Do Probiotics Help Acne?
Do probiotics help acne?
Some benefit at 12 weeks in pooled trials; products and strains differ
Partly. A 2025 meta-analysis of nine randomised trials found that oral probiotics reduced acne severity and lesion counts at 12 weeks compared with control, with no major side effects reported. The studies used different products, so we cannot name one that works.
What the meta-analysis found
It covered nine randomised trials with 623 patients, seven of them in the pooled analysis. After four weeks the differences were slight. At 12 weeks, probiotics reduced severity grading and total, inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts, and improved skin hydration and sebum content. The confidence intervals were wide, so the size of the benefit is uncertain.
The wider review
A 2023 systematic review of oral nutraceuticals for acne also listed probiotics, with vitamins B5 and D, green tea and omega-3 fatty acids, as showing potential benefit, and noted that many studies were small.
Limits
Trials used different strains and products, so the result does not point to a particular one. Probiotics are an add-on to treatment, not a replacement. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement.
What trials found about supplements
This reports study results only. It does not suggest taking anything or an amount, because the right choice depends on you. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist first, especially if you are pregnant or take other medicines.
Oral probiotics
Some evidenceReduced acne severity and lesion counts at 12 weeks in a meta-analysis of nine randomised trials, with no major side effects reported but wide uncertainty and mixed products.
Questions people ask
The meta-analysis pooled different products, so it cannot say. For eczema, a separate meta-analysis found effects depended on the strain.
Research
Selected studies and reviews on do probiotics help acne?. Each link opens the abstract on PubMed. This is background reading, not a substitute for advice from a dermatologist.
- Efficacy of oral probiotics in patients with acne: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Lin HW, Tam KW, Huang YC Clin Exp Dermatol, 2025 · PMID 40832719Note: Meta-analysis of 9 randomised trials.
- Safety and Effectiveness of Oral Nutraceuticals for Treating Acne: A Systematic Review.Shields A et al. JAMA Dermatol, 2023 · PMID 37878272Note: Systematic review of oral nutraceuticals for acne.
- Effects of probiotic supplementation in adult with atopic dermatitis: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Husein-ElAhmed H, Steinhoff M Clin Exp Dermatol, 2023 · PMID 37706436Note: Meta-analysis in adults with atopic dermatitis.
General information, not dietary or medical advice. These guides describe what studies found and how strong the evidence is. Talk to a doctor or dietitian if you have a condition, are pregnant or are changing your diet or supplements.