Prospective Placebo-Controlled Assessment of Spore-Based Probiotic Supplementation on Sebum Production, Skin Barrier Function, and Acne

This study investigated the effects of oral spore-based probiotic ingestion on the gut microbiome, plasma short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and skin biophysical properties. A single-blinded, 8-week study (NCT03605108) with 25 participants (7 with noncystic acne) involved a 4-week placebo phase followed by 4 weeks of probiotic supplementation. Probiotic supplementation showed a decreasing trend in facial sebum excretion rate and increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Acne participants showed improvements in lesion counts and gut permeability markers. The gut microbiome of non-acne participants showed increased Akkermansia, while acne participants showed increased Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcus gnavus. The study suggests preliminary evidence for spore-based probiotic supplementation to modify the gut microbiome and SCFAs in individuals with and without acne, warranting further research.

Iryna Rybak, Kelly N Haas, Simran K Dhaliwal, Waqas A Burney, Aunna Pourang, Simran S Sandhu, Jessica Maloh, John W Newman, Robert Crawford, Raja K Sivamani