Acne might show up on your skin—but its roots often run deeper. Literally. New research is connecting the dots between gut health and breakouts, showing us how powerful the gut-skin axis really is. Your digestive system plays a huge role in how your skin looks, feels, and reacts to inflammation, hormones, and your environment. When your gut is in balance, your skin has a much better chance of staying clear, calm, and resilient. Let’s dive in and explore how nutrition supports healthy and acne-free skin!
What Is the Gut-Skin Axis and Why It Matters for Acne
The gut-skin axis is the two-way communication channel between your digestive system and your skin—and it’s more powerful than most people realize. Your gut is home to trillions of microbes that impact everything from immunity to inflammation, and there’s emerging scientific literature that suggests the health of the gut influences systems far outside the world of digestion: skin included. Both the gut and the skin act as key immune system organs, helping keep the good in and the bad out. But when your gut is out of balance, inflammation can flare. Since acne = inflammation, yes, that can include breakouts.
What Links Gut Health and Acne
The relationship between gut health and acne is complex, and multiple bodily functions are involved. These are the biggest players in the gut-skin axis relationship.
Inflammation
When your gut microbiome gets thrown off (aka dysbiosis), it can lead to something called leaky gut, where the food you eat goes through the gut barrier and sneaks into your bloodstream where it doesn’t belong. Leaky gut leads to system-wide inflammation, which can show up on your face as acne, redness, psoriasis, and more.
Immune Health
Your gut and your skin are both major players in your immune system. When gut bacteria are out of balance, it can suppress your body’s immune system, which is why gut health can cause your skin to react in the form of breakouts or flare-ups.
Hormones
Your gut bacteria produce metabolites like short-chain fatty acids that help calm inflammation. But when your gut is imbalanced, it can interfere with how your body metabolizes hormones, especially androgens, which are directly tied to acne.
Skin-Gut Cycle
Not only can gut health affect the skin, but skin inflammation and disease can also impact gut barrier function and microbiome balance, creating a cycle that’s hard to break.
Distinct Gut Microbiome Patterns in Acne
Recent studies are showing a clear pattern: people with inflammatory skin issues like acne often have an imbalanced gut microbiome—think less microbial diversity and more markers of inflammation. These are the key microbiome markers that link gut health with acne specifically:
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Reduced microbial diversity: Research shows that people struggling with acne often have less microbial diversity in their gut—meaning fewer types of the beneficial bacteria that help keep inflammation in check. One study found that acne-prone individuals had lower levels of Firmicutes (a group of beneficial bacteria known for supporting gut health and producing positive outputs like butyrate) and higher levels of Bacteroidetes, a pattern that shows up in other inflammatory conditions too.
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Specific bacterial signatures: For example, having more Ruminococcus torques and certain Eubacterium strains may actually protect against breakouts. On the flip side, higher levels of Allisonella and Bacteroides have been linked to worsening inflammation and acne flare-ups.
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Hormone imbalance: Insulin resistance and androgen imbalance (think: too much testosterone or DHEA-S) have also been observed in patients with acne. Since diet and gut health can play a big role in blood sugar issues, which lead to insulin resistance, it’s important to keep this relationship in mind as well.
Bottom line: your gut bacteria play a big role in whether your skin stays calm—or acts out.
The good news? You can make lifestyle changes to help.
With our Acne Lab Test, our scientists have observed specific patterns in those with acne related to gut health, hormones, and inflammation. We created GOOD SEEDS, our superfood softgel supplement, in response to those specific markers.
Detox Your Skin Through the Right Gut-Focused Diet
What you eat doesn’t just fuel your body—it directly impacts your gut microbiome, hormone balance, and inflammatory response, all of which play a major role in skin clarity. By shifting toward gut-supportive foods, you’re not just “eating healthy”—you’re actively calming breakouts at the root. Below are key dietary patterns that can either help or hurt the gut-skin connection:
Dietary Factors That Influence the Gut-Skin Axis
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High-Glycemic + Processed Foods: Refined carbs and sugary snacks can spike blood sugar, fuel inflammation, and disrupt your gut microbiome—all of which make breakouts worse.
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Dairy Products: Some studies link dairy (especially skim milk) to acne, likely due to its impact on hormones and gut bacteria. If you're breaking out, it’s worth experimenting with cutting back.
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Fiber + Plant-Based Foods: Fiber feeds the good gut bacteria that keep your system balanced. Bonus: it helps produce anti-inflammatory compounds that your skin loves.
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Healthy Fats: Omega-3s (found in salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts) are skin heroes. They reduce inflammation and support both gut health and barrier repair. The Omega 7s from Sea Buckthorn Oil in GOODSEEDS are also highly beneficial for both gut and skin luminosity.
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Fermented Foods + Probiotics: Think yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir. These foods deliver beneficial bacteria that rebalance your gut and my help reduce inflammation and improve skin barrier function, AKA skin health.
How to Support the Gut-Skin Axis with Nutrition
Your skin reflects what’s happening inside, and the way you eat can either support or sabotage that balance. Here’s how to fuel your body in a way that helps your gut thrive and your skin stay clear:
Load Up on Fiber + Plant Diversity
A colorful plate = a happy gut. Eating a variety of fruits, veggies, legumes, and whole grains feeds your good gut bacteria and boosts the production of short-chain fatty acids—natural inflammation fighters your skin will thank you for.
Stick to Low-Glycemic Options
Swap refined sugar and white carbs for complex carbs like quinoa, brown rice, and oats. These help keep your blood sugar steady, which is key for calming hormonal fluctuations and skin flare-ups.
Add Fermented Foods + Probiotics
Think yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, or a quality probiotic supplement. These introduce beneficial bacteria that help reduce inflammation and can visibly improve breakout-prone skin.
Prioritize Healthy Fats
Healthy fats = glow fuel. Omega-3s from salmon, chia seeds, flax, and walnuts help soothe inflammation and support the skin’s protective barrier from within. Omega 7s like the ones in GOODSEEDS from Sea Buckthorn are commonly missing from the Standard American Diet, but they help keep your skin glowing and your gut healthy.
Cut Back on Dairy + Processed Foods
If your skin’s acting up, try reducing dairy and ultra-processed snacks. These can throw off your gut microbiome and stir up inflammation that shows up as acne. Dairy is specifically tied to acne and can be a big trigger for those who are sensitive to it.
The Mediterranean Diet: Skin-Loving, Gut-Nourishing Fuel
If you're looking for a skin-friendly way of eating, the Mediterranean diet is a powerhouse. It’s packed with colorful fruits and veggies, fiber-rich legumes and whole grains, antioxidant-loaded olive oil, and healthy fats from nuts and fish—all of which help your gut microbiome thrive.
This style of eating has been shown to increase microbial diversity (a major win for gut health) while lowering systemic inflammation, which is directly linked to clearer, calmer skin. The bonus? It’s not about restriction—it’s about fueling your body with real, nourishing foods that support hormone balance, reduce breakouts, and boost your glow from the inside out.
How to Follow an Acne-Friendly Mediterranean Diet (Without Overthinking It)
The beauty of the Mediterranean diet is that it’s more of a lifestyle than a strict set of rules. It’s all about choosing whole, anti-inflammatory foods that nourish your gut and your skin—without obsessing over calories or cutting out entire food groups. Here’s how to make it work for you:
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Fill half your plate with colorful plants. Aim for a mix of leafy greens, roasted veggies, and raw fruits. The more variety, the better for your gut microbiome.
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Choose whole grains over refined carbs. Think quinoa, farro, brown rice, oats, and whole grain bread or pasta in moderation. These keep your blood sugar stable and feed beneficial gut bacteria.
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Eat more legumes and plant-based proteins. Lentils, chickpeas, white beans, and black beans are nutrient-dense, gut-friendly, and great for hormone balance.
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Make olive oil your go-to fat. Rich in antioxidants and healthy fats, extra virgin olive oil supports skin barrier function and helps calm inflammation.
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Enjoy fish 2–3 times a week. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are loaded with omega-3s that soothe inflammation and support clear, resilient skin.
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Snack smart with nuts and seeds. A small handful of walnuts, almonds, or chia seeds delivers skin-loving fats, fiber, and antioxidants.
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Flavor with herbs, not processed sauces. Season with basil, oregano, garlic, lemon, and other fresh herbs that add nutrients and support detoxification—no artificial additives needed.
Following this approach consistently can help reduce breakouts, support hormone balance, and promote a healthy glow—no fad diets required.
Improving Digestion to Improve Gut Health
While digestion and gut health are distinct topics, they are closely connected. Here are five reasons why good digestion is foundational to gut health and clear skin.
1. Proper Nutrient Breakdown = Stronger Skin + Gut Barrier
Your skin and gut both rely on nutrients like amino acids, healthy fats, and key vitamins. But if your digestion isn’t working efficiently, those nutrients don’t get broken down or absorbed—and your gut lining (and skin barrier) suffer.
2. Better Digestion = A Happier Microbiome
When digestion is smooth, your gut bacteria get the fuel they love: fiber and resistant starches. They ferment these into short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate), which reduce inflammation and strengthen your gut lining.
But when digestion is off? Undigested proteins or carbs can ferment in the wrong places, feeding the bad bacteria and creating microbial imbalance (dysbiosis).
3. Clean Digestion = Less Inflammation
Poor digestion leads to lingering food particles that bacteria break down into toxic byproducts (like ammonia or hydrogen sulfide). These can irritate the gut lining, trigger leaky gut, and cause immune responses that show up as—yep—acne.
4. Healthy Digestion = Regular Bowel Movements
Bowel regularity is a huge part of gut health. Constipation and diarrhea both throw off your microbiome. If things move too slowly, you risk SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). Too fast? Nutrients don’t get absorbed properly, and your gut bugs miss their chance to do their job.
We included natural bowel-supportive ingredients—Organic Green Banana Powder and Aloe Vera—in GLOWTIME for this reason.
5. Strong Enzyme + Acid Function = Skin-Supportive Digestion
Your stomach acid and digestive enzymes are your first line of defense, breaking down food and killing off harmful microbes. When levels drop (from stress, age, or meds), digestion slows, and your gut becomes more vulnerable to imbalance and inflammation.
Because of how important good digestion is for gut health and clear skin, our supplements GLOWTIME and A.C.V. Clear both support different parts of the digestive system for healthy digestion from the moment food enters your mouth. A.C.V. Clear helps to trigger your body to stimulate your natural digestion, while GLOWTIME enhances it with additional enzymes to break down the nutrients from your food.
The Bottom Line
Clear skin isn’t just a surface issue—it’s deeply connected to what’s going on in your gut. The gut-skin axis shows us that when your digestive system is balanced, your skin has the tools it needs to stay calm, clear, and resilient.
By focusing on whole, anti-inflammatory foods—like fiber-rich veggies, healthy fats, and fermented staples—you’re not just supporting digestion, you’re actively helping your skin detox and heal from the inside out.
And as science keeps evolving, one thing stays clear: nutrition, digestion, and gut health play a powerful role in your skin journey.
SOURCES
Gut–Skin Axis: Current Knowledge of the Interrelationship between Microbial Dysbiosis and Skin Conditions https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7916842/ Accessed June 20, 2025
Editorial: The gut-skin axis: interaction of gut microbiome and skin diseases https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1427770/full Accessed June 20, 2025
Skin-gut axis: The relationship between intestinal bacteria and skin health https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-6190/full/v6/i4/52.htm Accessed June 20, 2025
The Gut-Skin Axis: A Comprehensive Review of Probiotics for Skin Health and Clinical Applications https://osf.io/preprints/osf/zexda_v1 Accessed June 20, 2025
Gut microbiota and acne: A Mendelian randomization study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10507220/ Accessed June 20, 2025
Patients with Acne Vulgaris Have a Distinct Gut Microbiota in Comparison with Healthy Controls https://www.medicaljournals.se/acta/content/html/10.2340/00015555-2968 Accessed June 20, 2025
