Maintaining optimal health means having enough good bacteria to counteract the bad bacteria. While everyone features a unique microbiome that's initially determined by genetics, it can ultimately be impacted by environmental factors like diet, medical record, and more.

In the gut, imbalance in the growth of bacteria are linked to inflammatory conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, and constipation. And gut issues also can manifest in other parts of the body. Overgrowth of bacteria within the gut, also referred to as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), has been linked to both acne and rosacea.

The Relationship Between the Gut and therefore the Skin

The Gut-Skin Axis (or the Skin-Gut Axis, counting on who you ask) may be a widely researched concept — though not yet fully understood. Regardless, researchers are confident that there's a relationship between gut health and skin health.

It has been clinically proven that when the digestive balance is off — whether the cause is

stress, poor diet, or lack of sleep — the gut becomes overrun with bad bacteria, which may cause skin-aggravating inflammation. This inflammation can cause acne, redness, sensitivity, and even the breakdown of collagen, which may cause wrinkles.

The gut holds a highly immunoregulatory role. Various foods that we eat or bacteria that colonize the gut can potentially cause inflammation within the gut. Inflammation within the gut releases pro-inflammatory cytokines throughout the body. The skin is that the largest organ within the body and does react to those inflammatory cytokines in various ways leading to different sorts of disease of the skin.

How to Improve Gut Health?

A High-Fiber Diet
Ingestible and Topical Probiotics
Lifestyle Changes

The Takeaway

Your skincare routine is a crucial part of your skin health, but so is your gut. While researchers are still learning to know the complete scope of the gut-skin axis, there's little question that the health of the microbiome can impact the looks of the skin. Fortunately, there are several ways to enhance gut health and restore ‘good’ bacteria, including adopting a high-fiber diet, incorporating topical and oral probiotics into your wellness routine, and limiting your sugar intake.

Gut and skin inflammation

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