If the intestine is sick, important nutrients can no longer be absorbed and passed on to the body. This affects the entire body and, of course, our skin. Diseases such as acne and neurodermatitis can be the result of a sick intestine.
How are skin and intestine connected?
The intestine has a great influence on our health and well-being. Both the development of various diseases and their healing can be favored by the composition of the intestinal flora. A disturbance of the natural balance can lead to various skin diseases. Thus, many patients with intestinal diseases additionally suffer from skin problems such as acne, neurodermatitis and psoriasis. Even minor changes such as dry, dull skin, isolated pimples or torn corners of the mouth can be the result of an impaired intestinal flora.
Welche Faktoren beeinflussen unsere Darmflora negativ?
The use of antibiotics in particular endangers our intestinal flora. It leads to a change in intestinal colonization, weakens digestion and promotes the development of undesirable intestinal fungi. But not only antibiotics are a burden for the intestine. A low-fiber diet, lots of sugar, fat, toxins, too little chewing, too little exercise and stress can also have a negative effect. In the worst case, the intestines can no longer do their job properly and damage occurs throughout the body. In terms of the skin, this can then lead to skin diseases and skin problems.
Support for intestine and skin - probiotics?
400 to 500 different types of bacteria are located in our intestines. These influence our digestion, our health and our skin. Every person has a very individual intestinal flora. In a healthy intestinal flora, at least 85% of these are "good" bacteria and a maximum of 15% are „bad“ bacteria. To support this balance, one can take probiotics. Probiotics are living microorganisms that are ingested with food and pass unharmed through the stomach into the intestine. There they are supposed to support digestion, reduce gastrointestinal complaints, strengthen the immune system and have a positive effect on mental health. The extent to which these promises can actually be kept is still insufficiently researched. A bacterium that comes from the outside is displaced over time by our body's own flora. So if you notice positive effects from taking probiotics, you have to take them again and again to maintain the effect. In the case of intestinal complaints, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, taking probiotics is definitely worth a try. Since most probiotic foods are also rich in vitamins and minerals, taking probiotics through food can't hurt even if you have a healthy gut. Probiotic foods include sour milk products such as yogurt, kefir, ayran and soured milk. However, there are also many vegan options such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and miso.
Prebiotics as food for our intestinal bacteria
To support our intestinal flora, we need to provide our good bacteria with the right food, the prebiotics. Prebiotics are foods that provide food for all the "good" strains of bacteria, helping them to multiply in the gut. Many fruits and vegetables such as asparagus, onions, garlic, apples, bananas and pears are particularly rich in prebiotics. Also beneficial to the intestines are various plants rich in bitter substances, such as milk thistle or artichoke. These can stimulate the liver and gall bladder and support the intestines in their digestive activity. Not only what we eat is important, but also how. To make it easier for our intestines to do their job, we should chew well and drink enough fluids.
Sport and Lifestyle
In addition to a healthy diet, sport also has an extremely positive effect on our intestinal flora. The more sport we do, the better the beneficial bacteria in our intestinal flora can multiply. These bacteria form short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which have an anti-inflammatory effect and promote the regeneration of the intestinal mucosa. Stress, on the other hand, should be avoided as much as possible, as it has a negative effect on our digestion and intestinal flora. It is interesting to note that, in turn, a healthy intestinal flora can ensure a higher resistance to stress.
Conclusion:
The intestine and its effects on our health and skin are fascinating. To support our gut and therefore our skin, we should avoid stress, sugar, alcohol and unhealthy fats. We can support our intestines with a healthy diet full of fiber and bitter substances, pre- and probiotics, good chewing, exercise and sufficient rest. If you have frequent intestinal and skin problems, a visit to a gastroenterologist may be advisable. If a diseased gut is the cause of the symptoms, therapeutic approaches from dermatology and gastroenterology may work best together to alleviate the symptoms.
Sources:
Hohmann-Jeddi, Christina (2019) „Darmbakterien beeinflussen psychische Gesundheit“, Pharmazeutische Zeitung
Giulia Enders (2014) „Darm mit Charme. Alles über ein unterschätztes Organ“ Ullstein, Berlin
Nguyen, L.H. et al. (2020) “Antibiotic use and the development of inflammatory bowel disease: a national case-control study in Sweden”, The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2020)
(2018) Exercise training-induced modification of the gut microbiota persists after microbiota colonization and attenuates the response to chemically-induced colitis in gnotobiotic mice, Gut Microbes, 9:2, 115-130
Allen, Jacob M., et al. (2018) "Exercise alters gut microbiota composition and function in lean and obesehumans." Med Sci Sports Exerc 50.4
Campbell-McBride, Natasha (2008) "Gut and psychology syndrome." Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine 23.2
Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2012) “Regulation of the stress response by the gut microbiota: implications for psychoneuroendocrinology”, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 37(9), 1369–1378.
Allergieinformationsdienst: „Mikrobiomforschung“ (2018)
Quarks: „Warum Probiotika ihr Geld (noch) nicht wert sind“ (2019)
