Dr. Paul Deglmann
Meghan Feir Walker
Whether you’ve just started suffering from the pain and discomfort of eczema or you’ve struggled with it for years, relief can be found if you’re willing to dig beneath the surface and address the deeper issues at hand.
Many practitioners and eczema sufferers only address eczema topically, which only temporarily relieves symptoms. However, the issue is almost always tied to gut health. Eczema and gut health are so closely connected that the gut-skin axis must be explored. Keep reading to learn more.
Understanding the gut-skin axis
What is the gut-skin axis?
Your skin and gut are closely connected through what is called the gut-skin axis. The gut-skin axis describes the communication between the microbiome of your gut and your skin.
While we all know that the gut has a microbiome, most people don’t realize that the skin has a microbiome, too, and the microbiome of your gut communicates directly to the microbiome of your skin.
If your gut microbiome is well-balanced and contains an abundance of healthy, beneficial bacteria without much overgrowth of bacteria, yeast/fungi/candida, or parasites, you have a healthy microbiome. This will positively impact and be reflected in your skin.
However, if your microbiome is unbalanced, this can be reflected through symptoms and skin issues. An unbalanced microbiome has lower amounts of beneficial bacteria and/or has overgrowth of certain other dysbiotic bacteria, yeast/candida/fungi, and/or parasites. This can negatively impact your skin health and contribute to skin problems like eczema.
Why the gut-skin axis matters in functional health
As a functional health clinic, we want to look at the whole-body picture because what happens in one part of the body doesn’t stay there.
When you’re having microbiome issues, this problem usually starts because of a leaky gut.
Leaky gut describes when the cells in the gut lining get damaged to the point where larger gaps are created in between the cells and sometimes through the cells in the gut. This allows passage of toxins, food proteins, microbes, and other inflammatory substances from the gut into the bloodstream, which then produces an inflammatory response from your immune system. This inflammatory response can be reflected through your skin through eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and other skin problems.
These issues are also closely connected to your ability to detoxify. When the gut isn’t working optimally, it can negatively impact detoxification, which means the body isn’t eliminating toxins as well. If the liver and gut are overwhelmed by a vast amount of toxins, you’ll usually see the skin flare as a result.
Another important aspect to understand is that if the gut microbiome is unbalanced and leaky gut is present, the body won’t optimally absorb key nutrients from our food that the skin needs to thrive.
Is eczema always a gut issue?
There are several factors that can contribute to the development or exacerbation of eczema breakouts.
Possible causes of eczema include:
- Food allergies/food sensitivities
- Environmental allergies
- Toxin overload, especially from mold exposure
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Hormonal imbalances
- Stress
- And more
This is why testing for various health factors is a vital part of understanding the root cause of your eczema.
What research is showing
As you know by now, the state of your skin is often a window into your gut health.
There are several associations between eczema and gut diversity. As more research on the connection between the gut and skin health is conducted, studies are showing that shifts in bacteria can influence immune responses.
Some of the specific findings in the gut microbiome that can contribute to skin issues like eczema include:
- Low beneficial bacteria, especially low Lactobacillus and/or Bifidobacterium
- Lack of bacterial diversity in the gut
- Overgrowth of dysbiotic or harmful bacteria
- Overgrowth of yeast/candida/fungi
- Overgrowth of parasites
- Leaky gut
Is poor gut health contributing to your eczema?
It’s extremely common for people with eczema to have digestive issues.
If you haven’t already done an extensive dive into testing your gut microbiome, food allergies, and other areas of concern, the time to start testing is now, especially if you experience any gut problems.
Here are some common digestive symptoms that may indicate poor gut health:
- Gas or bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Food allergies or food sensitivities
- Acid reflux/GERD
- Indigestion
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- More
Learn more about gut imbalances and how they can cause skin flares and overactivity of the immune system by reading this article.
What might your body be lacking if you have eczema?
Nutrients linked to skin and gut support
Every cell in the body needs certain nutrients to thrive. When we consume nutrients from our food or supplements, the gut still needs to be able to absorb these nutrients in the small intestine to get them into the bloodstream so our cells can utilize the nutrients.
The skin needs several key nutrients to thrive, including:
- Vitamin A
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Copper
- Niacin
- Biotin
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamin D
- More
Exploring personalized testing
Along with other tests, micronutrient tests are extremely important in assessing skin health. We know the skin needs these key nutrients to thrive, but we don’t know if you’re deficient in any of them until you get an accurate micronutrient test.
A micronutrient test measures 55 nutrients inside the cell and gives an accurate assessment of what nutrients you have been deficient in for the last 4-6 months. All the nutrients the skin needs for optimal function are included in this panel.
How to support gut health if you have eczema
Clean up your diet
If you haven’t already done a thorough cleanup of your diet, that’s the first place to start. Whether you’re dealing with eczema, psoriasis, another skin condition, or a different type of health issue, what you eat and drink every day greatly impacts how your body can perform.
Some of the most common inflammatory foods/drinks that can alter microbiome health and be triggers for eczema include:
- GMO/processed grains
- Processed dairy products
- Added sugar
- Seed oils
- Ultra-processed foods
- Artificial sweeteners
- Alcohol
- And more
After testing, short-term elimination protocols may be useful in helping relieve some of the stress certain foods are causing to your body. These should usually be done for a short time and should be guided by your practitioner.
Eat for your microbiome
The microbiome loves foods that provide fuel for the good bacteria (prebiotics from both high-fiber and polyphenol-rich foods) and foods that add in natural forms of probiotics (fermented foods).
For an extensive list of prebiotic, polyphenol, and probiotic-rich foods, click here.
Please note: Some people cannot tolerate high-fiber foods, fermented foods, or probiotics well because of particular digestive conditions and symptoms. Always consult with your functional medicine practitioner to know what the best approach may be for you.
Strengthen digestion and repair the gut lining
While improving the quality of food and water we ingest is always the first step, we also need to make sure the gut is digesting food properly so it can absorb the nutrients from our food. We also need to ensure your gut lining is intact and strong so microbes, toxins, and undigested food proteins aren’t leaking into the bloodstream.
Some people can benefit from taking certain supplements, such as digestive enzymes or bitters, before meals. However, it’s important to understand why the body isn’t producing enough enzymes on its own to break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Learn more about resetting your gut in our article.
How to support your body’s natural detox pathways
Detoxification describes how our bodies remove toxins, extra hormones, and other waste.
The liver is responsible for packaging toxins in a way that the body can get rid of them. However, many other organs are deeply involved in this process and are just as vital in helping your body remove excess waste.
- Gut/intestines: Through your intestines and entire digestive process, stools are created and released. It’s extremely important to have good, daily bowel movements.
- Kidneys: Through the kidneys, urine is created. Drink enough water and take in enough electrolytes throughout the day to keep your cells hydrated and kidneys in good shape. Urinating throughout the day is a big part of detoxification.
- Skin: Your skin is the largest organ, and sweating is an important part of detoxification. Some people have issues with sweating, but exercising, being out in the sun, and using a sauna can help encourage sweat production and toxin release.
- Lungs: The lungs are involved in the detoxification process through breathing. Try deep breathing exercises and physical activity to promote deep breaths.
- Lymphatic system: The lymphatic system helps move toxins from one part of the body to where they need to go in the process. You can encourage lymphatic drainage through exercise, lymphatic massage, and using a rebounder.
While your body naturally detoxifies itself, sometimes the sheer amount of toxins can overwhelm the system. This is why encouraging detoxification can be helpful.
When to consider functional testing
If you have skin issues like eczema or digestive problems, test, don’t guess!
While many of us have tried various diets and supplements and have tried to guess our way back into health, it’s important to find a functional practitioner who will know which tests will be helpful for you to take.
Accurate testing can help minimize the guesswork. Through personalized testing, we can glean specific information that can explain why you’re experiencing particular symptoms, giving us the best chance of getting to the root cause of your issues.
We could see 1,000 people with eczema, yet the protocols would be different for each person after seeing their individual test results. Everyone is going to have varying food sensitivities, differences in their microbiome compositions, differences in their nutritional deficiencies, and many other variances. While people can share similar symptoms, the reasons why each person has the symptoms or condition can be completely different from each other because of how unique and different every single person is.
What can be tested?
When we look at the connection between the gut and the skin, we should consider the following tests:
- Food testing
- Genetic testing for gluten predisposition
- Food allergy testing
- Food sensitivity panel
- Microbiome testing
- Stool
- Organic Acids Test (OAT)
- Adrenal/Cortisol panel
- Environmental toxins panel (insecticides, pesticides, organophosphates, phthalates, heavy metals, mycotoxins from mold exposure, etc.)
- Micronutrient panel to rule out deficiencies that can impact the skin
Eczema and gut health deserve a connected approach
Remember, eczema isn’t just a skin problem. It’s a cry for help. Things that are happening deep inside your body are being expressed through the skin. Through functional medicine, we are trying to investigate and uncover the root cause(s) of your eczema and health issues.
Build a sustainable eczema and gut-healing protocol
Eczema doesn’t have to be a lifelong battle. Through testing and understanding your gut health, lifestyle, environment, and other factors, we can create a protocol that’s unique to you.
Take proactive steps toward enhancing your digestive health, whole-body health, and overall quality of life. Learn more about your gut health and how to improve your digestive health by reading more on our blog about gut health, or schedule your free 15-minute consultation with Dr. Paul to explore a personalized approach for a helpful and effective path to recovery.
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