The term “leaky gut syndrome” refers to an increased permeability of the intestinal wall. In a healthy gut, the intestinal wall acts as a selective barrier, allowing nutrients to pass through and keeping harmful substances out. In a leaky gut, the tight junctions, the connections between intestinal cells, are damaged. This can cause undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to enter the bloodstream, which can trigger an immune response.
Over the past few years, there has been growing attention to the relationship between a leaky gut and skin problems. Scientific research suggests that this increased intestinal permeability contributes to chronic inflammation and skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (eczema), and ichthyosis (fish scale disease). This connection emphasizes the importance of a healthy gut and an intact skin barrier in controlling these conditions.
An intact skin barrier plays an essential role in protecting against external stimuli, while a healthy gut barrier is needed to reduce systemic inflammations that can exacerbate these skin conditions. Understanding and addressing both barriers can be a crucial step in improving skin health.
The Role of Nutrition
Relatively little attention is paid to the influence of nutrition on skin conditions in conventional treatment. Yet there is increasing evidence that dietary choices can play a significant role in managing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Recent studies suggest, for example, that anti-inflammatory diets, rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics, could be beneficial in reducing symptoms and supporting the skin barrier. Although this field of research is still in development, it offers hope for a more integrated approach where nutrition forms a key pillar in the treatment of chronic skin problems.
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The Importance of Your Gut Bacteria
A renewed approach to skin health is by looking at the so-called skin-gut axis (skin-gut axis). This concept emphasizes the connection between your gut health and your skin. Gut bacteria play a crucial role in this. They respond to what you eat, and an imbalance of these bacteria, also known as dysbiosis, can disrupt your immune system. This not only has consequences for your gut health, but also for your skin.
The intestine has three major components that together determine intestinal health:
- Gut Bacteria: A diverse ecosystem of micro-organisms that help in digesting food and regulating inflammation.
- The mucous layer (mucus layer): This outer layer protects the intestinal wall from harmful substances and bacteria.
- The intestinal epithelial layer: This is the inner barrier of the intestine, which allows nutrients to pass through but keeps unwanted substances out.
A disruption in one of these layers can lead to inflammatory reactions that can affect your skin.
What exactly is a leaky gut?
The term “leaky gut” refers to an increased permeability of the intestinal wall. In a healthy gut, the intestinal cells act as a barrier that allows nutrients to pass through and keeps harmful substances out. In a leaky gut, the tight junctions that hold the cells together are damaged. This can cause undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to enter the bloodstream, which may trigger an immune response.
Possible causes of a leaky gut:
- Unhealthy nutrition: Excessive consumption of sugar, processed foods, and alcohol.
- Stress: Chronic stress can weaken the intestinal wall.
- Medication: Prolonged use of antibiotics or NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen).
- Dysbiosis: A disturbed balance of gut bacteria.
New Scientific Insights
Recent research shows that the gut microbiome plays a key role in the interaction between gut health and skin diseases. A disruption in the gut microbiome can lead to an imbalance in the skin microbiome, which can exacerbate skin problems.
- Pro-inflammatory cytokines: A leaky gut increases the production of cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), which can promote skin inflammation.
- Reduced absorption of essential nutrients: With a leaky gut, the absorption of zinc, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids is often disrupted, which is essential for healthy skin.
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But also heart disease, Parkinson’s in relation to a leaky gut
Just like the skin barrier, a disturbance of the gut barrier can occur, leading to increased intestinal permeability. Inflammation and an imbalance of various gut flora (dysbiosis) are all associated with disruption of the gut barrier and have been linked to a number of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, psoriasis, acne, and atopic dermatitis.
Inflammatory Antigens Leak Away
Although not fully clarified, the idea is that disrupted gut barrier function allows the passage of antigens (substance that activates the immune system) from the gut, and stimulates the immune system to produce an inflammatory response in people who have a predisposition.
Naast een barrièrefunctie heeft de darm een gespecialiseerde taak om ook voedingsstoffen op te nemen.
Digestion, Hormone Production, Disease Protection
The microbiome in the intestinal tract consists of a huge community of bacteria that play a crucial role in digestion, the production of hormones and vitamins B and K, inhibiting disease-causing cells, and it helps in the conversion of medications.
How Medicines Need Bacteria (or Not)
Research has shown that sulfasalazine, a drug used to treat an inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis), requires gut bacteria to activate the drug. Conversely, a gut bacterium, Eggerthella lenta, can deactivate a heart medication, digoxin. Enterocytes prevent the intestinal contents from directly entering the bloodstream, through tight intercellular connections, allowing only specific nutrients to pass while others are blocked.
A secret health center: your GALT
In the deep part of the intestinal barrier, there is a network of immune cells, organized into a specialized structure called “gut-associated lymphoid tissue” or GALT. The GALT is an important organ that contains up to 70% of the body’s immune cells and plays a crucial role in our immunity.
How do you measure gut health?
Although the barrier function of the skin can be quantified with measurements such as transepidermal water loss (TEWL), the gut barrier often is measured by oral administration of a sugar mix, usually lactulose, together with mannitol or rhamnose. The excretion of the sugars in the urine is examined.
When certain sugars pass through the intestinal wall
If there is a significant disruption in the intestinal barrier, then the larger molecules of lactulose can penetrate the barrier. While the smaller molecules (mannitol or rhamnose) are absorbed transcellularly, independent of the barrier function. The ratio of lactulose/mannitol or rhamnose can be calculated and when the intestinal barrier is disturbed, the ratio increases because more lactulose passes through the barrier.
Restoring Balance with Pre- and Probiotics
A study in 1986 showed a lactulose/rhamnose ratio that was higher in children with atopic eczema compared to a control group. Treatment with probiotics resulted in a significant improvement of the ratio.
The usefulness of pre- and probiotics
What is prebiotics?
Prebiotics are a type of dietary fiber that serves as food for the good bacteria in your gut. They are not digested by your body, but reach the large intestine, where they are fermented by intestinal bacteria.
What are they doing?
- Promoting the growth of good bacteria: Prebiotics support the growth of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.
- Improve intestinal health: They help strengthen the intestinal barrier, reduce inflammation, and support a healthy mucus layer.
- Indirect effect on the skin: By supporting a healthy gut flora, prebiotics can contribute to reducing inflammatory responses that cause skin problems.
Examples of Prebiotics in Food:
Galacto-oligosaccharides (in legumes such as beans and lentils)
Inulin (found in artichokes, garlic, and bananas)
Fructo-oligosaccharides (in onions, asparagus and leeks)
Probiotics
Probiotics are also positively recommended (good gut bacteria) in a Cochrane review in 2013. Four studies with 1428 children showed reduced atopic dermatitis after prebiotic supplements.
In a meta-analysis of 16 studies, it was demonstrated how beneficial probiotics were for people with common eczema complaints as well as for people with a very high risk of eczema complaints.
Searching for the Right Dosage
Specifically, a subgroup analysis showed that Lactobacillus and Lactobacillus with Bifidobacterium may also be protective against atopic dermatitis. However, the optimal dose, which type of bacteria, and duration of treatment with probiotics is still unclear.
What else can you do to improve a leaky gut? The intestinal moisturizer…
Just like a good moisturizer for your skin, is there also a gut moisturizer? Possible gut moisturizers are tannate gelatin or xyloglycan. The exact operation is unclear, but it is thought that a protein layer is formed on the surface of the intestinal wall, creating a gut barrier. Research into the role of a gut moisturizer and reduction of eczema has not yet been conducted.
FAQ
Can a Leaky Gut Be Completely Healed?
Although the repair of a leaky gut takes time, changes in diet and lifestyle can help to strengthen the intestinal wall and reduce inflammation.
How do I know if my skin problem is related to a leaky gut?
Symptoms such as persistent digestive problems (bloating, diarrhea, constipation) along with chronic skin problems may indicate a connection. Consult a dermatologist or nutrition specialist for further investigation.
Are all probiotics suitable for skin problems?
No, not all probiotics have the same effect. Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium breve have been specifically studied for their benefits for the skin.
In conclusion: Poor skin barrier increases permeability of allergens
Animal research has shown that a weakened skin barrier leads to increased absorption of allergens, thereby activating the immune system and potentially causing eczema. Strengthening the skin barrier with a suitable skin care cream has proven to help better control eczema.
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Literature
Now that you’re here
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition that presents with fluctuating disease symptoms over many years. It is more common in people with a light skin tone. These symptoms include facial redness, skin inflammations, eye problems, and skin thickening of the nose (commonly known as a drinker’s nose), forehead, or chin. Once considered a condition confined to the skin and eyes, nowadays rosacea goes deeper than the skin. There is strong evidence that rosacea is associated with non-skin related diseases, or systemic diseases.
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