What You NEED To Know About Gut Infections & Acne
The skin is a visual representation of overall health
Is a gut bacteria infection linked to acne? Science suggests so!
Foundational knowledge surrounding acne and pimples is multi-faceted.
There’s looking at acne at the skin-level and then there’s looking inwards to holistically explain how inner health influences acne.
It’s widely known that hormones (specifically androgen hormones) play a role in acne. These hormones may then trigger oil production and other factors at the skin-level to contribute to acne.
However, for folks who still have acne despite addressing their skin topically and internally with hormone-targeted solutions, what could be going on?
Well, there are other inner issues linked to acne, such as gut health and gut bacteria.
Ready to graduate past foundational acne knowledge and learn about gut infection & the gut-acne connection? Read on for more
DISCLAIMER: THIS BLOG POST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AS MEDICAL ADVICE; IT 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 BLOG POST DOES NOT REPLACE THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANYTHING NEW.
@dr.bryant.nd Core, foundational acne knowledge is that hormones drive acne, scientists found that gut health is linked to acne too - as mentioned in this video⬇️ Researchers discovered that gut bacteria and irritable bowel syndrome have both been linked to acne😮 So, if my patient has both gut issues AND skin symptoms, I want to identify what is going on with their gut To identify gut bacteria imbalances, I may recommend testing and/or dietary options to start to address balanced gut microbiome populations The gut testing I suggest to some of my patients is the GI-Map stool test, which uses PCR technology to molecularly confirm the presence (or absence) or gut bacteria and other gut microbiome that could be contributing to their gut issues And for many of my patients, once we start to address their gut, their skin usually follows! If you’re ready for healthier skin by addressing the gut-skin axis, schedule your appointment with me at @thethingswedo.co - ✅link in bio to BOOK NOW ‼️DISCLAIMER: This post does not constitute as medical advice; is not meant to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any conditions or disease; and is meant for educational purposes only. The information in this post does not replace the advice of your provider. Speak to your doctor before starting anything new OR tap the link in my bio to schedule your appointment with me REFERENCES: Demirbaş A, Elmas ÖF. The relationship between acne vulgaris and irritable bowel syndrome: A preliminary study. *J Cosmet Dermatol*. 2021;20(1):316-320. doi:10.1111/jocd.13481 Deng Y, Wang H, Zhou J, Mou Y, Wang G, Xiong X. Patients with Acne Vulgaris Have a Distinct Gut Microbiota in Comparison with Healthy Controls. *Acta Derm Venereol*. 2018;98(8):783-790. doi:10.2340/00015555-2968 #gutskinconnection ♬ original sound - Bryant Esquejo, ND
Gut Health & Acne
Researchers have found that gut issues, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), are linked to acne.
Scientists also found that people with acne have specific imbalances in their gut microbiome (aka the microbes in the gut) compared to people without acne.
Other than IBS and gut microbiome imbalances, researchers found that gut bacteria infections are linked to acne too!
Regarding gut infections, scientists discovered that Helicobacter pylori gut infections are linked to acne. So, what’s H. pylori? Keep on reading to learn more
What is H. pylori?
H. pylori is a spiral-shaped bacteria that has been linked to stomach issues, like gastritis, indigestion, nausea, and other gut issues.
In worse situations, this gut bacteria can burrow into the stomach lining to cause ulcers, which may lead to bleeds in the gastrointestinal tract.
@dr.bryant.nd GUT-ACNE AXIS • As mentioned in this video, a stomach bug has been linked to acne. Recent articles published in 2020 showed that severe acne is linked to H. Pylori markers in blood & stool. Watch this article to learn more about what that might mean for people with acne Want to learn more about gut testing? Comment “GUT TESTING INFO” below! ‼️DISCLAIMER: This post does not constitute as medical advice; is not meant to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any conditions or disease; and is meant for educational purposes only. The information in this post does not replace the medical advice of your medical provider. Speak to your doctor before starting anything new. Illustration Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation. This image is in the public domain. REFERENCES: Khashaba, Shrook A.a,; Diab, Nagwa A.a; Abdallah, Eman A.a; Said, Nora M.b. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and impact of its eradication in acne vulgaris: a prospective cohort study. Journal of the Egyptian Women’s Dermatologic Society 17(1):p 45-49, Jan–Apr 2020. | DOI: 10.4103/JEWD.JEWD_50_19 Lee YB, Byun EJ, Kim HS. Potential Role of the Microbiome in Acne: A Comprehensive Review. J Clin Med. 2019 Jul 7;8(7):987. doi: 10.3390/jcm8070987. PMID: 31284694; PMCID: PMC6678709. Parikh NS, Ahlawat R. Helicobacter Pylori. 2023 Aug 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 30480966. Saleh R, Sedky Mahmoud A, Moustafa DA, Abu El-Hamd M. High levels of Helicobacter pylori antigens and antibodies in patients with severe acne vulgaris. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020 Dec;19(12):3291-3295. doi: 10.1111/jocd.13409. Epub 2020 Apr 25. PMID: 32333495. #holisticskincare #gutskinaxis #acnetips ♬ Dove - niquo
H. pylori & Acne
Two 2020 studies found a link between H. pylori and acne.
In one of those studies, Saleh, et al. found that higher levels of H. pylori antigens and antibodies were positively correlated to severity of acne.
Saleh, et al. reported that subjects with severe acne had significantly higher serum H. pylori antibodies and significantly higher H. pylori antigen compared to people with mild and moderate acne.
In the second study, Khashaba et al. found that when H. pylori was treated with triple therapy (one of the conventional treatments for H. pylori infection) in subjects with acne and positive H. pylori test findings, researchers found a “statistically significant decrease in total lesion count”
Now, these two studies do have some limitations, such as their small patient populations and more.
In addition, these findings regarding H. pylori and acne is still emerging. And, it should be highlighted that correlation does not mean causation!
However, these two studies are in the right step towards understanding acne holistically. And, I feel that it can help the general public and medical providers start to see how the skin is a visual representation of overall health.
With these two studies, I hope that more-robust studies are completed so that we can have a larger body of evidence regarding what is going on in a larger populations and what biochemical mechanisms could be taking place.
@dr.bryant.nd How I address the gut-skin axis⬇️⬇️ When supporting the gut-skin axis, there are several ways to go about it. What I gather in a patient’s intake helps me navigate what to suggest to them within the context of their personal health & wellness. For some people, they may not have to or want to complete lab testing due to mild symptoms. While others may find value in the results from lab testing since they want to identify what is going on for a more-targeted approach. For some people, focusing on diet & lifestyle may be helpful and sustainable. While others may have infections that need more than just diet & lifestyle. What I’m trying to say is that balancing gut bacteria can look different from person to person. And, it’s hard to just say that one approach is generally “the best.” As a licensed naturopathic doctor, I aim to provide personalized approaches that address underlying root issues of someone’s concerns. And root issues can differ from person to person. ‼️DISCLAIMER: This post does not constitute as medical advice; is not meant to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any 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. REFERENCES: Allen JM, Mailing LJ, Niemiro GM, Moore R, Cook MD, White BA, Holscher HD, Woods JA. Exercise Alters Gut Microbiota Composition and Function in Lean and Obese Humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Apr;50(4):747-757. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001495. PMID: 29166320. Dahl WJ, Rivero Mendoza D, Lambert JM. Diet, nutrients and the microbiome. Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2020;171:237-263. doi: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.04.006. Epub 2020 Apr 25. PMID: 32475524. Garcia-Mantrana I, Selma-Royo M, Alcantara C, Collado MC. Shifts on Gut Microbiota Associated to Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Specific Dietary Intakes on General Adult Population. Front Microbiol. 2018 May 7;9:890. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00890. PMID: 29867803; PMCID: PMC5949328. McDonald D, Hyde E, Debelius JW, Morton JT, Gonzalez A, Ackermann G, Aksenov AA, Behsaz B, Brennan C, Chen Y, DeRight Goldasich L, Dorrestein PC, Dunn RR, Fahimipour AK, Gaffney J, Gilbert JA, Gogul G, Green JL, Hugenholtz P, Humphrey G, Huttenhower C, Jackson MA, Janssen S, Jeste DV, Jiang L, Kelley ST, Knights D, Kosciolek T, Ladau J, Leach J, Marotz C, Meleshko D, Melnik AV, Metcalf JL, Mohimani H, Montassier E, Navas-Molina J, Nguyen TT, Peddada S, Pevzner P, Pollard KS, Rahnavard G, Robbins-Pianka A, Sangwan N, Shorenstein J, Smarr L, Song SJ, Spector T, Swafford AD, Thackray VG, Thompson LR, Tripathi A, Vázquez-Baeza Y, Vrbanac A, Wischmeyer P, Wolfe E, Zhu Q; American Gut Consortium; Knight R. American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research. mSystems. 2018 May 15;3(3):e00031-18. doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00031-18. PMID: 29795809; PMCID: PMC5954204. Li W, Wang Z, Cao J, Dong Y, Chen Y. Melatonin improves skin barrier damage caused by sleep restriction through gut microbiota. J Pineal Res. 2023 Aug;75(1):e12874. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12874. Epub 2023 Apr 24. PMID: 37057339. Yuan X, Long Y, Ji Z, Gao J, Fu T, Yan M, Zhang L, Su H, Zhang W, Wen X, Pu Z, Chen H, Wang Y, Gu X, Yan B, Kaliannan K, Shao Z. Green Tea Liquid Consumption Alters the Human Intestinal and Oral Microbiome. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2018 Jun;62(12):e1800178. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201800178. Epub 2018 Jun 10. PMID: 29750437; PMCID: PMC6033105.
♬ original sound - Bryant Esquejo, ND
Holistic Acne Solutions
Holistic medicine is a healing philosophy that looks at someone’s whole health and uses that information to identify what root issues could be influencing someone’s primary health concerns.
When looking at acne and general skin health, I strongly believe that the skin is a visual representation of someone’s overall health.
As mentioned earlier, a holistic approach to acne can involve using topicals and exploring someone’s hormone health. However, gut health may be also involved, as mentioned before in this blog post.
If someone is looking for a holistic point-of-view for their concerns and are also trying to capture an array of treatment options and solutions, working with a licensed naturopathic provider may be worthwhile.
Licensed naturopathic doctors, like myself, are trained in both holistic and integrative medicine. Integrative medicine means being trained in conventional, standard of care, pharmaceutical treatment and in natural, complementary alternatives.
For those in the Los Angeles-area who are looking for holistic acne solutions, learn about visits with me & book your appointment with me at The Things We Do by clicking the button below.
For individuals outside of California, you can find the nearest licensed naturopathic doctor (ND) to you on the Institute for Natural Medicine’s directory of licensed providers by clicking here: Find an ND here
Want to learn about skin health from a holistic & integrative POV? Read my articles on:
To stay up-to-date about future articles on my website, click here sure to sign up for my email newsletter. And, if you want to set up an appointment with me, click here.