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.
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.
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.
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
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