How Synbiotics Improved My Skin – Essence

“Probiotic” is a buzzword in the wellness space commonly used to market fermented foods––think: kombucha, kimchi, and yogurt. Brands often misuse the under-regulated term to sell their products solely because fermentation requires microbes, like living bacteria, to ferment the food. But, this is only half of the truth.

Prior to 2001, there were only 760 papers about probiotics. Now, research has conducted over 50,000 studies with “probiotic” in the title. The commercial market of probiotics is hitting a high, too, reaching nearly $60 billion dollars in 2023 and projected to reach over $100 billion by 2031. 

However, the actual definition of a probiotic defined by the UN/WHO expert panel is “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”

While “all diseases begin in the gut,” according to Hippocrates, eating only fermented foods does not mean you’re consuming gut-healthy probiotics. So, I turned my kombucha addiction into taking Seed’s DS-01® Daily Synbiotic. 

The gut is linked to conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, IBS, depression, and even cancer. It also controls the health of our skin through what is called the “gut-skin axis.”  While the skin microbiome isn’t as vast as the gut microbiome, its estimated trillions of microbial cells play a vital role in our skin’s defense against the environment, helping maintain homeostasis. 

From managing inflammation to skin type, texture, and adult acne, the daily synbiotic (containing both living probiotics and non-living prebiotics) has been the foundation of my diet for the past month. I ordered a 30-day supply of 60 capsules, which are arguably the most effective synbiotics on the market due to their double-capsule shell engineered to actually survive digestion and deliver potent strains to the colon.

Taking two capsules per day, I noticed gradual improvement in my skin’s health throughout the month. First of all, I had less breakouts. Relatedly, for the irregular pimples I did have, I experienced minimal inflammation which caused my hyperpigmentation to be less dark and easier to fade. I had a smoother texture and hydrated skin, even after frequent use of tretinoin and benzoyl peroxide, which helped regulate my oil production.

As a beauty writer refusing to use buzzy topical formations––like “probiotic” eye creams and skin serums––to replace the verified whole-body benefits of potent strains (DS-01® has 53.6 billion AFU), taking oral supplements has proven to heal my body from the inside out.