Ever feel like your body’s sounding the alarm over every little thing, itchy skin, blocked sinuses, or sudden food reactions?

It’s easy to blame the usual suspects, but the real troublemaker might be hiding in plain sight: your gut. Think of your gut as the command centre of your immune system. While quick fixes like antihistamines act like fire extinguishers (great for putting out flare-ups) they don’t address the smouldering embers underneath an overactive immune response that keep allergies simmering.

That’s where your gut bacteria come in. These tiny guardians help regulate immune responses, and when they’re out of balance, your body can become overly reactive to environmental allergens.

So before you resign yourself to bubble-wrapping your life to avoid allergies, let’s explore how your gut microbiome could be stirring up your eczema, food sensitivities, and hay fever, with solutions to help restore harmony.

Click here to skip through to our 5 top tips, or keep reading to learn what our in-house naturopath, Ruth, had to share on this topic:

Ruth: “Gut health plays a major role in how our immune system functions, especially when it comes to allergies. Research shows that the right balance of gut bacteria can help prevent allergic reactions by calming the immune response and strengthening the gut barrier. This is important to consider with allergy rates on the rise. Allergy experts predict rates could increase by 70% by 2050 in Australia".¹

So with that in mind, let’s explore the link between allergy and gut health.

Why Gut Bacteria and Allergies Go Hand in Hand

We’re constantly exposed to things like dust, pollen, and certain foods. It’s the immune system’s job to decide what’s safe and what’s not. But sometimes, it gets it wrong and overreacts, triggering allergies.²

Allergies happen when the immune system makes too much IgE, a “fighter” protein that triggers a flood of histamine. This causes inflammation and symptoms like sneezing, rashes or tummy troubles.³ IgE is behind common issues like eczema, hay fever, asthma, and food sensitivities.

So where does the gut come in?

Your gut bacteria work behind the scenes, helping to regulate the immune cells that release IgE in the first place. These are known as T-helper (Th) cells, and they help the body decide whether to react or stay calm.

Good bacteria within the gut microbiome send messages to these cells through "sensor" cells called dendritic cells. These messages then activate T-regulatory cells (Tregs)—the peacekeepers that help prevent immune overreactions.⁴⁻⁵

When your gut microbiome is out of balance, there is less 'immune peacekeeping' by Treg cells. This can lead to a shift in T-helper cells, which ramp up allergic responses (known as Th-2 cells).⁴⁻⁵

Put simply, when the gut becomes inflamed or imbalanced, it can stir up immune chaos and worsen allergies.⁶⁻¹⁰

The bottom line? Support your gut, and you support your immune system, potentially easing allergy symptoms. Now that you know how it works, let’s explore how gut health connects to different types of allergies.

Sensitive Skin and Eczema? Your Gut Might Be Whispering Clues

If your skin seems to react to everything, soaps, fabrics, and even the weather, you might be dealing with eczema or sensitive skin caused by immune overactivity. We’ve put together an article on 5 things that could be impacting eczema, with practical tips and solutions if eczema impacts you or someone you know.

But, in short, studies show that people with eczema often have different gut bacteria than those without.¹¹ It’s as if their gut microbiome is sending mixed signals to the immune system, prompting it to attack the skin unnecessarily, resulting in episodes of reactive skin.

What can you do about it: For adults with eczema, L-92™ postbiotics have been shown to reduce eczema severity by 22% in just 8 weeks. This strain is part of Ultra Flora Sensitive Skin, a combination of nutrients, postbiotics, and antioxidants for sensitive skin.¹⁴,¹⁵

Food Sensitivities: When Your Gut’s Security System Breaks Down

If you’ve ever felt like your gut’s gone rogue, reacting to dairy, wheat, or even healthy foods, that could be a sign your intestinal lining is under siege.

When inflammation from dysbiosis worsens, it can exposes your immune system within your gut to allergens that it wouldn't normally come into contact with, cueing immune reactivity.

The result? More inflammation, more sensitivity, and a frustrating cycle of bloating and discomfort.¹² To learn more about restoring the gut microbiome for immune regulation and digestive health, check out this article.

Hayfever and Gut Health: A Surprising Connection

If springtime feels like a sneeze-fest, your gut might be playing a bigger role than you think. With 70% of your immune system located in your digestive tract¹³, it’s no surprise that gut bacteria help train your immune cells to respond calmly to allergens like pollen and dust.

Certain strains of beneficial bacteria act like peacekeepers, teaching your immune system to control its response against hayfever triggers. For example, in adults with persistent hay fever, Lactobacillus paracasei LP-33® was shown to improve quality of life scores by 58%, compared to 49% with antihistamines alone.¹⁶ This probiotic strain is a key ingredient within Ultra Flora Immune Control.

How to Balance Your Gut Bacteria and Tame Allergy Symptoms

You don’t have to live in fear of your next flare-up. Here are four tips to support your gut and reduce symptoms linked to sensitive skin and hayfever.

1. Feed the Good Guys

Load up on fibre-rich, plant-based foods, leafy greens, beans, berries, and wholegrains, to nourish your beneficial bacteria. For more specific guidance on supporting a healthy gut microbiome, check out this article.

2. Cut the Gut Irritants

Limit sugar, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods that can fuel inflammation. Click here to learn more about gut repair and how to heal your gut according to gut health experts.

3. Take Targeted Probiotics

Choose strains backed by research for immune support and allergy relief. 

• For adults with eczema, L-92™ postbiotics in Ultra Flora Sensitive Skin have been shown to reduce eczema.¹⁴,¹⁵
• In adults with persistent hay fever, LP-33® within Ultra Flora Immune Control was shown to improve quality of life vs. antihistamines alone.¹⁶

4. Get Personalised Support

Work with a Healthcare practitioner to uncover the root causes of your allergies, especially if eczema or digestive symptoms won’t budge.

Your Gut Might Hold the Key to Allergy Relief

Allergies don’t just happen on the surface; they often begin deep in your gut. When your microbiome is out of balance, it can tip your immune system into overdrive, setting off a cascade of symptoms from itchy skin to hay fever and food reactions.

By nurturing your gut bacteria through diet, supplements, and personalised care from working with a Healthcare practitioner, you may be able to quiet the chaos and find lasting relief.

Thought for today: If your allergies are flaring, ask yourself: What’s happening in my gut right now?

References:

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3. Rooks MG, Garrett WS. Gut microbiota, metabolites and host immunity. Nature Reviews. Immunology. 2016 May 27;16(6):341.
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12. Morris G, Berk M, Carvalho AF, Caso JR, Sanz Y, Maes M. The role of microbiota and intestinal permeability in the pathophysiology of autoimmune and neuroimmune processes with an emphasis on inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes and chronic fatigue syndrome. Curr Pharm Des. 2016;22(40):6058-6075.
13. Poto R, Fusco W, Rinninella E, Cintoni M, et al. The Role of Gut Microbiota and Leaky Gut in the Pathogenesis of Food Allergy. Nutrients. 2023 Dec 27;16(1):92. doi: 10.3390/nu16010092. 
14. Yamamoto K,Yokoyama K, Matsukawa T, et al. Efficacy of prolonged ingestion of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 in adult patients with atopic dermatitis. J Dairy Sci. 2016;99(7):5039-5046. doi:10.3168/jds.2015-10605
15. Inoue Y, Kambara T, Murata N, et al. Effects of oral administration of Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 on the symptoms and serum cytokines of atopic dermatitis in Japanese adults: a double-blind, randomized, clinical trial. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2014;165(4):247-254. doi:10.1159/000369806
16. Costa DJ, Marteau P, Amouyal M, et al. Efficacy and safety of the probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei LP-33® in allergic rhinitis: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (GA2LEN Study). Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014;68(5):602-7. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2014.13