You might wonder why this patient with acne would visit a medical doctor who specializes in gut health. But the reality is, everything connects with a healthy gut, including your skin. In my practice, I often see patients struggling with inflammatory skin disorders1 including acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis. The types of patients I see are usually fed up with invasive procedures and expensive topical medications that temporarily cure the symptom but not the underlying problem. They don’t want to keep taking pharmaceutical drugs, including antibiotics, to treat skin problems like acne, which disrupts the gut microbiome. Common culprits for these skin conditions are food sensitivities. For my patient with acne, a major problem was dairy. Her food journal revealed skim milk in her breakfast cereal and low-fat ice cream before bed. Imagine their frustration when I tell patients like her that so-called healthy foods they eat are actually creating reactions that can show up as skin rashes (like eczema) and other skin disorders, including psoriasis and acne. Understanding how gut health affects your skin goes way back. Interestingly, 80 years ago, researchers discovered that emotional states like depression and anxiety could alter gut microbiota2, increasing intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and contributing to inflammation in what is known as the gut-brain-skin axis. In one study, researchers looked at bacterial diversity among 43 patients with acne and 43 controls. They found those with acne had dysbiosis3, or gut imbalances. Based on those and other studies, you might wonder why more dermatologists and other professionals aren’t using gut-support nutrients and diet for healthy skin. And I wonder the same exact thing. One study found a probiotic supplement improved acne in 80% of the 300 participants1. Among their benefits, probiotics can help modulate immunity and inflammation, reducing acne in the process. Probiotics can also help people manage atopic dermatitis and show great promise for psoriasis1.* For this patient with acne (as well as those with other skin conditions), I often customize a protocol based on their condition. But it always starts with the gut, and their condition almost always improves. Ingredients
