Bacteria and Eczema

Eczema is an Immune System Disorder (atopy), and 75% of your immune system is found in your gastrointestinal tract where 3 to 4 pounds of bacteria should naturally and normally reside.

From The American Academy of Dermatology's EczemaNet:

"Preliminary studies indicate that probiotics may benefit children with atopic dermatitis."

NOTICE FOR INFANTS: The normal good intestinal bacteria that reside in healthy infants is not the same as the normal good healthy bacteria that reside in adults.  Babies can't handle all good bacteria until they are 4 years of age, because other good bacteria colonies don't normally take up residence until later on in life.  Babies are fragile in this way.  The only good bacteria that normally inhabits infants is Bifidobacterium infantis found in a product called LifeStart sold by Natren.

Now with that understood, see how good bacteria ("probiotics") which are supposed to normally inhabit our gastrointestinal tracts benefit people with eczema and even help prevent eczema in your unborn children. 

 1.  Eczema.  A Healthy Breakthrough by Alexander Angelov, M.D.
 2.  Probiotics for Baby Eczema from Dr. Greene
 3.  The Beneficial Bacteria and Eczema Connection The Lancet
 4.  Prebiotic Reduces Eczema in Infants, Healthy Day News
 5.  Probiotics Cut Atopic Eczema in Infants by Half Skin & Allergy News
 6.  Eating to Cure Your Eczema, Christine Climer
 7.  Eczema Patients Lack Natural Antibiotic Web MD
 8.  Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization in Patients with Atopic Eczema National Institute of Health
 9.  Probiotics Protect Against Childhood Eczema: 4-year Follow-up.(Clinical Rounds) Pediatric News
10. Probiotics help infants who have eczema, cow's milk allergy: lactobacillus and bifidobacterium Skin & Allergy
11. Probiotics may ameliorate milk allergy eczema: lactobacillus and bifidobacterium.(Clinical Rounds) Pediatric News
12. Probiotics' Benefits in Eczema Affirmed Nutraceuticals International
13. Probiotics Could Reduce Asthma and Eczema in Children.Chemist & Druggist
14. Probiotics Reduced Atopic Eczema Family Practice News
15. Probiotics in the Management of Atopic Eczema. Alternative Medicine Review

Internal Bacteria

Have you heard about the friendly bacteria in yogurt?  Lactobacillus acidophilus--which also has anti-fungal properties--is one for example.   There are trillions in each person, divided into over four hundred species, most of them living in the digestive tract.  Good bacteria help detoxify and protect our bodies, aid in the production of vitamins, enzymes and have antimicrobial effects among other benefits.   When the "good guys" are overpowered by the "bad guys", problems like acne, pasty complexion, allergies, bad breath, hair loss, fatigue, auto immune illnesses, depression, heartburn, PMS, digestive disturbances, bloating, intolerances, rheumatoid arthritis and certain nerve disorders can arise. Antibiotics kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria, but probiotics (good bacteria) keep the harmful bacteria in check while at the same time producing natural antibiotics.  Good bacteria will also plug up the holes of leaky gut.

International Food Information Council has an extensive article on good bacteria, The Bacteria Museum  will teach you how to make food with good bacteria, and see these two great sites as well:    Body Ecology Diet and Rejuvenative Foods.

Food Sources of Probiotics

Food Sources of Prebiotics

External Bacteria (see our product Repcillin)

The acid mantle is a protective film formed by the skin. It inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms on the skin’s surface.   Thus, it is very important to have proper pH on the skin, and you can read more about that in the "Acid Mantle Web Page."  It has bee noted that people with eczema have too much staphylococcus aureus on their skin, but garlic and salt (FSTR) and honey according to the NIH and the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (especially Manuka honey), and sunflower oil, silver clothing and olive leaf extract are some effective treatments against staphylococcus.  Note:  vinegar is only slightly effective.

Bacterial and fungal infections can cause some forms of eczema.  With this in mind, inflammation is a process which fights infection.  So, steroids (which are anti-inflammatory) may worsen the skin condition if it is caused by bacteria or fungus.  (See also "The Fungus Web Page.")   Neomycin Warning:  Please note the antibiotic ointment allergy web page.

[Staphylococcus aureus and atopic eczema]

[Article in German]

Universitats-Hautklinik Hamburg.

The bacterial skin flora of patients with atopic eczema is different from that in healthy normal persons. In addition, such patients more often suffer from microbial infections. Differences in sebum and sweat secretion and increased bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells in atopic eczema may predispose to enhanced amounts of Staphylococcus aureus, for example, on the skin. Defective host-defence mechanisms with dysfunction of cellular and humoral immune reactions have been suggested. On the other hand, bacterial antigens may induce allergic reactions, e.g. increased IgE synthesis and enhanced expression of the low-affinity receptor for IgE (CD23, Fc epsilon RII), and the release of inflammatory mediators such as leukotrienes and histamine. The production of bacterial toxins might be important for the pathophysiology of atopic eczema. This paper summarizes the present data and tries to integrate them into a model for the induction of atopic eczema.

PMID: 8463093 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Since people with eczema have trouble breaking down fats, if you are going to supplement, it may be best to start out with a powder as opposed to probiotics that are encapsulated in oil (unless you are taking a lipase enzyme to help digest fat so you can get the benefit of the probiotic that is encapsulated within the oil).