Clinical Applications of Probiotics in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) remains challenging to manage due to its chronic inflammatory nature, often requiring long-term treatment approaches. While current therapies provide relief for many patients, they can sometimes cause unwanted side effects. This has led to a growing interest in complementary treatment options. Probiotics have gained increasing attention due to their potential to modulate the gut-skin axis, restore microbial balance, and regulate immune responses. Recent clinical trials suggest probiotics may alleviate AD symptoms by correcting gut microbiota dysbiosis and enhancing immunoregulation. However, the efficacy of probiotics is influenced by several factors, including strain specificity, timing and duration of administration, and dosage. Although promising, current evidence remains insufficient to recommend probiotics as standard treatment for AD. Significant variability in clinical study designs and outcomes highlights the need for more robust, well-controlled clinical trials. This review explores the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of AD, focusing on the role of microbiota and immune dysfunction, and reviews recent probiotic interventions. It further emphasizes the need to identify specific bacterial strains and optimize probiotic formulations for therapeutic use. Understanding of the roles of gut microbiota in AD pathogenesis could pave the way for developing effective probiotic therapies as part of an integrated management strategy for AD.