Is Leaky Gut an Eczema Enemy? Best Foods to Eat

Evidenced-based by over 20 research studies about leaky gut eczema connections. Contains affiliate links; visit the disclosure page for more information.

If you have tried everything for eczema, but nothing has worked to clear it up, it may be time to consider leaky gut-eczema connections.  After all, your skin cells and your gut cells are the same types of cells.

Because of this, it isn’t a big stretch to imagine that what impacts your gut also impacts your skin and vice-versa. 

Additionally, research shows that people with atopic eczema also have leaky gut [R]. Another name for leaky gut is increased intestinal permeability. 

Skin conditions like eczema can be very difficult to identify and treat.  Why?  The skin is our first line of defense from the rest of the world and is exposed to thousands of substances a day.  These substances come from both the inside of the body and out. One rash can look almost identical to another kind as well!

In this post, find out how leaky gut and eczema are connected and how you can eat and supplement to help begin the healing process. 

Leaky Gut Eczema Research

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis,  is a symptom that is caused by the breakdown of the skin barrier, resulting in inflammation and discomfort.  

Here are the main concepts behind eczema and leaky gut.

Leaky skin means a leaky gut

The outer layer of skin protects our body from losing moisture.  In eczema, the skin loses too much moisture or is “leaky”. Eczema patients can have defects of both the outer layer barrier and the antimicrobial barrier of the outer layer of the skin [R].

Much as the skin is “leaky” the gut is leaky in eczema as well.  One study found that all people with atopic eczema had leaky gut or increased intestinal permeability [R]. 

Genetic factors

Autoimmune genetic defects in people with eczema can reduce the fat amount of the skin as well, allowing more moisture loss. 

Patients with mutations in the FLG gene (filaggrin) are 3 times more likely to get eczema due to skin fat loss than those who do not have this gene [R]. 

Food allergies and eczema

People with food allergies also often have a mutation in the FLG gene too, which connects the leaky gut and leaky skin theories [R]. 

When the intestinal barrier is compromised or “leaky,” the body receives unwanted compounds that can cause inflammation in the body, including the skin.  This is thought to be the reason that leaky gut is connected to eczema and other dermatitis conditions. 

Why does leaky gut cause eczema?

If you have eczema, your diet can cause your immune system to overreact as well as make the skin leaky and gut leaky. By the way, most autoimmune conditions are related to leaky gut according to research in Clinical Reviews of Allergy and Immunology [R]. 

The skin is also like an immune mirror; it reflects our diet, our digestive health, and more. One important note about eczema; our bodies are all very different, so finding your best-individualized plan may take some time. 

Changing eating habits can be a challenging aspect for many people because there can be many factors at play, but an elimination diet may be helpful for your skin barrier and help reduce the leaky condition and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Foods to eliminate with leaky gut and eczema

Food allergies are present for most people with atopic eczema and can make symptoms of eczema worse. The root cause of this may be leaky gut [R]. 

A consultation with a functional medicine practitioner, including a functional nutritionist can help you sort these food allergies out. 

You will want to remove allergens, intolerances, sensitivities, and processed foods. These trigger foods can make the inflammation of eczema and leaky gut worse. 

At this point in time, some food sensitivity testing is available but isn’t 100% reliable. The only way to know if you are sensitive to food for sure is a 5-6 week complete elimination of that food.

Foods that trigger anxiety should also be minimized or removed.  For example, coffee and eczema may not go well together, but it is best to cut back gradually to avoid caffeine withdrawal. Common food triggers for eczema and leaky gut can include:

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

Before embarking on an elimination diet, have a plan and discuss how to best do this type of meal plan with a registered dietitian trained in food allergies or functional nutrition first.

Minimize sugar and processed foods

Sugar and processed foods are inflammatory and will ramp up inflammation everywhere, including your skin. Be aware of how much sugar is in your cereals, beverages, entrees, and more.  Watch out for the daily flavored lattes too!

Processed foods also throw off hormones that help protect our body as well. The insulin surges from these foods are highly inflammatory for the skin and digestive tract.

Eating lots of sugar and processed foods can also lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which causes inflammation in the skin too. Think not only eczema, think  junk food and acne too.

Foods to add

When leaky gut eczema symptoms have been present for a long time, your body will need nutritious foods to heal. This step is as important as the elimination step.

Make sure to include plenty of nutrient-rich foods like:

• 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 want to also consider adding more 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 the gut balance is restored. This is likely because probiotics can help reduce leaky gut according to research [R]. 

Adding fermented foods helps restore healthy bacteria.  Sometimes additional probiotics are beneficial too. Research in the area of eczema and probiotics are very promising [R].

• The most commonly studied supplemental probiotic strains for eczema are Lactobacillus strains [R]. 
• B. Longum strain may improve leaky gut symptoms and reduce small intestinal bacterial overgrowth as well [R]. 
• Fermented foods are rich in probiotics and this is good news for eczema.  Clinical studies are showing some impressive benefits of probiotics for eczema.  
• For example, infants given probiotics were almost 3 times less likely to develop eczema than infants who did not get probiotics  [R].

Remember, functional nutrition is an individualized approach. 

Start slow, 1 tablespoon per day of fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, and work your way up. If you notice any side effects, do not continue.  Most importantly, listen to your body.  No two people are the same, so each autoimmune disease is different too.

Make sure to add lots of vegetables to provide prebiotics too. Prebiotic foods are also helpful, such as kelp.  

Related: Kelp Benefits for Skin.

Eczema vitamins and nutrients 

Leaky gut and eczema both are nutrient-intensive conditions that may require supplements to heal.  This is because of the related inflammation that comes along with them and the nutrients that are required to heal the skin.  

Adding some of the following supplements may be beneficial for you: 

Digestive enzymes

When your gut and skin have been inflamed due to eczema, your body also may not be making enough enzymes.

Research shows that food sensitivities can reduce your body’s ability to make digestive enzymes [R]. 

Supplemental digestive enzymes helped improve eczema symptoms and improved leaky gut according to research published in Pediatric Drugs [R]. 

L-Glutamine

L-glutamine is an amino acid that is an important fuel source for digestive cells. 

More glutamine may be required by the body in the following situations: stress, food allergies, alcohol, antibiotics use, digestive disorders, and malnutrition.  

Supplemental glutamine can help improve intestinal permeability or leaky gut, so adding L-glutamine to your health routine can’t hurt and might help if you have eczema [R].

We are unable to make glutamine during stressful conditions like trauma and infection. Glutamine is fuel for intestinal cells, immune cells, and helps our body maintain balance in protein and blood sugar. 

You can find high-quality L-glutamine by Thorne here.

Related: The Best Colostrum Supplement for Leaky Gut + Colostrum Testimonials (thehealthyrd.com)

Cod Liver Oil

Early research suggests that cod liver oil or fish oil is helpful to reduce inflammation and eczema symptoms [R]. Fish oil is a major source of anti-inflammatory fats called omega-3 fatty acids.

Most people fall short in omega-3’s so it is a reasonable addition to any healthy lifestyle. Natural eczema treatment should always include fish and high omega 3’s in the diet to help reduce inflammation.

Use caution if you have allergy or sensitivity to fish. If you are sensitive or allergic to fish, a vegetarian omega 3 that is good is this one.

Related: Are Natural Antihistamines the Best Treatment for Allergies?

Quercetin

Quercetin is an antioxidant found in foods like apples and onions.  This powerful antioxidant is gaining popularity as a supplement because it works as a natural antihistamine in the body [R].

• Atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis are inflammatory conditions that are related to food and environmental allergies.  The body’s allergic response is to release a lot of histamine into the body.
• Quercetin in early research reduces atopic dermatitis by reducing an inflammatory compound called IL6 [R]. By reducing antibodies like IgE and antigen response, such as TH2, quercetin may be very helpful in eczema treatment [R].
• If you have eczema, quercetin, taken in combination with vitamin C, may be very helpful for you. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a critical nutrient that connects eczema and leaky gut because of its profound effects on every system in the body.  Without enough vitamin D, the gut can become leaky [R]. 

Get some sun if at all possible if you have eczema.  Most people benefit from the extra vitamin D that the sun will provide.  

For sun exposure, mid-day sun gives the most vitamin D-rich rays. Unfortunately, if you live  in the north, the sun rays are predominantly UVA and too weak until mid-summer. 

Watch out for tanning beds, though; they often give off the wrong type of UV! 

When to Use a UVB Light

If you live in a very cold, northern climate, a UVB lamp may be helpful.

• UVB LIGHT- Uses UVB fluorescent bulbs that emit a proper balance of UVB rays onto your skin, naturally generate the benefits of the sun’s rays.  
• Full-spectrum lamps and bulbs aren’t the right kind of light for getting vitamin D
• You can find a UVB Sun Lamp here.

You will not get vitamin D benefits from a full spectrum or general “mood” light. 

As with anything, make sure you are moderate in your sun or UVB lamp exposure. If you buy a UVB lamp, make sure to follow package directions to avoid skin damage and burning. 

A Note about Sunscreens

Sunscreens block your skin’s ability to make vitamin D3 in the skin.  

Further, recent research in the Journal of the American Medical Association is demonstrating that many chemical sunscreens aren’t safe. 

One study showed that the level of sunscreen chemical that enters the bloodstream is 7 times greater than the amount of nicotine you might have in your blood after smoking a cigarette [R]! 

Be mindful of your limits in the sun, avoid sunburns. You can find a nontoxic sunscreen brand that contains all-natural ingredients here.  

Manage your stress for leaky gut and eczema

Stress increases inflammation in the body and ramps up an imbalance of hormones in the body. 

It also likely makes the gut more leaky and inflamed, which in turn, can make the skin more inflamed and susceptible to eczema. 

Importantly, take time for yourself and find ways that you can really relax at least once a day. Find ways to cope.  Try meditation, yoga, slow breathing techniques, and take time to nurture yourself.  

Another great stress reliever is to drink herbal tea or try Coffee Break. (link)

Soothing herbs

Certain plant compounds help support a healthy gut lining, so it makes sense to include healing herbs in the diet for eczema.  

Include herbs like [R, R, R]:

• Nettles 
• Marshmallow root
• Slippery elm
• Ginger

You can incorporate these herbs into your diet by supplementing them or drinking teas.  Try Nettles Tea or Ginger Tea for healthy digestion and skin health. You can also get marshmallow root on Amazon here. 

Summary

If you have eczema, you may benefit from treating leaky gut by improving diet and health routines.  

Because skin and gut tissues are closely related, treating food allergies and eating healing foods can be really helpful for your whole system, including your skin.  

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.