Probiotics For Gut Health And Acne

Acne Diet: Is There A Best Diet For Acne

If youre wondering if all this affects what you should eat to control acne, the answer is also yes!

Thats because the way you eat has an effect on your gut microbiome. The healthy bacteria in your microbiome thrive off of the fiber, polyphenols , and prebiotics found in your food.

But the best diet for acne doesnt have to be complicated…In fact, its quite simple!

Research shows that the best diet for the gut microbiome is one that incorporates plenty of fruits and vegetables and minimizes processed foods, industrialized seed oils , and refined sugar.

Thats really all you need to worry about — told you it was simple!

So fill up on your fruits and veggies and cut down on processed foods and youre on the road to better gut and skin health.

Best Probiotic For Acne

As you know, probiotics are strain-specific, so in an ideal world youd take a strain proven to help acne. But heres the dilemma: we cant yet say for certain what that probiotic strain is. Its likely theres more than one or that different strains will work for different people.

Until science figures it all out, you have two options:

Enhance Outcome Of Anti

Clinical trials that assessed the pairing of probiotics intake with acne medicines reported that this combination improves the absorption of the drugs and prevents their side effects.

For instance, a clinical trial performed on forty-five females showed that the group receiving minocycline with probiotics had better improvement in their lesions.

Compared to this, two participants of the group who received only minocycline developed a vaginal infection .

Also Check: Life Extension Super Digestive Enzymes With Probiotics Review

Can Probiotics Cause Acne

Far more often than not, a probiotic routine will help curb breakouts rather than be the cause of them. However, a minority of people may experience acne flare-ups once they first start taking probiotics. There are a couple of reasons why this happens.

One scenario is that the probiotic supplement being ingested contains the wrong combination of microorganisms to properly balance any one patients specific gut flora, throwing their system off-kilter and resulting in one or more pimples. Remember, theres an enormous array of beneficial bacteria in the human gut, so no one probiotic supplement works exactly the same way for everyone. Human microbiomes are remarkably individual, there are millions of them in our systems and they all interact in specific ways in each persons body. That said, some probiotics, such as Lactobacillus and those listed earlier, have been shown to have a broad range of benefits for just about everyone.

This is the least likely reason for a probiotic related breakout, but the solution is to either start getting your probiotics directly from food sources, or switch to a different probiotic supplement.

The more common reason why some people experience acne flare-ups once they start regulating their intake of probiotics is actually a good sign, one that suggests the probiotics are doing their job.

Are Probiotics Good For Acne

The benefits of probiotics may be noticeable for gut health, but can they serve as an acne treatment or pave the way to clear skin?

Current research does not fully explain the interaction between acne flare-ups and probiotics, but it does show a connection between the two.

There are two ways to use probiotics in the treatment of acne: topically and internally. When used topically, or applied to the skins surface, probiotics can act as a helper in the skins protective shield, striving to keep in a favored balance over unwanted microorganisms.

When taken internally, as a supplement or eating fermented foods, probiotics can help balance the ratios to more favorable bacteria inside your body. As we have seen before, inflammation in the gut can actually trigger skin inflammation. With a balanced gut-skin connection, you can reduce your bodys overall inflammation and even prevent acne from forming.

Also Check: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Critical Care Probiotic 50 Billion

Do Probiotics Help Acne Skin

What are the benefits of probiotics? There is evidence to suggest that probiotics in topical and dietary supplement form can be beneficial. They can offer both internal and external benefits. However, as with any form of skin treatment, results may differ depending on the individual.

Probiotic supplements help acne as their main function/benefit for the body is to calm internal and external inflammation. Probiotics for acne also work to restore the skins natural barrier. Therefore, theyre a great option for those suffering from any type of inflammation, not just acne, but also eczema and rosacea.

Probiotics can be an effective cystic acne treatment. This is because generally cystic and/or hormonal acne are indicative of internal bodily issues. These issues include hormonal or immune imbalance.

Probiotics are live microorganisms whose purpose is to regulate healthy gut bacteria and fight off harmful pathogens and bacteria. For this reason, probiotics are often referred to as good bacteria. This is why theyre one of the best acne spot treatments. Probiotics heal the skin and the body from the inside out. Try probiotics for acne and you should be able to see a visible change in your acne skin for the better.

Can Probiotics Cause Acne Reddit Stories

Yes, oral probiotics may cause acne flare up, but the risk is very minute and close to none with topical antibiotics.

For instance, A Reddit user shared that his/her acne cleared in a week after probiotic use. To this, jollynecromancer replied that his skin also became healthy in a matter of 5 days and is not excessively oily or dehydrated anymore.

Another Reddit user Freaklegg shared that despite religiously following her skincare routine, she was still breaking out and couldnt pick out the reason. However, she ultimately realized that she had been taking the antibiotic azithromycin for the last seven days, and she started retaking her probiotics.

After only five days, she noticed that her skin was clearing up. It got smoother and had fewer blemishes. Many in the replies also shared that probiotics helped them with rosacea and antibiotic-caused acne.

However, Monicatuesday shared in her Reddit post that she thinks that her fungal acne has flared up due to her probiotic intake.

To this, the repliers recommended that she check up with her doctor to check if her probiotic is suitable for her condition.

Another replier guessed that her probiotics might have triggered some stomach issues, which are causing acne.

Recommended Reading: Is 1 Billion Probiotics Enough

What Are The Benefits Of Taking Probiotics For Acne

The benefits of taking probiotics for acne is that whether topical or a supplement, it calms inflammation in the skin. This therefore reduces the frequency and severity of acne breakouts.

If you are noticing a consistent appearance of whiteheads, blackheads, and breakouts especially along the chin, this is indicative of hormonal imbalances. In this instance, a probiotic may be a great choice for blackhead removal, and as a hormonal acne chin treatment.

This is due to the fact that one of the main benefits of taking probiotics is that they reduce the bodys production of propionimbacterium. This is a bacteria which causes acne and aggravates existing inflammation. By reducing the bodys production, probiotics can reduce the rate of acne breakouts and also calm existing inflammation on the skins surface.

Probiotics are also not just great for those dealing with facial acne. As probiotics aid in resolving and controlling internal and external inflammation, they’re an effective back acne treatment, and fungal acne treatment. Probiotics can therefore help the overall look and appearance of the skin on the body and face. They also ensure the digestive and immune system work at the most optimal rate with a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

What Is Sibo And What Causes It

Typically, youll find most gut bacteria in your large intestine. However, small intestinal bacterial growth happens when you get an overflow of bacteria in your small intestine. Symptoms of SIBO include digestive issues like nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, and then, of course, acne.

But just what causes SIBO? That would be hypochlorhydria, which is just a fancy way of saying low stomach acid. Bad microbes cozy up in your small intestine when youre low on stomach acid instead of being eliminated during digestion. Its no coincidence that research shows a strong link between people with acne and low stomach acid.

You May Like: Fortify Optima Women’s Probiotic

Can Taking Probiotics Clear Acne

It may come as a surprise to you, but scientists are still figuring out the exact causes of acne today. That said, there is mounting evidence that probiotics can be beneficial in treating acne. Probiotics can help to balance the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body, including inflammation of the skin.

But always keep in mind that your microbiome is unique, which means that what works for another person might not work for you, and vice versa.

What Probiotic Strains Are Beneficial For Acne

Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 is a clinically tested strain of bacteria. This strain improved gut health by increasing the good bacteria. Along with that, it resulted in decreased levels of inflammation.

Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, according to a literature review, is one of the clinically tested strains used for acne. The milk containing lactobacilli improved acne and showed positive outcomes.

Read Also: Probiotics That Boost Immune System

Best For Hormonal Acne: Love Wellness Clear Skin Probiotics

This clinically tested Love Wellness probiotic is powered by a potent strain that helps target acne. Additional ingredients work to help with breakouts while improving the general complexion.

GoodGlow Score

Zinc provides extra anti-acne benefits

No Animal Ingredients or Gluten

Suitable for vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free diets

Keep Scrolling To Get The Scoop On How Good Bacteria Can Actually Help Heal Your Breakouts

Faith Brar is a Maine-based freelance health and wellness writer and content creator whose work has appeared in a series of Meredith digital brands, including Shape. When she’s away from her keyboard, you can find her lifting weights, hiking mountains, binge-watching true crime shows, and spending quality time with her hubby and dog-child, Drake.

We independently research, test, review, and recommend the bestproductslearn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

There’s really no better way to put it: Acne freaking sucks. You’re not alone if you’ve incessantly Googled the best spot treatments or slathered your face with countless creams, serums, and other topical acne-reducing products, and no matter how much you’ve been cautioned against it, you’ve probably picked at or popped some of your most gnarly zits.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to treating acne. Recently, however, there’s been some buzz around how good belly bacteria might be the long-awaited solution to clear skin. And that’s why seemingly more and more dermatologists are recommending probiotics to patients since these tiny microorganisms are practically the heroes of gut health.

But can a balanced gut microbiome really benefit your face? Here’s everything you need to know about the skin-gut connection to beat your breakouts for good, according to a dermatologist.

You May Like: Best Probiotic Yogurt For Toddlers

Five Tips For Healthy Skin And A Healthy Gut

Taking Probiotics After Taking Antibiotics

Oral antibiotics can have profound effects on the bacteria living in the gut. Numerous studies have shown that taking oral antibiotics results in changes in the gut microbiome, including a loss of diversity in bacterial species and strains, that can last anywhere from six months to two years. This is because antibiotics not only kill the particular bacteria that they were prescribed for, but also many other species and strains of bacteria.12 This is why probiotics may be especially beneficial after taking oral antibiotics.

Also Check: Do Probiotics Help With Nausea

Buying The Right Probiotic

Despite some promising early results suggesting that probiotics might help with acne, we should remember that probiotics are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration . In other words, the quality of the oral and topical probiotics currently on the market may vary widely, and some of them may not actually contain the cultures they claim.16

Therefore, when you are buying a probiotic, do your research and make sure you’re buying from a reputable source.

An Exception Where Probiotics May Cause Acne

Now coming towards why probiotics intake may cause acne in some cases.

According to Dr.Lauryn, probiotics may lead to Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth , yeast overgrowth, or gut microbiome dysbiosis, which may cause breakouts.

Here, SIBO might occur when the probiotic bacteria overgrow in the small intestine instead of the colon, where it actually should be. The point to note here is that an overgrowth of even probiotic bacteria will ruin the stable gut environment.

Hence, it may cause microbiome dysbiosis or yeast infections which may trigger either fungal acne or other types of bumps.

This is why they say that pimples indicate your gut health as well.

Read Also: Should I Take Probiotics When I Have Diarrhea

Do Probiotics Help Acne Or Make It Worse

It is now a decided fact that topical probiotics may be used as potential cures for skin diseases, including acne. Compared to this, oral intake of probiotics does have a risk of causing breakouts, but that too happens in rare cases.

Regardless of that, here are some ways in which probiotics prevent acne:

What Causes Acne And Spots

Acne is caused by inflammation of the skin, and particularly affects the sebaceous glands which produce sebum, the skins natural oil that keeps it lubricated. Excessive sebum and dead skin cells block skin follicles . These blocked pores are breeding grounds for further infection and inflammation. Spots develop as papules and pustules . Although there are various factors that may trigger acne including hormonal, dietary and environmental factors, the impact of gut health should also be a major consideration.

Read Also: Dairy Free Probiotics For Kids

What Is The Best Probiotic To Take For Acne

Please note: this post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you purchase something linked in this article, I may receive a small commission. However, rest assured that I am very particular about the products I recommend, and ONLY recommend products I trust.

A recent study has proven that people with acne actually have a completely different arrangement of gut bacteria and fungus compared to those without acne. The study found that those with acne had less gut diversity AND an undesirable balance of particular bacterial families in the gut. While the study isn’t proving acne is caused from dysbiosis it is solidifying the theory that those with acne likely have dysbiosis, and in my opinion, certainly supports the need for gut support in the journey of healing your skin. This study also supports the theory behind the link between gut health and acne. Therefore, for many of my clients, I start them on probiotics to help acne. In my practice, I’ve found that the right probiotic is an integral part of the best acne treatment for my individual clients. There’s also the issue of potentially making digestive symptoms worse- when certain conditions are present taking a probiotic may make you feel worse and unfortunately won’t do much for your skin.

While we don’t know if the bacteria is getting to the intestines in this form, we can definitely start working on the microbiome of the mouth- which can effect your gut health . Read more about that here.

Resources:

Probiotics For Acne & Skin Health

Gut health and skin health have been linked as far back as the early 20th century1. This article will look at the current understanding behind this link, especially the link between gut health and acne, and the role probiotics can play in this relationship.

Teenagers are not the only age group affected by pesky, painful spots and breakouts – acne is a common complaint amongst adults too. In this article we answer your questions about the link between gut health and skin health, and how probiotics might help:

You May Like: Primadophilus Fortify Women’s Probiotic

Probiotics Help Balance Gut Bacteria

Probiotics can have an effect on the population of bacteria living in the gut and help to preserve a normal balance of the gut microbiome. In doing so, scientists believe that they might:

• Strengthen the immune system: The immune system regulates inflammation. Remember, acne is an inflammatory disease, so a strong immune system is important.
• Help prevent infections: Since acne is in part a bacterial infection in the skin, this is interesting.
• Help restore the normal balance of gut bacteria: This is particularly important after antibiotic administration, which kills beneficial bacteria along with the targeted harmful bacteria.7,8

Probiotics can be found in small amounts in certain foods, particularly in fermented foods such as cultured yogurt, tempeh, sauerkraut, and miso, and in larger amounts in manufactured dietary supplements. Interestingly, scientists do not call the beneficial bacteria that naturally live in the body probiotics they reserve this label for beneficial bacteria that are administered through food and oral and topical supplements.8

There is still much that researchers do not know about probiotics. For one thing, there are many different strains of probiotic bacteria, and each has a different effect on the human body.

Expand to read how probiotics might help with various illnesses

The following is a list of ailments that might be suitable targets for probiotic supplementation, and the proposed mechanisms for how probiotics might alleviate the ailment: