Written by Noura Lutyk, Health and Wellness Coach
Noura Lutyk, is a certified Holistic Practitioner and Wellness Coach with a passion for Gut Health and its impact on overall well-being. With a focus on scientific insights and mindful practices, she creates content that inspires healthier choices for better health and longevity.
Eczema is a frustrating and uncomfortable condition that affects 1.62 billion people worldwide.¹ Characterized by inflamed, dry, and itchy skin, Eczema can have a significant impact on daily life, I know, because I’ve been there. I suffered from Eczema on and off for most of my life and have had two children who had it.
Traditional treatments often include topical antibiotic creams, topical steroids, and antihistamines to manage symptoms, as well as new emerging drugs like Dupixent.
But what if Eczema isn’t just a skin issue?
What if the root of the problem lies deeper within the body, specifically in the gut?
Emerging research suggests that the health of your gut may play a much larger role in skin conditions like Eczema than we previously thought.
What is eczema?
Eczema is a group of skin conditions that cause inflammation, itching, and dryness. The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis, which often appears as red, dry patches on the skin, especially in sensitive areas like the face, elbows, or behind the knees. Other forms of Eczema include contact dermatitis, which occurs when the skin reacts to allergens or irritants, and seborrheic dermatitis, often affecting oily areas like the scalp.
Symptoms can vary from mild dryness and itching to severe inflammation and cracking of the skin.
The role of the gut in skin health
In recent years, scientists have begun to explore the connection between gut and skin health. The gut microbiome, the diverse community of bacteria and other microorganisms that reside in our digestive system, plays a pivotal role in maintaining overall health.
A balanced gut microbiome is essential for immune function, digestion, and even mental health. But when the balance of good and bad bacteria becomes disrupted, it can lead to a cascade of issues, including inflammation that affects various parts of the body, including the skin.
This growing area of research has led to the concept of the gut-skin axis, which describes the connection between gut health and the appearance and condition of your skin. Essentially, an unhealthy gut may lead to skin problems like Eczema by promoting systemic inflammation that can trigger or worsen flare-ups.
How gut imbalances contribute to eczema
One of the most significant ways that gut imbalances contribute to Eczema is through inflammation. A disruption in the gut microbiome, often caused by factors like a poor diet, chronic stress, or antibiotic use, can lead to conditions like dysbiosis, where harmful bacteria outnumber beneficial ones.
This imbalance can lead to leaky gut syndrome, a condition where the gut lining becomes damaged, allowing toxins and undigested food particles to leak into the bloodstream. This triggers an immune response that can cause inflammation throughout the body, including on the skin, where it manifests as Eczema flare-ups.
Several studies have shown a link between gut health and Eczema. One study found that children with Eczema had a different gut microbiome composition compared with children without the condition.²
Other research has shown that improving gut health can lead to improvements in Eczema symptoms, suggesting that addressing gut imbalances plays a crucial part in not only managing Eczema long-term but also putting it into remission.³
What happens when the gut isn’t healthy?
When the gut isn’t functioning optimally, it can lead to a host of issues that may contribute to skin problems. Conditions like food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and chronic digestive issues are also common in people with Eczema.
Poor digestion and impaired nutrient absorption can prevent the body from getting the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy skin, while gut permeability (leaky gut) can lead to systemic inflammation that affects the skin.
Additionally, an unhealthy gut may contribute to food sensitivities or allergies, which can be a trigger for Eczema. For example, dairy, gluten, and certain preservatives or additives in processed foods are commonly reported as Eczema triggers.
However, studies are now showing that the very food reactions that trigger Eczema flare-ups are linked to the microbes that are out of balance in the gut.
A healthy gut for eczema is essential
Given the growing evidence linking gut health to skin conditions like Eczema, focusing on improving gut health may offer a more holistic approach to managing the condition. There are several dietary and lifestyle changes that can help restore balance to the gut microbiome and reduce Eczema symptoms.
Probiotics: Adding probiotics, either through supplements or fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut, can help promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut.
Prebiotics: Foods like root vegetables like rutabaga, celeriac, kohlrabi, and squash act as prebiotics, feeding the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Anti-inflammatory diet: A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts) and antioxidants (found in fruit and vegetables) can help reduce systemic inflammation, leading to improvement in the skin.
Practical tips to improve gut health for Eczema sufferers
To support the gut, you need 3 components
Support the gut barrier
Feed beneficial bacteria
Remove pathogens
Have you ever wondered why dairy or sugar exacerbates Eczema symptoms? The answer is simple. Food impacts the microbiome. It increases or decreases different types of microbes. People with Eczema generally have more numbers of microbes that are pathogenic. Foods like dairy (lactose) and sugar increase the number of these gut microbes. When this happens, it causes more inflammation in the body.
The goal of improving the skin is to improve the gut. The way to do that is to bring back the balance of microbes in the gut by bringing down the numbers of pathogens and increasing the numbers of beneficial microbes. In doing so, the gut barrier will be protected, and the heightened immune response, which is a main cause of Eczema flare-ups, will be calmed down.
For those with Eczema, focusing on gut health can be a game-changer. Here are some practical tips to get started:
Incorporate fermented foods: Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and kombucha can help introduce healthy bacteria into the gut.
Avoid processed foods: Highly processed foods, especially those rich in sugar, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives, worsen gut dysbiosis and inflammation.
Stress management: Chronic stress can negatively impact gut health. Practices like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can help manage stress and promote a healthier gut.
A gut-healing diet: Consider a diet that focuses on gut-friendly, anti-inflammatory foods such as grain-free, organic vegetables with a special focus on cruciferous vegetables, root vegetables, and lean proteins.
Alternative therapies and treatments
Emerging scientific research is showing that the gut plays a critical role in ameliorating Eczema symptoms and improving skin health.
Microbiome therapy focuses on restoring the gut microbiome and may offer promise for people with Eczema. Its focus is to restore balance to a microbiome that is imbalanced, which results in improvement in Eczema symptoms long-term.
Conclusion
When it comes to Eczema, it’s essential to consider more than just topical treatments. Focusing on gut health may provide a new avenue for healing and relief. By addressing imbalances in the gut microbiome, managing systemic inflammation, and making dietary and lifestyle adjustments, people with eczema may experience improved skin health and fewer flare-ups.
As research into the gut-skin connection continues to grow, it’s important to work closely with healthcare providers to develop a comprehensive, holistic approach to eczema management. If you suffer from eczema, consider exploring the gut-skin connection and make proactive steps toward healing.
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Read more from Noura Lutyk
Noura Lutyk, Health and Wellness Coach
Noura is a gut health advocate who has personally overcome eczema and histamine sensitivity, as well as helped her children navigate eczema and food sensitivities through gut-focused strategies. After extensive research into studies on the gut microbiome and its role in chronic diseases, she discovered how food and lifestyle changes can impact specific microbes in the gut, influencing both skin health and overall well-being. Over the past three years, Noura has been helping women and children overcome gut, hormonal, and skin issues by applying holistic approaches backed by scientific research, empowering them to restore balance and improve their quality of life.
References:
Zhang Y, Jin S, Wang J, Zhang L, Mu Y, Huang K, Zhao B, Zhang K, Cui Y, Li S. Variations in early gut microbiome are associated with childhood eczema. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2019 May 1;366(9):fnz020. doi: 10.1093/femsle/fnz020. PMID: 30860574.
Kang Y, Cai Y, Pan W. Change in gut microbiota for eczema: Implications for novel therapeutic strategies. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2018 May-Jun;46(3):281-290. doi: 10.1016/j.aller.2017.05.010. Epub 2017 Dec 24. PMID: 29279259.
