Postbiotics and Eczema: What Emerging Research Is Revealing
What research reveals about the complex connections behind eczema.
Many people are surprised to learn just how connected the gut and skin really are. Researchers are increasingly exploring the gut-skin axis, the ways in which the gut and its microbial ecosystem may influence skin health.
When it comes to eczema (atopic dermatitis), there is growing research on how the gut microbiome (the microbes in the digestive tract) and how it may affect skin, specifically through postbiotics, the beneficial byproducts of the gut microbiome.
In this blog post, you’ll learn:
The gut-eczema connection
What postbiotics are
How postbiotics might impact skin
Practical takeaways about postbiotics and the gut-skin axis
DISCLAIMER: THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS POST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AS MEDICAL ADVICE; IS NOT MEANT TO DIAGNOSE, PREVENT, TREAT, OR CURE ANY CONDITIONS OR DISEASE; AND IS MEANT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IN THIS POST DOES NOT REPLACE OR SUBSTITUTE THE ADVICE OF YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANY NEW TREATMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS OR BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH ME TODAY.
The gut-eczema connection + the gut biome
When exploring the relationship between the gut and eczema, specifically a common type of eczema called atopic dermatitis, researchers have linked atopic dermatitis to gut issues, like constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS):
Constipation and atopic dermatitis: Huang and co-authors reported in their 2021 paper that “constipated people had a 2.31-fold greater risk of [atopic dermatitis] compared with those without constipation”.
IBS and atopic dermatitis: İslamoğlu and co-authors in 2019 found that “IBS was more common in [atopic dermatitis] group.” They continued on to report that “findings like abnormal stool form, abdominal distension, feeling of incomplete evacuation, and straining were found more frequently in [atopic dermatitis] patients”.
Scientists have also explored how gut microbiome profiles compared between people with and without atopic dermatitis:
Nylund and co-authors’ paper published in 2015 found an inverse relationship between severity of atopic dermatitis and microbiome diversity. They also found an inverse relationship between severity and the abundance of bacteria that produce butyrate. Authors ultimately concluded that “high diversity of microbiota and high abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria were associated with milder eczema".
In 2021, Reddel and co-authors found a “reduction of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria (i.e., Bifidobacterium, Blautia, Coprococcus, Eubacterium and Propionibacterium)” in those with atopic dermatitis.
Studies published in 2016 by Zheng and co-authors and Song and co-authors found that higher abundance of the gut bacteria Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is associated to atopic dermatitis.
What are postbiotics?
In 2021, The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics defined postbiotics as a “preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host.”
Examples of postbiotics are listed in a 2022 paper by Thorakkattu and co-authors. From their paper, these are some of the postbiotics they list:
Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs): Authors describe SCFAs as “metabolites that are produced by intestinal bacteria through fermentation from plant polysaccharides". Some examples of SCFAs that they list in their article are: Acetate, propionate, and butyrate.
Exopolysaccharides (EPS): This class of postbiotics is described by authors as “branched, repeating units of sugars or sugar derivatives that are long-chain, high-molecular-weight polymers and are produced by mostly lactic acid bacteria”.
Enzymes: Thorakkattu and co-authors define this as “proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions”.
Vitamins: Thorakkattu and co-authors write that some gut bacteria may produce vitamins, like B-vitamins (B12, B2, B6, and B9) and Vitamin K.
There are more postbiotics listed in Thrakkattu and co-authors’ paper. For their full list of postbiotics and for a deeper understanding of them, read their article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9564201/
postbiotics and skin: What researchers found so far
Now that we know what postbiotics are, what have researchers found about postbiotics and eczema? Within the past decade, there has been published data with human subjects and animal models:
In 2015, Kim and co-authors found that lower levels of short chain fatty acids occurred before onset of eczema in human subjects.
Song and co-authors in their 2016 paper wrote, “patients with [atopic dermatitis] showed decreased levels of butyrate and propionate, which have anti-inflammatory effects”.
A study completed in 2022 by Trompette and co-authors investigated the effect of gut-derived short chain fatty acids in animal models with eczema-like inflammation. Researchers found that “butyrate enhances skin barrier function at baseline but also strengthens it following repeated allergen exposure”.
Another study completed in animal models with eczema-like skin inflammation published in 2025 by Ye and co-authors explored postbiotics. They found that “Acetate supplementation in [atopic dermatitis] mice significantly ameliorated 2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-induced dermatitis, as evidenced by reduced skin lesion severity, lower dermatitis scores, and decreased epidermal thickening”.
Given the data, it appears that the studies explore short chain fatty acids as the main postbiotic. While the research is promising, it should be asserted that the science investigating postbiotics and eczema is still emerging.
Since the science is still emerging, there are limitations in the studies listed above, like human subject sample size and the use of animal subjects. These limitations make it challenging to draw firm conclusions.
Takeaways
While it’s still early to draw firm conclusions, emerging research about postbiotics and atopic dermatitis give us new ways to think about the gut-skin axis. Here is a brief summary of what we talked about in this blog when it comes to the findings about the gut, atopic dermatitis, and postbiotics:
Gut issues and eczema: Researchers found a link between eczema and gut issues, like constipation and IBS.
Gut bacteria and eczema: Published data in 2021, 2015, 2016, and again in 2016 discovered that gut bacteria imbalance is connected to eczema.
Postbiotics and eczema: Human studies found that lower levels of postbiotics occurred before onset of eczema and that people with eczema had lower levels of postbiotics, like short chain fatty acids. Researchers in 2022 and 2025 found that short chain fatty acids supported skin barrier resilience in animal models with eczema-like skin inflammation.
When it comes to viewing eczema holistically, it involves much more than simply focusing on the gut. A holistic perspective considers how a person’s overall health may be influencing their skin. Beyond the gut-skin axis, researchers have noted that genetics and environmental exposures could play important roles in eczema.
A 2021 article published in The New England Journal of Medicine by Ständer expands on this by identifying additional underlying contributors such as:
Skin barrier dysfunction
Immune dysregulation
Microbial dysbiosis.
Ständer’s 2021 article also lists stress, sweating, woolen clothing, and skin allergens as triggering factors. Because many factors may influence eczema, it’s important to view eczema from a wider, more holistic perspective. Taking this broader view allows for a more thoughtful and individualized approach that explores the potential root influences behind someone’s skin concerns. Understanding eczema in this way invites a broader perspective on how the body’s systems communicate and contribute to overall skin balance.
If you’re feeling called to explore this path for your skin, consider working with a licensed provider who understands both the science and the deeper factors behind eczema. If you’re located in Los Angeles, you can find me at The Things We Do in Downtown Los Angeles.
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