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.