There is an emerging market for nutraceuticals to support the skin-gut axis, as researchers learn more about the unique role the gut microbiome plays in modulating and regulating skin health.
Probiotical has a published clinical study linking probiotics and prebiotics (synbiotic) with improvements in atopic dermatitis and eczema.
Probiotical is a company specialising in probiotic research and development, with almost 40 years experience in the field. It has a long history of producing science-backed probiotic and postbiotic strains for skin health, with the company’s oral probiotic blends used successfully by consumers suffering from common skin conditions such as acne and atopic dermatitis (AD/eczema)
While there is growing evidence supporting the connection between the skin and microbiomes, the role of the skin–gut axis in AD remains a subject of debate.
This is limiting the interventional use of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. Probiotical set out to expand the evidence base of their potential as a monotherapy for stable, mild cases of AD.
researchers observed that both itching (pruritus) and AD-related lesions exhibited significant clinical and statistical improvement
A team of independent researchers in Italy conducted this real-life, multicenter, retrospective observational study published in November using a finished product developed with three unique Probiotical bacteria strains — Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BS01, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP14, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR05 — along with FOS (prebiotic) and riboflavin. The synbiotic product was administered orally to 144 patients with mild atopic dermatitis, without a placebo control group.
Clinical assessments using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), and Three-Item Severity (TIS) score were conducted for 12 weeks.
Itching is a major and often debilitating symptom of AD. However, researchers observed that both itching (pruritus) and AD-related lesions (redness known as erythema, edema/papules, excoriation which is excessive picking or scratching) exhibited significant clinical and statistical improvement (p < 0.001) after 12 weeks of exclusive probiotic and prebiotic use.
The researchers noted: “These preliminary results suggest a potential link between the skin–gut microbiome and support the rationale for using specific probiotics and prebiotics in mild AD, even for maintenance, to reduce flares. This may be mediated in part by improvement in barrier function in the gut.”
Results of this study were published in the journal Medicina.
