What’s the relationship between acne and your diet?
Do you avoid eating oily foods and chocolate because they trigger breakouts and make existing acne worse? There may be a connection, but probably not for the reason you think. Acne is one of the most common dermatological conditions, affecting millions of young adult worldwide Here’s how your acne may be associated with your diet:
Why does acne develop?
Acne develops when pores in the skin become clogged with dead skin cells, bacteria, or both. This clogging also occurs when the body produces too much sebum, an oil that keeps the skin from drying out. Clogged pores can lead to inflammation and cause pimples and other types of lesion to form.
During puberty, the body produces more of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Some studies suggest that IGF-1 may increase the production of sebum and worsen symptoms of acne.
Certain foods can also raise IGF-1 levels. Avoiding these foods may help improve symptoms of acne and help prevent breakouts.
What to avoid?
Dairy products and foods with a high glycemic index (GI) and a high glycemic load (GL) increase a person’s IGF-1 levels. Higher intake of high-fat, high-sugar foods are associated with a higher incidence of current acne. Here are examples of foods with high GIs:
- breads, especially white bread and bagels
- sweetened breakfast cereals, such as those with corn flakes, puffed rice, and bran flakes
- instant cereals, such as oatmeal and grits
- some fruits and vegetables, including melons, pineapples, pumpkins, and potatoes
- enriched pastas, such as rice-based pasta
- short grain white rice
- snack foods, such as pretzels, rice cakes, and popcorn
Processed foods and hormone-laden dairy products and meats, chocolate, french fries, and other junk foods are to be avoided.
Which foods might help to improve acne?
Foods that may combat or prevent acne are low-fat, whole (not processed) foods, fruits and vegetables which have antioxidants that are good for our skin. The other important nutrients to add to your diet to improve acne are:
- Vitamin A- It helps regulate the skin cycle, so no acne-causing protein and oil get trapped. Good food sources of vitamin A include fish oil, salmon, carrots, spinach, and broccoli. Too much vitamin A can lead to toxic side effects, however.
- Zinc- There is some evidence that people with acne have lower than normal levels of the mineral zinc. Zinc appears to help prevent acne by creating an environment inhospitable to the growth of P. acnes. It also helps calm skin irritated by breakouts. Zinc is found in turkey, almonds, Brazil nuts, and wheat germ.
- Vitamins E and C- The antioxidants vitamin E & C have a calming effect, boost collagen production on the skin and they are thought to work synergistically. Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, papaya. You can get vitamin E from sweet potatoes, nuts, olive oil, sunflower seeds, avocados, broccoli, and leafy green vegetables.
- Selenium- The mineral selenium has antioxidant properties that help protect skin from free radical damage. Food sources of selenium include wheat germ, tuna, salmon, garlic, Brazil nuts, eggs, and brown rice.
- Omega-3 fatty acids- Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as fish, soy products, spinach & kale, nuts, flaxseeds & mustard seeds may reduce inflammation and improve symptoms of acne.
While diet may play a role in causing your breakouts or worsening your acne, keeping your skin clear requires more than a diet change. Seeking guidance of you dermatologist and using anti-acne skin care and acne medication will help to prevent new breakouts.
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and treatments/acne/features/diet-and-skin
- https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/causes/diet
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/does-diet-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-adult-acne-2020081920726
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322639#putting-together-an-anti-acne-diet
