For decades, conventional medicine has been declaring there is no link between diet and acne. Yet the combined personal experience of millions of people and truly independent scientific studies today are finding out just the opposite – there is a significant connection between your skin’s health and the quality of your diet.

Does Milk Cause Acne?

Not the least of these connections is milk and other diary products to increased acne. For a variety of currently theoretical reasons, milk and dairy products have been found to be associated with an increase in acne amongst both teens and adults. And while the major acne factors – heredity, nationality, and socio-economic status – retain their significance, many people are finding they can greatly reduce acne by reducing or eliminating dairy.

How Milk and Dairy Cause Acne

There are currently several potential reasons for why milk and dairy might be associated with an increased acne risk. While current scientific studies have not been able to isolate these causes as definite, they are considered significant risk factors when observed alone in the body.

Insulin Resistance

The first factor by which milk and diary could increase acne is like eating too much sugar. Milk and especially other dairy products have recently been found to impact blood glucose levels after consumption in much the same way as sugar. Further studies have associated them with increased insulin resistance. Of course, the pancreas compensates by producing more insulin and thus the body’s chemical balance is tipped further in favor of acne.

(Milk Increases Insulin Resistance? – PCOS info)
(Acne Linked to Milk – AllCreatures.org)
(Milk Drinking associated with Insulin Resistance and the Metabolic Syndrome)

Hormones

The second factor believed associated with milk and dairy’s increased acne risk are the infamous group of hormones known as androgens. In addition to these, milk contains IGF (Insulin-like growth factor) and thanks to new FDA regulations more of BGH (Bovine Growth Hormone). Some of these hormones are found naturally in pregnant cow milk. Others are formed in our bodies as the byproducts, or added by cow growers (usually factory farming corporations) to enhance production and counter poor growing conditions.

The effects of these hormones includes increased sebum production, increasing skin cell regeneration while reducing apoptosis, reducing immune system function, and more.

(Dairy and Acne – Is there a Connection?)
(Got Milk? Got Acne?)
(Got Milk? Hope not..)
(Dairy Products and Acne Link Confirmed!)

Iodine

Our final theory in the link between dairy and acne is Iodine. This is a very common element in diary cow production. It is used to reduce infection by its introduction to cow feed, and to sanitize the cows’ udders and milking machinery.

Iodine acts as a constituent of thyroxin and triiodotyrosine in the body. These are hormones secreted by the thyroid gland which affect growth and metabolism. Through its interaction with the thyroid gland and resulting hormones, theoretically iodine can exert an effect on acne lesions.

(Does Iodine Cause Acne?)
(Iodine the Culprit in Acne from Milk Products?)
(Methods of Action for Iodine)

Allergies

As a possible contribution to the exasperation of acne, there is the fact that milk and dairy rank among the highest foods as possible allergens. These products are found in almost all of our modern processed diet, and can actually cause allergic reactions to other foods. Symptoms include wheezing, vomiting, hives, loose bowel movements, runny nose, and skin rash. Milk allergy actually involves the immune system, so this has further potential to contribute to skin surface conditions favorable to acne.

(Explanation of Milk Allergy)

While the reasons may still be theoretical, the link between milk, dairy, and acne has been made clear by the newest independent scientific research. Since modern dairy processing can so often be associated with other health risks, many people have found reducing or eliminating dairy for a period of several weeks worth trying.

The connection between diet and acne has been disputed for ages. Since at least the 1950’s, scientists have been testing various dietary ‘links’ associated with acne. Most of their studies focused on fatty foods – such as chocolate candy, potato chips, pizza, and others. The basic idea was that fatty, oily foods could somehow affect sebum production and thus exasperate acne. When these studies failed to demonstrate an increase in acne, however, health scientists were forced to conclude that diet was not a factor.

Does “You Are What You Eat” Apply to Acne?

More free from the limitations of corporate sponsored hypothesis, however, modern science has a very different story to tell. What we’re actually finding now are very strong links between diet and acne. Currently the most visible of these links is the connection between sugar and acne. By creating studies based on the glycemic index of food, scientists have found overwhelming data that a wide variety of foods (and even eating habits) can dramatically increase skin conditions leading to all types of acne.

How Does Sugar Cause Acne

Foods which have a high glycemic value, or poor eating habits which cause a spike in blood glucose levels, are now known to increase acne via multiple mechanisms.

Sugar Causes Inflammation

The first and foremost way sugar causes acne is through inflammation of skin (and body) tissues. Insulin inflames body tissues reachable by the circulation system. This usually happens in combination with a host of chemicals like C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Insulin-like Growth Factor ( IGF), and IGFBP which in response to insulin spikes after a meal. The inflammation causes oxidation and interruption of cellular based processes which would otherwise ‘clean up’ skin conditions leading to acne.

(Sugar and Acne Connection – iVillage)

Sugar Increases Sebum Production

In addition to inflammation, the hormonal changes which result from a blood sugar spike in your body contribute to higher sebum production in hair folicles. They also increase cellular aging (death and regeneration). All this extra material ends up clogged in the openings of your skin pores. This of course in combination with acne producing bacteria results in a lesion.

(How Blood Sugar Fluctuations Cause Acne)

Sugar Suppresses the Immune System

Which brings us to our third way sugar causes acne. The sweeping chemical changes brought by a blood glucose level spike can impact the function of our immune system. It is known that a single tablespoon of sugar can reduce the efficiency of your immune system for as long as 6 hours. This is the final blow to your skin. As long as your immune system is impaired, your defense to Propionibacterium Acnes bacteria is lowered. Its numbers proliferate on the surface of your skin, and in combination with increased sebum and inflammation start forming acne lesions days, even weeks before they actually appear.

(Sugar Depresses the Immune System)

Sugary Foods and Bad Eating Habits Cause Acne

As long as you are eating sugary junk foods or consuming meals in a rushed ‘all at once’ setting, the primary conditions which lead to acne will persist. The biggest deception of early acne studies was to lead millions of people to the believe that expensive, dangerous medications are necessary to eliminate acne. This is simply not the case – well balanced meals eaten in a relaxed setting multiple times a day can do more to cure acne safely than any treatment offered by modern medicine.