WEEK 3 - What Supplements Should I take for Skin Care | Supplement Mastery Series
Week 3: Supplements for Acne Treatment and Eczema Treatment
In my nutrition coaching experience and studies over the years, one important thing I’ve learned about skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and hives, is that they all have a common connection to gut health.
Unfortunately, acne treatment, eczema treatment, and similar conditions are treated as though they are topical conditions - THIS IS USUALLY NOT THE CASE.
As a former cystic acne sufferer, I know the embarrassment of a swollen, bumpy face, and how it feels to desperately cling on to short-term relief!
This article will educate you on how to get rid of acne, eczema, and hives FOR GOOD.
Although I will offer some short-term solutions for acne treatment and eczema treatment, I’m going to teach you how to address these conditions at the root so that you will never again be embarrassed by your skin condition.
At Well Roots, we don’t believe it is valuable to use short-term solutions without also addressing the root cause of your condition. To do so is simply to throw away your time, money, and energy.
Let’s get started.
The Gut-Skin Connection
The four most common skin conditions I see in my line of work are:
acne
eczema
hives
psoriasis
All of these conditions have one BIG commonality, and that is gut health issues. Fixing your gut health is a foundational piece to getting rid of these conditions permanently.
I will go into each of these conditions and provide short-term and long-term solutions for relief. To sum it all up, I will answer the question, “what supplements should I take for skin care?”.
Want to know more about acne treatment, psoriasis treatment, and eczema treatment? You are in the right place.
Supplements for Acne Treatment
ACNE
Simply put, acne presents itself in two different types (1):
acne vulgaris - presents as superficial, affecting the hair follicles and oil-secreting glands
acne conglobata (cystic acne) - more severe manifestation, typically results in scarring
Both occur commonly on the face, but can also show up on the back and shoulders, chest, and buttocks.
Hair follicles contain sebaceous glands, which produce a product called sebum to lubricate skin and prevent the loss of water. Sebaceous glands will enlarge and produce more sebum in the presence of increased testosterone. There is a higher concentration of sebaceous glands in the skin of the face, which is why acne is more commonly present there.
Additionally, a rise in testosterone stimulates the cells in these hair follicles to produce keratin, which is a fibrous protein needed to protect our skin from damage, and is primarily what your hair and nails are made from.
Too much keratin all at once has a tendency to block skin pores, leading to inflammation (red, painful bumps), and result in either a whitehead or a blackhead, depending on how much blockage occurs.
It’s your body doing what it is supposed to do, however, our common Western lifestyle contributes to higher levels of hormone imbalances, higher toxic burden, and higher levels of inflammation, which exacerbate the acne condition.
While adults commonly get acne, it is more common in teenagers, more male-bodied individuals, and those undergoing hormone replacement therapy, due to higher testosterone.
I relate to this statement with all my being: “There is no single disease which causes more psychic trauma and more maladjustment between parents and children, more general insecurity and feelings of inferiority and greater sums of psychic assessment than does acne vulgaris.” -Dr. M B. Sulzburger
Want to save your teenager from a constant battle of self-esteem? Look into their gut health.
Interestingly, it was found that 40% of acne also presented with hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid), which is a condition that leads to poor digestion, heartburn, acid reflux, poor bowel movements, and intestinal hyperpermeability (leaky gut), and commonly contributes to conditions like Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and candida overgrowth.
READ MORE ABOUT DIGESTION AND GUT HEALTH HERE.
Bottom line, when looking for acne treatments, it is essential to also look into gut health.
ACNE TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
get gut health assessed (make this your #1 priority)
support liver health - Week 2 of the Supplement Mastery Series covered liver health. READ MORE ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS TO SUPPORT LIVER HEALTH HERE.
eat more whole foods, and less processed foods
focus on the balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates at each meal (remember: carbohydrates increase the production of active testosterone) - HERE IS MY FAVORITE RESOURCE FOR BUILDING BALANCED MEALS
SUPPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACNE TREATMENT
Probiotic Supplements - If you’ve been prescribed antibiotics for acne treatment, it’s important to replenish your “good” bacteria. This can be done with potent probiotic supplements and probiotic foods. I’ve curated three products that provide a variety of probiotic strains, and recommend a 90-day rotation (30 days for each product).
Vitamin A (1) - Specifically in retinol form, vitamin A reduces sebum production, and overproduction of keratin.
Vitamin E + Selenium - known to regulate vitamin A levels.
Zinc - This mineral is deficient in most people, is important for wound healing and hormone regulation, and is an important factor for immune health and digestion. Zinc supplements should not be taken long-term.
Tea tree oil - Used topically, tea tree oil is a powerful antiseptic
SUPPLEMENTS FOR ECZEMA TREATMENT
ECZEMA
Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis(1) and affects up to 7% of the population. It is a miserable and frustrating condition that shows up in symptoms like:
chronically itchy, red skin
dry, scaly skin
scarring from scratching often results in darkened and hardened skin, commonly seen on wrists, knees, and elbows
decreased ability to hold moisture
higher tendency for bacterial infections due to the increased presence of bacteria on the skin
What’s interesting is that research shows that the antibody known as Immunoglobulin E, or IgE, is elevated in up to 80% of eczema cases. IgE is an antibody that primarily lives in mast cells (cells that line soft tissues of organs, including skin), and is responsible for allergic response.
That does not necessarily mean that allergies are the cause of eczema, but allergies certainly contribute to inflammation and immune response that will exacerbate eczema symptoms.
Other common contributors to high systemic inflammation and eczema, include:
food sensitivities (not to be confused with food allergies - CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT FOOD SENSITIVITIES)
unaddressed gut pathogens, such as parasites, candida overgrowth, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
tissue damage due to leaky gut
poor quality dietary fats - fatty acids are necessary for regulating inflammation. Inflammation is an important part of the immune system, but chronic inflammation causes problems. Some fats convert to anti-inflammatory factors (called prostaglandins), and some convert to pro-inflammatory factors. In a typical western diet, we consume far too many pro-inflammatory fats and not nearly enough anti-inflammatory. This is a common contributor to chronic inflammation in America.
While there are some specifics to consider in regard to eczema treatment, I would argue that the biggest underlying factor in any of the common causes of eczema that we will cover, is inflammation.
BOTTOM LINE: Reducing systemic inflammation will reduce eczema symptoms.
Let’s talk about how to do that.
How to Reduce Eczema Symptoms
address gut health - find a holistic functional practitioner who can determine the health of your digestion, gut flora, and find unwanted pathogens that need to be addressed.
get allergy-tested, and avoid allergens
address food sensitivities - not all food sensitivity tests are created equal. It’s important to find a practitioner who is trained in effective testing, but who can also work with you on reducing your reactivity to food sensitivities. I can help you with that here.
SUPPLEMENTS RECOMMENDATION FOR ECZEMA TREATMENT
Quality Omega 3 supplement - It’s not enough to only take a supplement, but it’s a start. Reducing your intake in processed foods, avoiding highly inflammatory oils like seed oils, and eating more foods like cold-water fish and grass-fed beef will go a long way in reducing inflammation. And just like all supplements, quality matters to your body’s ability to use the nutrients you’re supplementing. I will include a link to my favorite Omega 3 supplement below, but also HERE IS MY FAVORITE RESOURCE FOR REDUCING INFLAMMATORY FOODS IN YOUR DIET
High Potency Probiotics - similar to acne treatment, this recommendation is advisable after addressing your gut health but can help you improve eczema symptoms in the meantime.
Licorice Root Extract (glycyrrhiza glabra) - Licorice is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, and exhibits anti-allergic effects. It has long been used in Eastern medicine. Alternately, a topical preparation of licorice, commonly found in the form of glycyrrhetinic acid has been shown to offer relief for eczema symptoms as well. REMEMBER: Long-term use of licorice preparations will affect cortisol levels. It’s best not to use these products long-term.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR HIVES TREATMENT
HIVES (also known as urticaria)
Hives are primarily caused by an inflammatory response to an allergen. This could be a food allergy or environmental. If you are a chronic hives sufferer, chances are you have not yet identified the allergen causing the reaction, but also that systemic inflammation is occurring.
The treatment of hives involves both of these factors. The main difference between hives and eczema is causation vs. correlation. More simply put, hives are certainly caused by an allergic reaction, whereas with eczema, signs of allergic response are simply common with eczema symptoms.
Symptoms of hives are pretty simple to identify(1):
red, swollen welts on the skin that vary in size
larger, deeper manifestations of hives are known as angioedema and are considered more serious than urticaria
The three most common types of hives are:
dermographic - reaction caused by contact with an allergen. Dermographic hives are commonly associated with parasite infections, insect bites, hormone changes thyroid issues, and diabetes.
cholergenic - more commonly known as a “heat rash”, but can also be caused by emotional stress or overexercising.
cold - just as it sounds, this form of hives is caused by contact with cold objects, water, or air. Commonly accompanied by viral infection, parasite infection, insect bites, penicillin injections, stress, and dietary changes
Reading my previous notes on acne and eczema, you have probably guessed that this all points to…
YEP! Inflammation!
Because hives is indeed a manifestation of an allergic reaction, it is important to get tested for allergies. There is much controversy about the efficacy of allergy testing, but it is a good place to start. Although the gold standard for functional medicine practitioners is still the process of elimination.
HIVES TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
get evaluated for allergies, and avoid known allergens
get evaluated for gut pathogens - I can provide a simple questionnaire to help you determine what type of testing is needed. Just email me here.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR HIVES RELIEF
Vitamin C - known to reduce histamine levels by supporting the detoxification of histamines through the liver. Histamines are one of the main inflammatory reactors in an allergic response, and if detoxification and elimination pathways are not working well, histamines remain in the body and continue to stimulate inflammation.
Vitamin B12 (2) - Interestingly, nothing is known about why B12 improves hives symptoms, but research has shown that those who suffer chronically from hives are consistently deficient in B12, and that supplementation of B12 improves symptoms. Interestingly, many people who eat vegetarian diets are deficient in B12 due to how it is broken down in the body.
Quality Omega 3s - Just as we discussed in the eczema treatment recommendations, increasing anti-inflammatory agents such as omega 3 fatty acids, and reducing pro-inflammatory factors is important for reducing systemic inflammation.
Quercetin - inhibits both the manufacturing and release of histamines. In the form of isoquercetin, it is more easily absorbed.
Supplements for Psoriasis Treatment
PSORIASIS
Psoriasis affects a relatively small group of people (1), but for sufferers of psoriasis, there are options to improve psoriasis symptoms and avoid unnecessary medications.
Psoriasis is a condition characterized by an abundance of skin cells that have replicated too quickly, roughly one thousand times the rate of normal skin. But it’s important to remember that psoriasis is not a skin condition.
Although it is commonly thought of being a condition of the skin, it primarily affects the immune system, and thus is improved by addressing gut health and immune health.
Psoriasis symptoms often include:
red rash or plaque with clearly defined borders, covered by silvery scales
typically found on the scalp, wrists, elbows, knees, buttocks, and ankles
when found on fingernails or toenails, it can look like oil drops
There’s that gut-skin connection again!
PSORIASIS AND GUT HEALTH
The four main factors of gut health that play a role in psoriasis symptoms are:
protein digestion
toxic bowel
liver health
poor quality bile
PROTEIN DIGESTION and TOXIC BOWEL
We learned earlier that digestion works from North to South. When there is dysfunction on the north end (brain, mouth, stomach), we are sure to find consequences southward and systemically. This is true for protein digestion.
Simply put, the production of stomach acid is what triggers the release and production of specific enzymes that break down proteins (protease and pepsin). If stomach acid is not being produced in adequate amounts, this will result in incomplete protein digestion.
Incomplete protein digestion leads to an accumulation of amino acids and polypeptides in the large intestine, which produce toxic byproducts when metabolized by bowel bacteria. This increased toxic burden increases immune response and can aggravate psoriasis symptoms.
Common reasons for low stomach acid (hydrochloric acid):
zinc deficiency
not chewing adequately
eating while in sympathetic nervous response (fight or flight) - READ MORE ABOUT THAT HERE
chronic antacid consumption
LIVER HEALTH and BILE ACID QUALITY
The liver plays an important role in digestion and removal of toxins. For one, it is responsible for converting proteins into other needed nutrients, such as glucose. It also acts as a filter for unwanted pathogens and toxins.
Arguably one of the most important roles of the liver is bile production. Bile is a substance made in the liver from cholesterol, water, and bile salts, and is necessary for both the breakdown of fats and for the removal of toxins from the body.
Bile is produced by the liver and then stored in the gallbladder, which contracts and squeezes out a burst of bile when triggered. (For those of you who do not have a gallbladder, the bile, if good quality, constantly drips from the liver into the small intestine).
If bile is sludgy or thick, it cannot flow well, and thus cannot perform either of these tasks well. Even a healthy liver can produce poor-quality bile.
To improve psoriasis symptoms, we need to address digestion and liver health.
PSORIASIS TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
address digestion - individualized assessment for digestive health is preferable, but if you are up to the task of troubleshooting on your own, this tool will help.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR PSORIASIS SYMPTOMS
herbs/spices to block the activation of inflammatory cytokines: turmeric, red pepper, cumin, garlic, anise, fennel, cloves, ginger, and pomegranate
quality Omega 3s (see above discussion)
vitamin A - essential for skin health
zinc - supports healthy digestion and wound healing
chromium - many psoriasis patients show indications of insulin resistance - chromium increases insulin sensitivity
selenium and vitamin E - regulates vitamin A levels, and reduces glutathione peroxidase, a damaging free radical
vitamin D - regulates skin cell replication
pure aloe vera (topical) - aloe has been shown to relieve psoriasis symptoms
capsaicin (topical) - blocks pain by depleting the neurotransmitter known as substance P
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Supplement Mastery Series is nearly finished!
WANT MORE OF THIS SERIES?
WEEK 3 - Skin Care
Questions about skincare supplements and nutrients? Share them in the comments below!
REFERENCES
Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. (2012). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (3rd ed.). Atria Paperback.
Mete, N., Gulbahar, O., Aydin, A., Sin, A. Z., Kokuludag, A., & Sebik, F. (2004). Low B12 levels in chronic idiopathic urticaria. Journal of investigational allergology & clinical immunology, 14(4), 292–299.
