The Gut-Scalp Axis: A Systematic Review of Dietary Interventions on Microbiome Dysbiosis in Scalp Disorders
November 2025
in “
Journal of Pioneering Medical Science
”
probiotics prebiotics synbiotics postbiotics dietary supplements microbiome dysbiosis scalp microbiota alopecia areata androgenic alopecia dandruff Lactobacillus spp. Cutibacterium acnes Malassezia inflammatory mediators antioxidant defenses scalp inflammation oxidative stress gut microbiome hair density scalp health microbial balance
TLDR Dietary interventions improved hair density and reduced dandruff by balancing scalp microbiota and reducing inflammation.
This systematic review evaluated the impact of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, and dietary supplements on gut and scalp microbiota in individuals with scalp disorders like alopecia areata, androgenic alopecia, and dandruff. Analyzing 14 studies, the review found that interventions over 4-24 weeks led to significant improvements in hair density and dandruff severity, with p-values ranging from <0.05 to <0.0001. These clinical improvements were linked to reduced inflammatory mediators and increased antioxidant defenses, indicating decreased scalp inflammation and oxidative stress. Microbiome profiling showed increased Lactobacillus spp. and decreased Cutibacterium acnes and Malassezia, suggesting a normalization of microbial balance. Despite these promising results, the study's conclusions were limited by heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures.
