When it comes to looking after our skin we take a holistic approach, pairing treatments and topicals with a healthy diet and lifestyle - because what’s going on in the inside of your body can show on the outside. That’s where the gut-skin axis comes into play.
Research shows that up to 34% of people suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) show skin manifestations (like acne and inflammation), it also tells us that the gut communicates with our skin through our microbiome. The two are so closely linked that many skin conditions show similar symptoms to gut conditions, so if our gut is out of balance or feeling off, it’ll show up on our skin.
To explain how our gut health can affect our complexion we’ve enlisted the help of Naturopath and Co-Founder of OPTY.NC, Cate Lilja to answer all of our beauty and belly questions.
Q: When it comes to our skin, how important is the role of gut health?
A: Very! Not only is a healthy gut vital to ensure proper absorption of the nutrients that you are feeding your body (including your largest organ – the skin), but poor gut health can more directly impact the health of your skin.
When we experience poor gut health or imbalances in our microbiome (that is, the 100 trillion microorganisms living in your gut), this can lead to sluggish digestion and detoxification, potentially resulting in breakouts, puffiness and poor skin tone and texture. In more severe cases, this can develop into leaky gut, which can lead to premature ageing, skin sensitivity and inflammatory skin conditions.
Q: What is the gut-skin axis and how does it work?
A: Our gut and our skin are constantly communicating with each other in a relationship known as the gut-skin axis. Messages are sent between our gut, our microbiome, and our skin via the immune system, the nervous system and the endocrine system to help keep our body working in harmony (a state otherwise known as ‘homeostasis’).
When our gut is in good health, it is able to support the healthy functions of the rest of our body by providing not only all of the nutrition we need, but also by regulating our immune system, excreting toxins and signalling to the rest of the body to maintain homeostasis.
When we experience poor gut health and imbalances in our microbiome, our gut-skin axis also becomes unbalanced – and an unhappy gut on the inside often reveals itself in unhappy skin on the outside.
Q: What are the most common types of skin conditions we see in relation to an imbalance of gut health?
A: With leaky gut, our immune system is basically always ‘on’, constantly faced with the threat of foreign particles leaking from the gut into our bloodstream. This leads to a chronic state of stress and inflammation that is reflected throughout our body – and, of course, on our skin. This can manifest in a number of ways including acne, congestion, skin sensitivity and inflammatory skin conditions.
Researchers have long suspected a connection between the gut and skin health. A study dated back to 1916 was the first of many to suggest acne sufferers may have greater levels of intestinal permeability – otherwise known as leaky gut. So, what’s the link? In one study, a group of healthy females experienced a reduction in whiteheads and blackheads after supplementation with the probiotic Bacillus coagulans. The improvement in skin appearance was linked to increased stool frequency and resulting reduction in circulating phenols (a by-product of protein digestion that can exert undesirable effects in the body).
Research has also shown that people with rosacea have a much higher incidence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and treatment of the SIBO can result in an almost complete clearing of rosacea symptoms. Additionally, several skin conditions are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – in fact, 16.9% of people with IBD also have psoriasis, as compared with estimates of between 2.2% - 8% in the general population.
One lesser-known impact of poor gut health could be premature ageing of the skin. There are many factors that can impact the rate at which we age – some we can control, others we cannot. Things like chronic sun exposure, emotional stress, poor sleep and smoking are some of the more obvious factors that can increase our rate of ageing. The one thing all of these factors have in common is their ability to produce free radicals and chronic oxidative stress, which ultimately leads to destruction of collagen, reduced delivery of blood circulation (and therefore nutrients) to the skin, and a weakened skin immune system. What follows is uneven skin tone, sagging skin, poor skin texture, appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, and skin dehydration.
Q: Why is looking after our gut health essential to our overall health?
A: All of the effects that we have just explored in the skin related to poor gut health are due to the systemic disruption in inflammatory, immune and endocrine systems. The effects can be far reaching. We can think of the skin as an indicator of what is going on inside. Systemic inflammation resulting in poor skin health means there could be impacts on any other system – your nervous system, hormone regulation, etc. So many chronic conditions are related to poor gut health – everything from polycystic ovaries to non-alcoholic fatty liver and higher rates of anxiety and depression.
The gut is known as the second brain. In fact 90% of the serotonin in our bodies is produced in the gut. Serotonin is known as an important neurotransmitter for regulating mood but it has many more regulatory functions in the body. It plays an important role in wound healing, regulating bone mineral density, blood clotting, libido, sleep and bowel function.
Q: What are some ways we can introduce good gut health into our routines?
A: We know that in order for our gut and skin to function optimally, they both require proper nutrition. A diet rich in plant-based foods that contain vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, phytonutrients (e.g. plant-based antioxidants) and protein will provide exactly that.
But, we also need to feed the good bacteria in our microbiome to ensure it remains in balance. This is where prebiotics come in. Prebiotics are a group of compounds that are the preferred food source for good bacteria in our colon and include soluble fibre as well as polyphenols and other phytonutrients. A varied diet will provide your diverse microbiome with a smorgasbord of food options allowing it to thrive.
One interesting example of this is the compounds in grape seed extract that go to work in the gut as soon as they are ingested – reducing oxidation of food particles and minimising production of toxic metabolites in the digestive system. They are also quite large molecules, so need to be broken down by the gut microbiome in order to cross the gut wall and enter the bloodstream. New research shows this interaction between the gut microbiome and these compounds also act as a prebiotic, improving gut microbiome composition by enhancing the growth of friendly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species in the gut.
Another great supplement is collagen - collagen forms connective tissue in the body and could help build the protective lining of the gut. Because we know collagen production decreases as we age, it has been theorised that supplementing collagen could lead to a stronger gut lining and better gut health.
There are also the things we need to exclude. Too much alcohol, highly processed foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats can suppress microbial growth.
Q: How important is the role of probiotics and how do we find a gut health/probiotic supplement that is right for us? What should we look for?
A: Probiotics exert myriad benefits on the gut function and immune system. They can compete with pathogenic organisms, improve gut barrier function and reduce gut inflammation. Probiotics can also provide positive benefits on the skin by enhancing nutrient absorption, supporting the immune system and modulating the gut-skin axis.
There is also a significant and growing body of evidence demonstrating the positive impact of oral supplementation of probiotics to treat various skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Some may also improve wound healing and offer photoprotection to the skin after UV exposure.
In terms of finding out what’s right for you – there are some strains that have been shown to be quite specific for improving certain conditions and others that are great for general gut health. So best to talk to your healthcare practitioner so they can make recommendations tailored to your needs.
OPTY.NC contains Bacillus coagulans and kiwi extract probiotics both of which have been sown to promote good bowel health as well as improve skin condition so is an excellent choice to promote vibrant health skin and gut health.
To learn more about OPTY.NC, head to their website: https://www.optimanutricosmetics.com.au/ - and if you are interested in trialling any of their products, use the code ‘THESKINBAR’ for 20% off your order.
