Diet and Acne

Between 80 and 90% of all adolescents get acne. So do many adults. Does diet have anything to do with it?

Immigration studies show that acne increases when a population shifts to a more Westernized diet. What's the cause? A 2009 review of scientific literature showed that dairy products and high-glycemic-index foods (like simple carbohydrates) may be to blame. There's also evidence that omega-6 fatty acids play a role in acne.

When I was a teenager, we thought that eating chocolate caused acne. But there's no scientific evidence to back that up. Salt doesn't seem to play a role either.

Dairy Foods

Researchers think that hormones in cow's milk play a role in acne. Skim milk showed the strongest association with the frequency and severity of acne in teenage girls, leading scientists to believe that hormones and not milk fat are to blame.

High-Glycemic-Index Foods

The glycemic index measures how fast and how far blood glucose rises after eating foods containing carbohydrates. Foods that are absorbed more slowly after ingestion (like whole-grain, complex carbohydrates) cause a slower rise in blood glucose levels and have a low glycemic index. Other foods – like those containing lots of sugar and simple starch (like white bread, cookies and cake), are digested quicker, causing blood sugar to rise faster. As blood sugar levels rise, the body secretes insulin to help metabolize it. In a number of studies, people given a low-glycemic-index diet showed an improvement in their acne. Scientists believe that insulin and hormones are involved.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Acne, depending on the type, may or may not involve inflammation. Although no large studies have been done, it's believed that high levels of dietary omega-6 fatty acids, which produce inflammation, may be associated with acne. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory, may decrease the incidence and severity of acne.

What Can You Do?

Severe acne should be treated by a dermatologist. If you'd like to try dietary measures to reduce the frequency or severity of acne, here's what you can do:

1. Go "dairy-free" for at least several weeks to see if there's an improvement. Be sure you get enough calcium from alternative sources, like fortified soy milk, almond milk or orange juice, canned salmon and sardines, leafy greens, tofu, or a vitamin supplement.

2. Choose foods with a low-glycemic index, like whole grains, legumes, nuts and vegetables.

3. Stick with fats that are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, like olive and canola oil. Eat plenty of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon and sardines. Ground flax seeds and walnuts are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Reduce your intake of corn, soybean, safflower and sunflower oil, which are all high in omega-6 fatty acids.

4. Limit your intake of processed foods, which tend to be high in simple carbohydrates as well as unhealthy fats.

If acne is a problem, these relatively easy-to-do dietary measures just may make a difference. It's worth a try!