The Leaky Gut Connection to Eczema & Psoriasis: What 2025 Research Reveals (+ Healing Foods That Work)

Evidence-based by 25+ research studies on the leaky gut–skin connection, including new 2025–2026 findings on both eczema and psoriasis. This post contains affiliate links; visit the disclosure page for more information.

If you’ve tried everything for a stubborn skin condition and nothing has fully cleared it up, it may be time to look at your gut — and to double-check the diagnosis itself. Your skin cells and your gut lining cells are built from the same embryonic tissue, which is exactly why what happens in your digestive tract so often shows up on your skin. That’s true for eczema, and, as newer research shows, it’s also true for psoriasis, a condition eczema is very commonly confused with. If you want the full picture of what a healthy gut looks like before diving into the skin-specific details below, my Ultimate Gut Health Guide is a good place to start.

New research from 2025 has made the gut connection much harder to ignore. A study published in Scientific Reports found that people with more severe atopic dermatitis had measurably higher levels of gut-derived metabolites and leaky-gut biomarkers circulating in their blood — and the more permeable the gut, the worse the skin. A second 2025 study in adults with atopic dermatitis found food sensitization tracked directly with eczema severity. Psoriasis has its own parallel body of gut-microbiome research, which I’ll get into below.

I’ve seen this play out in my own family, too. My father carried an eczema diagnosis for over 50 years — it turned out to be psoriasis all along, discovered only after a biopsy at age 90. I’ll share that story, along with what the data says about why eczema and psoriasis get mixed up so often, and how to eat and supplement to support gut and skin healing either way.

Leaky Gut Skin Research (Updated 2025)

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is what happens when the skin barrier breaks down — resulting in inflammation, moisture loss, and that maddening itch. Here’s what the current research says about how it connects to the gut.

Leaky Skin Means a Leaky Gut

The outer layer of skin protects the body from losing moisture. In eczema, the skin loses too much moisture and becomes “leaky.” Eczema patients often have defects in both the outer skin barrier and the antimicrobial barrier of the skin.

The gut tends to mirror this. One of the original studies on the topic found significantly higher gut permeability in children with atopic eczema than in children without eczema, and newer biomarker-based research backs this up. A 2025 study in Scientific Reports measured gut-derived metabolites and leaky-gut biomarkers directly in atopic dermatitis patients and found that inflammatory markers like LBP, IL-10, and IL-22 correlated with higher disease severity — meaning the leakier the gut, the worse the flare, on average.

A 2025 review in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology also confirmed that children with eczema tend to have lower gut microbiome diversity, including reduced beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria, compared to children without eczema.

Genetic Factors

Genetic defects in people with eczema can reduce the fat content of the skin, allowing more moisture loss. People with mutations in the FLG filaggrin gene are about three times more likely to develop eczema due to this skin fat loss.

Food Sensitivities and Eczema

People with food allergies often carry the same FLG gene mutation, which connects the leaky-gut and leaky-skin theories. When the intestinal barrier is compromised, the body is exposed to compounds it wouldn’t otherwise absorb, and this can trigger inflammation in the skin.

This isn’t just theory anymore. A 2025 cross-sectional study of adults with atopic dermatitis found food sensitization was significantly more prevalent than in healthy controls, and eczema severity scores climbed right along with the number of positive food-specific IgE results. A separate 2025 review on food-specific IgG antibody elimination diets also noted symptomatic improvement in atopic dermatitis patients following diets guided by individual reactivity profiles — which is precisely the kind of individualized approach I use with MRT/LEAP testing in my own practice.

Eczema or Psoriasis? Why It’s So Often Misdiagnosed

A 2025 diagnostic accuracy study found that roughly 15% of psoriasis cases are initially diagnosed as eczematous dermatitis, and in cases affecting the palms and soles — where the two conditions can look nearly identical — misclassification may affect as many as half of all cases. That same research noted that in primary care settings, psoriasis is commonly mistaken for eczema or ringworm, with diagnostic delays stretching up to five years — and that these errors occur even more frequently in patients with skin of color.

Even a biopsy isn’t always the final word. A 2026 study evaluating 73 biopsy samples across 14 independent dermatopathologists found that standard biopsy evaluation alone was only about 77% accurate for correctly telling eczema and psoriasis apart, with agreement between pathologists especially poor in ambiguous, borderline cases. Combining traditional biopsy review with newer molecular (PCR-based) testing meaningfully improved accuracy in that same study.

Elderly-onset psoriasis, like my father had, is a particularly easy case to miss. Research on psoriasis in older adults shows it’s generally milder, covers less body surface area, and produces less dramatic lesions than psoriasis that begins earlier in life — and it’s also more likely to appear on the scalp rather than the classic elbows, knees, and torso pattern most people (including some clinicians) associate with psoriasis. Add in the multiple health conditions many older adults are already managing, and a persistent, unusual-looking rash can quietly stay mislabeled for decades.

Psoriasis Has Its Own Gut-Skin Axis Research

Here’s why this matters for a post about leaky gut: psoriasis is increasingly understood as a systemic inflammatory disease rather than a purely local skin problem, and disturbances to the gut microbiome appear to play a role in triggering the immune response that drives it — a mechanism that echoes what we see in eczema. Damage to the gut’s mucosal lining triggers a surge in pro-inflammatory cytokines, contributing to systemic inflammation that can show up on the skin. Psoriasis affects nearly 100 million people globally, and a meaningful subset of them may have gut health as an underappreciated piece of their picture, just as eczema patients do.

This is part of why, regardless of which of the two conditions someone actually has, I still encourage looking at gut health, food sensitivities, and inflammatory triggers as part of the picture — alongside proper medical diagnosis and treatment, never instead of it. If a rash has never fully responded to standard eczema treatment, doesn’t quite match the textbook pattern, or first appeared later in life, it’s worth asking your provider whether a biopsy or dermatology referral makes sense, even if the current diagnosis has been in place for years.

Why Does a Leaky Gut Cause Eczema?

If you have eczema, your diet can cause your immune system to overreact, making both the skin and gut more “leaky.” Research published in Clinical Reviews of Allergy and Immunology has linked most autoimmune conditions to leaky gut.

Think of the skin as an immune mirror — it reflects your diet and digestive health. Everyone’s triggers are different, so finding your best individualized plan may take some time. An elimination diet, done properly, can help reduce both the leaky gut and the gastrointestinal symptoms that often accompany it.

Foods to Eliminate if You Have Leaky Gut and Eczema

Food allergies and sensitivities are present in most people with atopic eczema and can make symptoms worse. The root cause is often a leaky gut. A consultation with a functional medicine practitioner — including a functional nutritionist — can help you sort out food triggers.

You’ll want to remove allergens, intolerances, sensitivities, and processed foods, which tend to worsen both eczema and leaky gut inflammation.

Formal food sensitivity testing (like MRT) can help narrow down your personal list, but a supervised 5–6 week complete elimination remains the gold standard for confirming a true sensitivity.

Foods that trigger anxiety or histamine release should also be minimized. Coffee, for example, doesn’t always mix well with eczema — though it’s best to cut back gradually to avoid caffeine withdrawal. Common triggers include:

• Gluten or wheat
• Dairy products
• Soy
• Corn
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Alcohol

Before starting an elimination diet, have a plan and work with a registered dietitian trained in food sensitivities or functional nutrition first.

Minimize Sugar and Processed Foods

Sugar and processed foods are inflammatory and ramp up inflammation everywhere, including the skin. Watch how much sugar is hiding in cereals, beverages, entrees — and yes, the daily flavored latte.

Processed foods also throw off hormones that help protect the body. The insulin surges they cause are highly inflammatory for both the skin and digestive tract, and can contribute to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which further inflames the skin. Think not only eczema — junk food and acne go hand in hand too.

Foods to Add

When leaky gut eczema symptoms have been present for a long time, the body needs nutrient-dense foods to heal. This step is just as important as elimination.

Make sure to include plenty of:

• Chicken liver
• Grass-finished beef
• Wild salmon
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Sprouted vegetables
• Leafy greens
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Mushrooms
• Avocados
• Celery juice
• Chia seeds

You may also want to add foods that help the body detoxify, such as broccoli sprouts and superfood powders.

Add Fermented Foods

Eczema flare-ups typically don’t stand a chance when gut balance is restored. This is likely because probiotics help reduce leaky gut, according to research.

Adding fermented foods helps restore healthy bacteria, and additional probiotics can help too:

• The most studied supplemental probiotic strains for eczema are Lactobacillus strains.
• B. longum may improve leaky gut symptoms and reduce small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
• Infants given probiotics were almost 3 times less likely to develop eczema than infants who didn’t receive them.

Start slow — 1 tablespoon per day of fermented foods like sauerkraut — and work your way up. If you notice side effects, stop and reassess. No two people (and no two autoimmune conditions) are the same.

Don’t forget vegetables for prebiotics too, such as kelp. Related: Kelp Benefits for Skin.

Eczema Vitamins and Nutrients

Leaky gut and eczema are both nutrient-intensive conditions that often benefit from targeted supplementation to support healing.

Digestive Enzymes

When the gut and skin have been inflamed by eczema for a while, the body may not make enough digestive enzymes. Research shows food sensitivities can reduce the body’s ability to produce digestive enzymes. Supplemental digestive enzymes have been shown to improve eczema symptoms and leaky gut in research published in Pediatric Drugs.

L-Glutamine

L-glutamine is an amino acid and important fuel source for digestive cells. The body may need more of it during stress, food allergies, alcohol use, antibiotic use, digestive disorders, and malnutrition.

Supplemental glutamine can help improve intestinal permeability, so adding it to your routine may help if you have eczema. Glutamine production drops during stressful conditions like trauma and infection, yet it’s fuel for both intestinal cells and immune cells.

Related: The Best Colostrum Supplement for Leaky Gut + Colostrum Testimonials

Cod Liver Oil

Early research suggests cod liver oil or fish oil helps reduce inflammation and eczema symptoms. Fish oil is a major source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and most people fall short. Natural eczema treatment should generally include fish and adequate omega-3 intake to help reduce inflammation.

Related: Are Natural Antihistamines the Best Treatment for Allergies?

Quercetin

Quercetin is an antioxidant found in foods like apples and onions and is gaining popularity as a supplement because it acts as a natural antihistamine.

• Atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis are inflammatory conditions related to food and environmental allergies, where the body’s allergic response releases histamine.
• Quercetin has been shown in early research to reduce atopic dermatitis by lowering the inflammatory compound IL-6. By reducing antibodies like IgE, quercetin may be quite helpful for eczema.
• If you have eczema, quercetin paired with vitamin C may be especially helpful.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a critical nutrient connecting eczema and leaky gut because of its effects on nearly every system in the body. Without enough vitamin D, the gut can become leaky.

Get midday sun exposure when possible — that’s when the sun provides the most vitamin D-rich rays. If you live in the north, winter sun is largely too weak until mid-summer. Watch out for tanning beds, though; they give off the wrong type of UV.

When to Use a UVB Light

If you live in a cold, northern climate, a UVB lamp may help. Look for bulbs that emit a proper balance of UVB rays — full-spectrum or “mood” lamps won’t give you vitamin D benefits. As with sun exposure, be moderate and follow package directions to avoid skin damage.

A Note About Sunscreens

Sunscreens block the skin’s ability to make vitamin D3. Research in JAMA has also raised concerns about how much chemical sunscreen enters the bloodstream — one study found blood levels of a common sunscreen chemical roughly 7 times higher than typical nicotine levels after smoking a cigarette. Be mindful of sun limits and avoid sunburn; a nontoxic, all-natural sunscreen is a reasonable alternative here.

Manage Stress for Leaky Gut and Eczema

Stress increases inflammation and disrupts hormone balance, likely making the gut more leaky and, in turn, the skin more inflamed and eczema-prone.

Take time to relax at least once a day — meditation, yoga, slow breathing, or whatever genuinely helps you unwind. A calming herbal tea or Coffee Break can be a nice ritual too.

Soothing Herbs

Certain plant compounds support a healthy gut lining, making them a smart addition for eczema-related healing:

• Nettles — supports gut lining integrity
• Marshmallow root for gut mucosal support
• Slippery elm for soothing the digestive lining
• Ginger

These can be incorporated as supplements or teas.

Summary

If you have eczema or psoriasis, treating an underlying leaky gut through diet and targeted supplementation can make a real difference. Because skin and gut tissues are so closely related, addressing food sensitivities and eating gut-healing foods can support your whole system — skin included. And because these two conditions are so frequently confused for each other, even by specialists and even on biopsy, it’s worth revisiting a long-standing diagnosis if treatment has never quite worked the way it should. My father’s diagnosis was wrong for over 50 years; it’s never too late to ask the question again.

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body and is shared for educational purposes only. Consult your doctor or healthcare provider before making changes to your supplement regimen or lifestyle, and consult a dermatologist for diagnosis or treatment of any skin condition.

Heidi Moretti, MS, RD, CLT
Heidi Moretti, MS, RD, CLT is The Healthy RD. A registered dietitian for 25 years and author of the bestselling Cortisol Fix, Period Fix, and Gut Fix, Heidi has a passion for functional nutrition and natural medicine. One of her biggest loves is helping people gain function and vitality by tackling the root causes of illness.

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