Best Acne

Are Acne And Diet Related?

Acne is a skin condition that affects most of us, especially in the teenage. And at times it can even continue into adulthood. According to one estimate, more than ninety percent of the world's population is affected by this condition at one time or the other during the lifespan. There are many factors that may lead to acne including hormones, bacterial infection and at times it could even be genetic. One school of thought also proposed that diet is one of the causative factors, though this is still debated. The impact of diet on acne has been under investigation for a long time now and it has been shown that there is definitely some link between the two. Some studies have reported that consumption of refined carbohydrates (which are devoid of fiber) and sugar leads to an increase in insulin as well as insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 in the body. If this happens, it leads to an excess of androgens, the male hormones, in the body and this is directly linked to the formation of acne. Not convinced? Well, studies have shown that an increased secretion of male hormones in the body leads to an increase in the secretion of oil or sebum in the pores of the skin. The sebum is a greasy substance that blocks the pores of the skin and also is prone to bacterial infection that leads to acne formation. Apart from this, an increase in the quantity of androgens in human body causes the IGF-1 to get the keratinocytes (skin cells) to duplicate and multiply, thereby causing acne. Some researchers have found that restricting the intake of grains in your diet is beneficial for acne. Other human studies, which were conducted on the subjects from Papua New Guinea and hunters from Paraguay who were suffering from acne, reported that occurrence of acne depended on few environmental factors including diet.

Since the link between diet and acne has not been conclusively proven, it remains a hot topic of research in the medical fraternity. There are people who do not want to invest time and money behind it since it is not a potentially big market. Others claim that since it is difficult to sell a healthy diet to people, doctors and dermatologists knowingly propagate the concept that there is no link between diet and acne. The bottom-line for the common man is that till the time this link is conclusively proven or disproved, it is prudent to eat a healthy diet and at the same time focus on the other factors that lead to acne.