Skin & Pre-& Probiotics
Prebiotics are indigestible compounds which nourish the beneficial bacteria within and on our body.
Prebiotics help ‘feed’ the beneficial bacteria on the skin’s microbiome, which supports the skin’s pH balance and helps calm inflammation which as any of you with a skin condition will know only-too-well, is an unwelcome accompaniment of most skin conditions.
Prebiotics may also contribute to supporting the skin’s barrier function which is usually weakened or damaged in skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis / Eczema and Rosacea.
Probiotics are live bacteria which contribute to the quantity of beneficial bacteria in and on your body, (gut and skin come to mind; read my Gut↔Skin Axis blog post for more information).
There are certain probiotics which support the skin’s innate production of ceramides (the naturally occurring ‘lipid [fatty acid] glue’ that hold our skin together), which help capture and retain moisture in the skin, thus discourages it from drying out as we see in Eczema.
In terms of their collaboration, probiotics and prebiotics work synergistically; they help balance the skin’s microbiome and help keep the skin supple and strong. This may support dry skin (Eczema) as well as oily skin (Acne) and potentially even-out wrinkles. If you are thinking that pre- and probiotics more often apply to the gut you would be partially correct, however as the body’s largest and only external organ the skin often mirrors the gut and its vast microbiome. Therefore if the gut microbiome is ‘wonky’ the skin may reflect this. As a general rule-of-thumb; healthy gut = a better chance of healthy skin.
So how can we prop-up our diet with prebiotics and probiotics? As a starting point, the following foods are rich in prebiotics and probiotics;
· Bananas (slightly ‘greener’ are better than ‘yellower’ due to their higher fibre content)
· Nuts (IF NOT ALLERGIC) & seeds
· Legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas)
· Wholegrain (‘brown’ i.e. not refined or ‘white’) carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice).
· Yoghurt
· Kefir, kimchi, kombucha
· Sauerkraut
As an interesting side-note, there is emerging discussion about ‘Postbiotics’ - inactive microbe cells which may contribute to human health as biproducts created by ‘live’ probiotics as part of their natural life processes. Although definitions are unconfirmed [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-021-00440-6], emerging research suggests postbiotics may contribute to skin health by discouraging the proliferation of unbeneficial bacteria and modulating immune system activity i.e. inflammation, [https://en.skinome.com/blogs/skin-academy]. Although this research is in its infancy it might be an interesting area to keep an eye on.
REMEMBER: if you are taking any medications always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist as well as your Doctor before making significant dietary or lifestyle changes. This blog post is written for educational purposes only and in reference to ‘food’. It is NOT advocating taking dietary supplements. This is especially important with Vitamin D, therefore it is very important to please always consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist or your Doctor before introducing any dietary supplements into your health regime as these qualified professionals will be able to offer personalised recommendations.
If you are struggling with skin and/or nutrient (im)balance issues and you want to discover the inspiring & sustainable diet & lifestyle programmes offered by Nutritional Therapy, get in touch via the Contact Me page on this website, or directly on info@eatdrinkthinknutrition.co.uk for more information about 1:2:1 Consultations with Eat Drink Think Nutrition®.
