How Leaky Gut Fuels Chronic Acne

Written by Cris Brown, RHN & The Clear Skin Solution Program Director

When it comes to achieving clear, radiant skin, most people focus on topical treatments and skincare routines. While these can certainly help, there’s a deeper, often overlooked factor at play: your gut health.Specifically, three gut-related issues can significantly impact your skin: hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid), gut dysbiosis (imbalances like Candida Overgrowth or SIBO), and intestinal permeability, commonly known as leaky gut. In this blog, we’ll explore how leaky gut, in particular, can be a major driver behind chronic acne.

What is Leaky Gut?

Leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, occurs when the lining of your intestines becomes damaged, allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to “leak” through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream.

Normally, the gut lining serves as a barrier, keeping these substances inside the digestive tract until they’re properly broken down and absorbed or excreted. When this barrier is compromised, it can lead to a host of health issues, including inflammation and immune system reactions.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. Research published in PubMed suggests that a leaky gut can trigger a cascade of inflammatory responses throughout the body. And guess where inflammation loves to rear its ugly head? Yep, you guessed it – on our skin, in the form of acne.

How Does Leaky Gut Happen?

The gut lining is made up of tightly packed cells that are supposed to prevent harmful substances from passing through. However, various factors can weaken these tight junctions, leading to increased permeability:

1. Diet: A diet high in processed foods, sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol can damage the gut lining. Foods that trigger inflammation, such as gluten and dairy, can also contribute to leaky gut.
2. Medications: Certain medications, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, antibiotics, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), can damage the gut lining and disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut.
3. Gut Dysbiosis: An imbalance in the gut microbiome, where harmful bacteria outnumber beneficial ones, can lead to inflammation and damage the gut lining.
4. Infections: Bacterial, viral, or fungal infections in the gut can cause inflammation and damage the gut barrier, leading to leaky gut.
5. Toxins: Exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, heavy metals, and mold can contribute to gut permeability.
6. Nutrient Deficiencies: A lack of essential nutrients, particularly zinc, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids, can impair the body’s ability to maintain a healthy gut lining.
7. Stress: This one needs its own spotlight, so read on for more about stress and the gut lining.

The Impact of Stress

Stress–that sneaky little troublemaker that likes to wreak havoc on our lives. But did you know that stress doesn’t just mess with our minds? It also plays a starring role in the gut drama, particularly when it comes to our trusty sidekick, Secretory Immunoglobulin A (SigA).

So, what’s SigA, you ask? 

Think of it as your gut’s first line of defence against invaders like harmful bacteria, viruses, and toxins. It’s like the superhero cape protecting your gut from all the nasty villains trying to crash the party. This insult comes before a leaky gut. 

Now, here’s where stress enters the scene. When we’re stressed – whether it’s due to work deadlines, relationship woes, or that never-ending to-do list – our body goes into fight-or-flight mode. And while this response might’ve been handy back in our caveman days, it’s not exactly ideal for our gut health.

Research suggests that chronic stress can throw a wrench into our gut’s immune system, leading to a drop in SigA levels. Yep, you heard that right – stress can literally strip away our gut’s pink superhero cape, leaving it vulnerable to attack.

But how does stress pull off this gut-wrenching feat? 

Well, it’s all about our body’s stress hormones, like cortisol. When we’re stressed, cortisol levels skyrocket, dampening our immune response and compromising SigA production.

And the gut repercussions don’t stop there. Lower SigA levels promote inflammation and gut dysbiosis, setting the stage for a host of digestive woes like bloating, gas, and even more serious conditions down the line (all the sexy things we ladies love). Incorporating stress-management techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and good ol’ laughter into our daily routine can help keep cortisol levels in check and preserve our gut’s SigA superhero status.

How Leaky Gut Relates to Acne

The gut-skin connection is a well-documented phenomenon, and leaky gut plays a central role in this relationship. When the gut lining is compromised and harmful substances enter the bloodstream, it triggers an immune response. This response can lead to systemic inflammation, which manifests in various ways, including on the skin. 

Here’s how a leaky gut can directly impact acne:

1. Inflammation: Chronic inflammation is a major driver of acne. When your body is in constant inflammation due to leaky gut, it can exacerbate skin issues, leading to more frequent and severe breakouts.
2. Hormonal Imbalance: Leaky gut can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones in the body, particularly insulin, cortisol, and sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone, leading to hormonal imbalances that contribute to acne.
3. Immune System Dysfunction: Leaky gut can overwhelm the immune system, leading to autoimmune reactions that can manifest as skin conditions, including acne.
4. Nutrient Malabsorption: A damaged gut lining can impair the absorption of essential nutrients, such as zinc, vitamin A, and probiotics, all of which are crucial for maintaining clear skin.
5. Toxin Overload: When the gut barrier is compromised, toxins can enter the bloodstream and overwhelm the liver’s detoxification pathways. This can lead to toxin accumulation in the body, which the skin may try to eliminate through breakouts.

Repairing Leaky Gut: The Four R Approach

Dealing with a leaky gut can be daunting, but the Four R Approach offers a structured path to repairing and restoring your gut health. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Remove

The first step is to eliminate the factors causing harm to your gut lining. This includes:

• Foods: Identify and eliminate food allergens, intolerances, and inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, sugar, and processed foods.
• Toxins: Reduce exposure to environmental toxins, such as pesticides and chemicals in personal care products.
• Infections: Address any underlying infections like Candida, parasites, or bacterial overgrowth with the help of a knowledgeable practitioner (like us over in The Clear Skin Solution).

2. Replace

Next, reintroduce the elements that are essential for proper digestion and absorption.

• Digestive Enzymes: Consider supplementing with digestive enzymes to help break down food more efficiently.
• Stomach Acid: For those with low stomach acid, betaine HCl supplements might be beneficial. Only supplement with HCl under the guidance of a practitioner to ensure it’s being taken correctly.
• Bile Acids: Support fat digestion with ox bile supplements if needed.

3. Repair

Focus on repairing the gut lining by providing the necessary nutrients. Here are some we utilize with clients in The Clear Skin Solution. Please note: these are tailored to the individual based on health history and medications.

• L-Glutamine: An amino acid that helps to seal the gut lining.
• Zinc L-carnosine: Essential for immune function and repairing the gut lining.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil, flaxseeds, and chia seeds, these help reduce inflammation.
• Aloe Vera and Licorice Root (DGL – Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice): Both have soothing and repairing properties for the gut.

4. Rebalance

Reintroduce and nurture the beneficial bacteria that keep your gut healthy.

• Probiotics: Incorporate high-quality probiotic supplements and probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir.
• Prebiotics: Feed your good bacteria with prebiotic foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and bananas.

Following these four steps can effectively repair a leaky gut, improve digestion, and enhance overall health. Remember, working with a practitioner to tailor this approach to your specific needs is always best.