Heal Your Skin from Within: Exploring the Gut-Skin Connection

There’s been a lot of chatter in the wellness world about how important gut health is for the skin. However, despite how much it’s talked about, a lot of us are left feeling puzzled about exactly how these two relate (and whether the connection is really as big of a deal as people make it out to be). 

If you’re not so clear on the relationship between your gut and complexion, we’re here to shed some light on this ever-present topic. We’re uncovering the key details you need to know about the gut-skin connection – and how supporting your gut can help you on your path towards achieving (and maintaining!) healthier, happier skin. 

Gut Health 101

First up: a short class on gut health basics. Gut health refers to the overall wellness of the gastrointestinal tract. It’s largely influenced by the gut microbiome – a community of bacteria and other microorganisms. These microorganisms are found throughout the body, but are primarily located in the small and large intestines. 

A balanced gut microbiome is characterized by a diverse community of good bacteria and other beneficial microorganisms, which play a variety of roles in the body. This includes defending against bad bacteria and other potentially harmful pathogens, and ensuring the body best utilizes available nutrients. 

The effects of a healthy microbiome are far-reaching. In fact, research has shown that a healthy, balanced gut can support metabolism, digestion, and the immune system. Links have even been found between the gut microbiome and the brain, showing how a balanced gut affects mood levels, cognition, and overall mental health.

What is the Gut-Skin Connection?

As you already know, gut health also influences the skin. Just like any good relationship, the gut and skin connection (also known as the gut-skin axis) isn’t one-sided – the skin can also impact gut health. 

Let’s first chat about the gut’s effect on skin health. 

How Gut Health Affects the Skin

If your skin is feeling particularly aggravated, congested, or dry, there’s a good chance your gut may be involved. As research looking into the gut and skin connection continues to evolve, more evidence is coming to light showing how gut imbalance and skin inflammation often go hand in hand.

One of the most common skin issues tied to gut problems is acne. There’s long been speculation that gut health and acne may be closely linked, partially due to gut imbalances triggering inflammation in the body. Recent research has uncovered the details of this relationship. 

For example, one small study found that, compared to the control group, patients with acne had an imbalance in their gut microbiome, and that there was less microorganism diversity. A similar study revealed that acne patients had lower levels of certain good bacteria strains - including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria - in their gut compared to patients with clear skin. 

While much of the current research has looked into the gut-skin axis as it relates to acne, some gut health studies have also examined other inflammatory skin conditions. For example, a clinical study found a connection between rosacea and gut health, showing that many patients with rosacea also had gastrointestinal disorders like IBS and SIBO. Researchers have also found potential links between imbalances in the gut microbiome and psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. 

There is even research to suggest having certain bacterial strains in your gut may improve skin dryness by improving skin barrier function and reducing transepidermal water loss, such as L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L.rhamnosus. Think of these probiotic strains as moisturizers from the inside out.

If your eyes are glossing over with all that research talk, here’s the TL;DR: an unbalanced gut microbiome may lead to or exacerbate skin problems, including skin dryness, acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and other inflammatory skin conditions.   

How the Skin Affects Gut Health

There’s no shortage of studies looking into the gut’s impact on the skin. Reverse the roles, and the research is a bit more limited – but there is still some interesting data worth highlighting. 

When it comes to gut health, vitamin D is essential. In addition to getting vitamin D through diet and supplements, one of our main sources of this vitamin is the sun – more specifically UVB rays. When the skin is exposed to the sun, it creates vitamin D through receptor cells. That vitamin D is then used for various functions throughout the body. 

Initial research has given us some insight into how vitamin D levels and the skin’s exposure to the sun impact the gut. A study looking at 150 patients found that there was a correlation between those with higher levels of vitamin D and a healthy diversity of microorganisms in the gut. Another small clinical pilot study specifically looked at UVB exposure and gut health, and found a potential link between sun exposure and a healthy gut microbiome.  

The Gut-Brain-Skin Connection

When talking about the link between skin and gut health, it’s also important to recognize a third key player: the brain. Research has shown that all three organs influence each other. In the case of acne, it appears that mental stress negatively impacts the gut microbiome, which in turn creates inflammation that ultimately ends up as inflammation of the skin, AKA breakouts.

This tight-knit relationship between your gut, brain, and skin is the reason both food and stress can indeed break you out. It’s also the reason why probiotic supplements, like Glow Biome, can have a powerful effect on your skin.

Supporting Gut Health for the Skin: How Probiotics Can Help

Alongside managing stress levels and eating a balanced diet, a well-formulated probiotic is one of your best tools for maintaining gut health. After seeing just how close the ties are between gut health and skin problems, it’s probably no surprise that a good probiotic can make a world of difference in your complexion. 

Here’s the catch: there are a lot of probiotics on the market, and not all are made specifically with skin health in mind. This is where Glow Biome comes into the picture. 

Glow Biome is thoughtfully formulated with 6 clinically-validated probiotic strains that support both gut and skin health, including the unique strain L. rhamnosus SP1, which has been shown in a clinical trial to improve adult acne in 12 weeks. Glow Biome is designed to enhance microbial diversity, helping to fight acne, oil, and dryness from the inside out. 

In fact, Glow Biome has been clinically proven to improve breakouts, excess oil, and dry skin, with results in just 6-12 weeks. Oh, and one huge plus: it does so without the unpleasant side effects associated with traditional topical and oral skin treatments.

Of course, Glow Biome also has an effect on other health factors. By taking into account the gut-brain-skin connection, it not only promotes clearer, healthier skin, but also supports better digestion and enhances overall wellness. It’s an easy, simple solution for keeping these symbiotic relationships in your body balanced and healthy.