5 Steps to Skin Gut Health – Backed by Science

Have you heard about the skin gut health connection? If you’ve been struggling with acne, rosacea, eczema, or dull skin, the problem might not be on the surface – but in your gut!

My twin sister and I battled stubborn skin issues for years—until we uncovered the skin and gut health connection.

The skin gut health connection is backed by science, showing that skin issues such as inflammation, breakouts, and premature aging are linked to our microbiome – the trillions of microbes that live in and on our bodies. For example, we now know that acne and rosacea, while complex of course, are linked through the skin-gut health-inflammation axis.

I’m a Medical Microbiologist and skincare enthusiast, and my identical twin is a real healthy foodie enthusiast, with a passion for gut healthy foods that taste great, while nourishing your gut microbiome! Together we’ve witnessed firsthand how improving gut health through what we eat, and quality supplements, can transform skin health.

Through extensive research and in-depth personal experience, we’ve examine what works and crucially, tested it ourselves in a real life setting! The result: A 5-step Guide to Skin Gut Health, sharing with you the exact steps we took to heal our skin from within. So, let’s dive right into the science-backed strategies that can nourish your gut and calm your skin for good.

💡 Learn more about the gut-skin axis and why a healthy microbiome is key to glowing skin.

Step 1: Nourish Your Gut with Fiber & Prebiotics for Healthy Skin

Did you know that your skin health starts in your gut? In fact, a diverse, balanced gut microbiome is essential for calm skin and a healthy glow, and fiber and prebiotics play a key role in feeding your beneficial gut bacteria.

Why Fiber & Prebiotics Matter for Skin Gut Health

✅ Fiber helps regulate digestion, reduce inflammation, and eliminate toxins that could trigger breakouts.
✅ Prebiotics (a special type of fiber) feed your gut’s good bacteria (the probiotics), thereby helping these probiotics work more effectively to improve skin clarity and hydration.

Without enough fiber and prebiotics, your gut microbiome becomes imbalanced (also called dysbiosis) – which can lead to inflammation, breakouts, rosacea, and even premature aging.

Best Fiber & Prebiotic-Rich Foods for Healthy Skin

To support your gut-skin connection, load up on these skin-loving foods:

High-Fiber Foods:

• Leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard)
• Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
• Nuts & seeds (flaxseeds, chia seeds, almonds)
• Whole grains (quinoa, bulgur, brown rice)

💡Check out these 7 Best Seeds that support gut health and radiant skin

🧄 Best Prebiotic Foods:

• Garlic
• Leek & onions
• Bananas (especially slightly green ones)
• Asparagus
• Oats
• Chicory root

💡 Quick Tip: Add chia seeds to smoothies or oatmeal for a fiber and prebiotic boost that helps your gut bacteria thrive!

➡️ Start your day with this gut-healing smoothie packed with prebiotic fiber and skin-loving nutrients.

Step 2: Boost Your Skin Gut Health with Probiotics

Adding probiotics, such as beneficial bacteria, through food or supplements may help balance your skin and gut microbiome. Personally, skin healing probiotics have made perhaps the biggest difference to my skin, alongside probiotic microbiome skincare.

I’m glad I took these before pictures (above), to track my results, because honestly, at the start of what was a bit of a personal ‘experiement’, and I didn’t know I’d finally found something that could work for my troublesome skin!

Importantly, not all probiotics are created equal!

Berit, Medical Microbiologist

Some strains are especially good for skin health. What’s more the quality of probiotic supplements can vary widely, so choosing one that’s backed by science and third-party tested is essential.

We recommend looking for probiotic supplements with at least 10 billion CFUs (CFU stands for colony forming units, which quantifies the number of live bacteria in a probiotic product). In addition, look for strains like Lactobacillus paracasei and/or Lactobacillus reuteri, which have been shown to improve skin barrier function.

Our top picks include:

• YourBiology Gut+ (contains probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes and vitamin D for added skin benefits)*
• PURE from Rain International (contains 20 Billion Probiotics, prebiotics plus seed nutrition)*
• VIOME Personalized Probiotics, based on a gut health test
• EPIGENETICS L reuteri, which seems to work especially well for my skin barrier and skin hydration
• Fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso soup

Probiotics may help calm inflammation, strengthen the skin barrier, and promote a balanced microbiome.

How to select an effective probiotic supplement

If you’re investing in a probiotic supplement, choose one that contains clinically studied strains in effective doses.

Pro tip: Look for these 5 features when selecting a probiotic for your needs:

1. Check for CFUs and probiotic viability (at least 10 billion CFUs)
2. Include a mixture of strains
3. Choose the right strain for your needs
4. Ensure the supplement is backed by science
5. Include a prebiotic

Why We Love PURE Probiotics for a Skin Gut Health Boost

Choose the Right Skin-Specific Probiotics

Different probiotic strains have different effects, and not all probiotics will benefit your skin. For skin health, research-backed strains include:

• Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938: Supports skin barrier function, helps reduce inflammation and has anti-microbial properties (you can read more about L reuteri and skin health here)  
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG: May help reduce acne symptoms
• Lactobacillus paracasei LPC28: May improve skin barrier function recovery and reduce local skin inflammation
• Bifidobacterium longum BL21: Helps with hydration and inflammation
• Bifidobacterium breve strains: May improve barrier function and prevent water loss

Read more about how to choose the right probiotic for skin gut health here

💡 See the latest research on how probiotics can help fight acne and inflammation

Step 3: Heal Your Gut Lining for Clear, Calm Skin

If your gut lining is damaged – sometimes called a ‘leaky gut’ – this can lead to chronic inflammation and a range of conditions, including skin issues. Strengthening or maintaining your gut lining is key to achieving long-term skin gut health.

Gut-healing foods include:

• Bone broth (rich in collagen and amino acids)
• Omega-3-rich foods (fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseeds)
• Polyphenol-rich foods (green tea, dark chocolate, berries)
• Anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric and ginger
• Fermented foods, such as organic kefir milk and kefir yogurt, which we love so much that we’ve done a deep-dive into the kefir benefits and best kefir brands right here!

These foods help soothe gut inflammation and support the gut-skin axis.

➡️ Discover how bone broth and collagen can repair your gut and rejuvenate your skin

Step 4: Avoid These Gut Disruptors That Harm Skin

One of the most important aspects of healing your gut and skin is reducing gut-disrupting foods and lifestyle factors. Common gut disruptors include:

• Processed foods high in sugar and artificial additives
• Alcohol (which negatively affects gut bacteria and hydration)
• Chronic stress (which can alter gut microbiota balance) – More about that below!
• Antibiotic overuse (which can wipe out beneficial bacteria) – Note, seek healthcare professional advice and do not avoid or discontinue antibiotics when needed

➡️ Is sugar ruining your skin? Here’s what happens to your skin gut health when you eat ultra-processed foods

Step 5: Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Skin & Gut Health

Inflammation is a common root cause of skin conditions. Adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet can help reduce redness, irritation, and breakouts. Some of the best choices include:

• Berries and citrus fruits (high in antioxidants)
• Leafy greens (rich in vitamins and minerals)
• Healthy fats from avocado, salmon and extra virgin olive oil
• Nuts and seeds (rich in vitamin E and omega-3s)

Additionally, anti-inflammatory supplements like Soul from Rain International (which contains cold-pressed seeds) can be a great addition.

➡️ Find out which anti-inflammatory foods help boost wellbeing

Bonus Tip: Manage Stress for a Balanced Gut and Clear Skin

Stress isn’t just bad for your mind – it also wreaks havoc on your gut and skin. When stress levels rise, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that disrupts gut bacteria, weakens digestion, and triggers inflammation – all of which can lead to acne, rosacea, eczema, dull and aging skin.

How Stress Impacts the Gut-Skin Axis

❌ Increases gut permeability (also called ‘leaky gut’), allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation
❌ Reduces beneficial gut bacteria, leading to imbalance and breakouts
❌ Slows digestion, which may disrupt nutrient absorption—resulting in dull, dry, or acne-prone skin

Simple Ways to Reduce Stress & Heal Your Gut-Skin Connection

🧘‍♀️ Practice Mindfulness & Meditation

• Just 5-10 minutes a day of deep breathing or meditation can lower cortisol levels and restore gut balance.

😴 Prioritize Sleep

• Lack of sleep disrupts gut bacteria and increases skin inflammation. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

🌿 Consider Adaptogens for Stress Support

• Ashwagandha, holy basil, and Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) may help lower stress hormones naturally.

🏋️‍♂️ Move Your Body Daily

• Exercise helps regulate cortisol and supports a healthy gut microbiome.

💡 Quick Tip: Before bed, try a cup of delicious Buckwheat T (Soba Chai) or 5 minutes of deep breathing to calm your nervous system and promote gut healing.

Final Thoughts: Your Skin Gut Health Journey Starts Now

In summary, our skin gut health method involves:

By following these key steps for skin gut health, you can support your gut microbiome and transform your skin from within. Healing isn’t an overnight process, but with consistent effort, you’ll begin to see real, lasting results. Personally, we started seeing results within a few weeks, however the real lasting change happened after 6+ months. We took one step at a time, finding the solutions that worked for us and fit into our lifestyle.

Start with small, sustainable changes—add more fiber, introduce probiotic-rich foods, and reduce the things that disrupts your gut health. Your skin gut health (and overall well-being) will thank you!

Berit & Tonje

If you’ve tried any of these steps, let us know your experience in the comments. And if you’re looking for more guidance, check out our favorite gut-healing recipes and product recommendations!

If you’re interested in learning more about how probiotics specifically help with skin conditions like acne or rosacea, check out these posts:

• Which Probiotics for Skin Microbiome Health?
• Restore Gut Health: The Essentials
• Probiotics for Acne

NOTE: *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new regime or supplements.

Author: Berit Sund, MSc Medical Microbiology. When I don’t write about probiotics and fermented drinks, I spend my days in healthcare education, training or testing out yummy recipes, and of course hang out with my family and friends!

*Affiliate links: This article contains affiliate links from which we may earn a commission.

Other Posts You Might Enjoy