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Cheyanne Mallas

Cheyanne Mallas PA Health Tips – The Relationship Between Diet & Acne

Updated: May 29, 2023

In many cases, acne is clearly associated with a diet high in refined carbohydrates, dairy, and the wrong type of fats. While acne is related to the metabolism of testosterone, there is another cofactor that is extremely sensitive to diet. This hormone, IGF-1, is the major growth hormone of puberty and is one of the key reasons why acne affects teenagers.


Check this out A high sugar intake is one of the strongest dietary links to acne. A high intake of sugar influences IGF-1 and testosterone metabolism in the skin which promotes excessive sebum production and acne. It clearly worsens the severity of acne based upon both experimental and clinical studies. Milk and other dairy products are also a significant problem for many acne sufferers. In addition to detrimental fats, dairy products contain hormones that can impact sebum production, as well as promotes an increase in IGF-1. Here is my take: anything that leads to a transient increase in skin sugar levels can worsen acne. This obviously includes ingesting a high sugar beverage or meal, but can also include the effects of stress (cortisol), deficiency of nutrients necessary for proper utilization of insulin and glucose, and other factors that adversely affect blood sugar control (e.g., abdominal obesity). In addition to eliminating sugar and dairy, another key factor that I have found to be important is to eliminate foods high in iodized salt. The reason is that many acne sufferers are extremely sensitive to too much iodine – and that can lead to acne lesions. I also recommend eliminating fried foods and foods containing trans-fatty acids. These fats increase inflammation in sebaceous glands. In regard to nutrients required in acne, zinc is absolutely critical and has been shown to produce fantastic results in many cases in double-blind studies. High-chromium yeast is known to improve glucose tolerance and enhance insulin sensitivity and has been reported in an uncontrolled study to induce rapid improvement in patients with acne. Other forms of chromium may offer similar benefits.


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