Can An Unhealthy Gut Cause Unhealthy Skin?

by Eric Bakker N.D.

It’s not uncommon for symptoms of digestive enzymes deficiency to start gradually. Maybe it comes with bloating and gas, or some constipation and diarrhea. At some point other symptoms may join the fray and people find themselves seeking assistance from their doctor. By then, the symptoms have been present for a long time and doctors often prescribe medications. But, in many cases, the drugs only suppress symptoms. The underlying cause remains active, and more symptoms surface, which can come along with more medication. It’s a vicious cycle.

If you have a digestive enzyme deficiency and it continues without correction, a lot more problems can surface. This is particularly true if you aren’t eating a healthy diet and have a stressful lifestyle. It’s estimated that up to 60% of people with a digestive enzyme deficiency end up with small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). About half the people I see with an enzyme deficiency also have Candida overgrowth in their gut. They may also have problems with other yeast, such as trichosporon.

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You may notice that there are certain foods you can’t eat without getting a reaction. It could be parsnip, pumpkin, baked potato, avocado, or any one of several foods that have been a part of your diet for years. You find yourself getting bloating, gas, crampy abdominal pain, and greasy, foul-smelling stool after eating. These are all symptoms of pancreatic insufficiency and digestive enzyme deficiency.

A lack of digestive enzymes can eventually result in a leaky gut as well as immune-mediated reactions to certain foods. These immune-mediated responses are often mounted against proteins as they are broken down into amino acids. The result can be itchy skin, eczema, dandruff, and a variety of other problems with the skin.

Over half of psoriasis cases are triggered by a yeast infection. Lots of people with dermatitis and eczema have had campylobacter or food poisoning. Many people get skin problems from antibiotics because this class of drugs does so much damage to the gut. Antibiotics can increase intestinal permeability, trigger antigen/antibody response, and decimate the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Skin problems are just one of the results of the damage done by antibiotics.

If you’ve got a skin problem, go see your naturopathic physician or integrated medical doctor, and get a comprehensive stool test done. You’ll be stunned to find it could well be different yeasts or SIBO-related bacteria that are causing your skin issues. Once these gut problems are cleared up, the skin problem often disappears.

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About Eric Bakker N.D.

Eric Bakker ND has completed almost ten years of study and has almost almost 25 years of clinical experience in natural and integrative forms of medicine, and has pursued continuous post-graduate study in Australia, America, India as well as in New Zealand.

Eric is the past Vice President of the NZ Natural Medicine Association and is currently on their editorial advisory board.