How Gut health Affects Rosacea
Rosacea is more than just skin deep
A lot of people see me to address their chronic skin issues by treating the gut-skin axis. While I’ve spoken extensively about the acne-gut axis here on my blog, I feel that we should also talk about the gut-skin axis with other conditions. I first want to start off with the gut-rosacea connection.
I’ve had the opportunity to treat patients with rosacea, and many of them happen to have had gut issues as well. And, the cool thing is that when we addressed their specific gut issues, their skin started to heal up too!
If you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while now, you know how science-driven and evidence-based my practice is. And, there is a lot of literature that speaks about how different facets of gut health affect rosacea and how the microbes in the gut are linked to rosacea that I cannot wait to share with you!
So, this blog post is for you if you want to learn more about the gut-rosacea axis, especially if you want to learn about integrative options to address gut health for rosacea skin.
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AS MEDICAL ADVICE; IS NOT MEANT TO DIAGNOSE, PREVENT, TREAT, OR CURE ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR DISEASE; AND IS MEANT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IN THIS POST DOES NOT REPLACE THE ADVICE OF YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANYTHING NEW OR SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH ME.
Nutrition: The foods we choose to regularly eat
The foods someone regularly eats could exacerbate skin issues. When looking at the science, there are several food triggers that can worsen rosacea in people.
Researchers have discovered that the following foods worsened rosacea:
Alcohol consumption: Worsened rosacea in 52% of subjects
Spicy foods: Worsened rosacea in 45% of subjects
Heated beverages: Worsened rosacea in 36% of subjects
Dairy products: Worsened rosacea in 8% of subjects
Gut Issues Linked to Rosacea: Heartburn, Reflux, & IBS
I strongly believe that what happens in the gut, the skin follows. And, there’s interesting science that speaks about how different gut issues are linked to rosacea.
Scientists discovered that rosacea is linked to heartburn, reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Let’s briefly speak about what these conditions are.
What are heartburn & reflux?
Heartburn is described as “burning sensation in the chest”, and this burning sensation can radiate toward the mouth because of acid reflux into the esophagus.
So, heartburn and reflux go hand-in-hand, and because of that, conventional treatment for reflux is usually the same for heartburn.
And, according the Cedars-Sinai, the following are common triggers of heartburn (and reflux):
Acidic foods, like citrus, tomatoes, and coffee
High-fat foods, like cheese
Spicy foods
Large meals
Peppermint
Tobacco smoking
Being overweight
Being pregnant
When looking at the list above, isn’t it interesting how some of those are also triggers of rosacea?
What is IBS?
IBS is described as”the presence of abdominal pain or discomfort with altered bowel habits” in the absence of any other “causative disease.”
If you want to learn more about what causes IBS, click the button below to read my blog post about it.
Interestingly enough, as we start to look at the conditions above, science tells us that gut microbes are playing a deeper role in gut issues and probably rosacea! Continue on reading more.
Gut Microbes: Rosacea is more than just skin deep
We have trillions of microbes in our gut, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and more! And, researchers are discovering that gut bacterial issues are linked to rosacea.
Science tells us that Helicobacter pylori infection and gut bacteria imbalance, also called gut dysbiosis, are linked to rosacea. So, let’s talk more about these two gut microbe issues.
What is H. pylori?
H. pylori is a bacteria that can infect the stomach. H. pylori infection can look like abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Outside of the gut, H. pylori infection could lead to iron deficiency anemia.
So, how does someone get infected with H. pylori?
Some routes of transmission are through kissing infected individuals and consuming contaminated foods.
How is H. pylori tested for and treated?
H. pylori can be tested through many ways. Some common ways include stool testing and breath testing.
And once confirmed by a doctor, a combination of antibiotics and heartburn medications can be used to treat H. pylori.
What is SIBO?
When looking at other microbes, science tells us that overgrowth of commensal or “good” bacteria has been linked to rosacea. Science tells us that a type of gut dysbiosis called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is linked to rosacea.
How does someone get SIBO?
There are several reasons why someone can get SIBO, and one thing that increases risk for SIBO is use of heartburn medications. Did you read that? Heartburn medications!
Other than use of heartburn medications, some other risk factors for getting SIBO mentioned in literature include:
Slow intestinal motility, which can be due to IBS, barton use, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and more
Low stomach acid
Chronic pancreatitis
Anatomic abnormalities, which can be due to intestinal diverticulosis, post-operative adhesions, gastric bypasses, and more
How is SIBO tested for and treated?
SIBO is commonly tested via breath testing, and once confirmed, a doctor can recommend various options that include pharmaceutical antibiotics and/or natural alternatives, like herbal medicines.
So, the question now is: Does treating the gut microbes translate as healthier skin in people with rosacea? Continue on reading more.
Treating SIBO in people with rosacea: What science says
As mentioned earlier, SIBO is linked to rosacea. And, there is science that looks at the effect of SIBO treatment in people with rosacea.
When looking at the published literature, researchers of a 2008 article wrote that “eradication of SIBO induced an almost complete regression of [rosacea] and maintained this excellent result for at least 9 months.”
I’ve also seen these effects in my rosacea patients as well! When I treat confirmed gut dysbiosis, a percentage of them told me that their rosacea improved!
So, how long does rosacea remission last for after successful SIBO treatment?
Well, a 2016 study found that remission lasted for 3 years in 64.5% of subjects after successful SIBO treatment!
So, when looking at the available data, the effects of SIBO treatment on rosacea ranges between 9 months to 3 years.
WHAT IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS YOUR Skin HOLISTICALLY?
The answer is simple: Work with a licensed naturopathic provider. As mentioned earlier, licensed naturopathic providers are experts in holistic and integrative medicine.
As integrative medicine experts, we are trained in both natural and conventional options. So, you will be able to capture a vast array of treatment options to help you achieve your skin goals when you work with a licensed naturoapthic doctor.
If you want to see me, I see patients in-person and virtually. The only caveat is that since I am only licensed in the state of California, I can only see patients who are physically in the state of California (especially for telehealth patients).
Ready to learn more about rosacea?
Listen to this episode of the Holistic Beauty Podcast for more education:
SummarY & Takeaways (TL; DR)
After reading this article, we can say that gut health is linked to rosacea. Science shows that gut issues, like heartburn, reflux, and IBS, are linked to rosacea. And, when looking deeper, it seems like gut bacteria imbalances may be driving some of these processes.
When looking at gut bacteria issues linked to rosacea, Helicobacter pylori infection and small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) have been implicated in people with rosacea.
Common treatments for heartburn, reflux, and H. pylori can involve heartburn medications, which may contribute to the development of SIBO.
When looking at the effects of gut microbiome treatments in people with rosacea and confirmed SIBO, scientists found that rosacea symptoms improved in a percentage of subjects, with effects on skin health lasting anywhere between 9 months to 3 years!
The cool thing is that I’ve seen the same effects in a percentage of my rosacea patients too. Whenever testing reveals gut bacteria imbalance, and that is treated, not only do some of them experience a positive shift in their gut symptoms, but a percentage of them also experience an improvement in their skin issues!
So, if someone sees me for skin issues, and they happen to have gut issues too, I recommend that we do work-up to see what is going on with their gut health and their gut bacteria.
Want to learn about skin health from a holistic & integrative POV? Read these blog posts to learn more:
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