Dairy and Acne connection
Options
AimeeZingLife
Posts: 47 Member
Recently on one of my post someone responded with saying my doctor says, "Dairy has nothing to do with my acne!" That's controversial among doctors. As a nurse I know that some doctors are more old school then others. I myself have watched doctors in the hospital do things the way they were taught 30 years ago that are no longer practices. I myself had a doctor show me how to do a nursing procedure one day the way we no longer do it due to infection risk. I've also worked in hospitals where research isn't done, so there isn't evolving practices the way there are in teaching hospitals. Here is an article I found with connecting dairy and acne. I have also found a resource within the Mayo Clinic with this same link. Enjoy and add me on MFP.
Article:
We've heard it over and over again: your diet does not cause acne. However, there are a handful of doctors who believe that what we eat may indeed affect our skin. And they're not pointing fingers at chocolate and potato chips, but instead at milk. That's right -- the wholesome drink that we've always considered healthy is at the center of an acne controversy.
Researchers claim to have found a correlation between milk intake and the incidence of acne. It seems milk drinkers develop more severe acne than non-milk drinkers. One study, published in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, looked at the diets of teenaged boys. The young men who drank the most milk also tended to have the worst acne.
This supports the results of previous studies, during which teenage girls were asked to keep food diaries and monitor breakout activity. Again, girls whose diets were rich in dairy products had more severe acne than the rest.
Of all dairy products, milk was the worst offender. Chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and sherbet also had a negative effect on the skin. But other dairy products didn't seem to cause breakouts.
Interestingly, skim milk induced breakouts more often than whole milk, so it seems fat content in milk isn't the culprit. And those who took vitamin D supplements didn't have more breakouts, so vitamin D isn't thought to be the cause either.
Fatty foods also didn't trigger breakouts. And the foods that many people associate with causing acne -- chocolate, pizza, soda, and French fries -- didn't seem to increase breakout activity at all.
Why would certain dairy products contribute to acne? Some think it's the hormones found in milk. Milk contains androgen hormones, which have long been associated with the formation of acne breakouts.
Testosterone is an androgen hormone, and it is strongly linked to acne development. It's most often thought of as a male hormone, but women produce testosterone too, although in lesser amounts.
Testosterone, through a complicated chain reaction, creates di-hydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT stimulates the sebaceous glands, creating an oilier skin that is more prone to pore blockages and, ultimately, pimples. Milk naturally is filled with hormones, including DHT. It's possible that milk contains enough hormones to have an effect on the body, including the skin. People who are genetically predisposed to acne breakouts may have a stronger reaction to the hormones in milk, according to some researchers.
Many dairy farmers also give their cows additional hormones to stimulate milk production and enable the cow to produce more milk. As a result, most milk is very high in IGF-1. IGF-1 is a growth factor that peaks in the human body during adolescence, when acne is usually at it's worst. It is believed that IGF-1, along with testosterone and DHT, trigger acne breakouts.
In two previous studies, high milk consumption was linked to high IGF-1 levels. Again, skim milk was associated with higher IGF-1 levels than whole milk.
The processing of skim milk may explain why it is linked to acne severity more often than whole milk. Whey proteins are added to give skim milk a creamier consistency. Some speculate that these proteins impact acne development.
Of course, not everyone who drinks a lot of milk breaks out in pimples, and many disagree with these findings. The Dairy Council counters that the results are skewed, citing the fact that in one study, adult women were asked about their dairy intake during the years after they left high school.
And many medical professionals are wary of the conclusions being drawn, because they don't take into account other factors that may influence acne severity. They're also quick to point out that the studies don't link milk to acne development -- they only establish a correlation between milk consumption and acne severity.
The biggest problem for researchers is proving their controversial theory. There is no way to do a double-blind, randomized controlled trial (considered the gold standard in research), because there is nothing that can be used as an adequate placebo for milk.
But some doctors are taking a new view of how diet affects the skin, and this no-dairy philosophy has its believers. Some dermatologists say they have had some success in having their patients cut milk and dairy from their diets.
There is still no hard evidence proving milk consumption causes, or worsens, acne. Much more research is needed before this theory can be proven. However, decreasing milk intake may be helpful, especially for those whose acne isn't responding well to more conventional treatments.
In the meantime, you can stick to the advice that doctors have given for years: avoid any foods that seem to worsen your breakouts whether that be pizza, chocolate, oranges, or dairy products.
Article:
We've heard it over and over again: your diet does not cause acne. However, there are a handful of doctors who believe that what we eat may indeed affect our skin. And they're not pointing fingers at chocolate and potato chips, but instead at milk. That's right -- the wholesome drink that we've always considered healthy is at the center of an acne controversy.
Researchers claim to have found a correlation between milk intake and the incidence of acne. It seems milk drinkers develop more severe acne than non-milk drinkers. One study, published in the May 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, looked at the diets of teenaged boys. The young men who drank the most milk also tended to have the worst acne.
This supports the results of previous studies, during which teenage girls were asked to keep food diaries and monitor breakout activity. Again, girls whose diets were rich in dairy products had more severe acne than the rest.
Of all dairy products, milk was the worst offender. Chocolate milk, cottage cheese, and sherbet also had a negative effect on the skin. But other dairy products didn't seem to cause breakouts.
Interestingly, skim milk induced breakouts more often than whole milk, so it seems fat content in milk isn't the culprit. And those who took vitamin D supplements didn't have more breakouts, so vitamin D isn't thought to be the cause either.
Fatty foods also didn't trigger breakouts. And the foods that many people associate with causing acne -- chocolate, pizza, soda, and French fries -- didn't seem to increase breakout activity at all.
Why would certain dairy products contribute to acne? Some think it's the hormones found in milk. Milk contains androgen hormones, which have long been associated with the formation of acne breakouts.
Testosterone is an androgen hormone, and it is strongly linked to acne development. It's most often thought of as a male hormone, but women produce testosterone too, although in lesser amounts.
Testosterone, through a complicated chain reaction, creates di-hydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT stimulates the sebaceous glands, creating an oilier skin that is more prone to pore blockages and, ultimately, pimples. Milk naturally is filled with hormones, including DHT. It's possible that milk contains enough hormones to have an effect on the body, including the skin. People who are genetically predisposed to acne breakouts may have a stronger reaction to the hormones in milk, according to some researchers.
Many dairy farmers also give their cows additional hormones to stimulate milk production and enable the cow to produce more milk. As a result, most milk is very high in IGF-1. IGF-1 is a growth factor that peaks in the human body during adolescence, when acne is usually at it's worst. It is believed that IGF-1, along with testosterone and DHT, trigger acne breakouts.
In two previous studies, high milk consumption was linked to high IGF-1 levels. Again, skim milk was associated with higher IGF-1 levels than whole milk.
The processing of skim milk may explain why it is linked to acne severity more often than whole milk. Whey proteins are added to give skim milk a creamier consistency. Some speculate that these proteins impact acne development.
Of course, not everyone who drinks a lot of milk breaks out in pimples, and many disagree with these findings. The Dairy Council counters that the results are skewed, citing the fact that in one study, adult women were asked about their dairy intake during the years after they left high school.
And many medical professionals are wary of the conclusions being drawn, because they don't take into account other factors that may influence acne severity. They're also quick to point out that the studies don't link milk to acne development -- they only establish a correlation between milk consumption and acne severity.
The biggest problem for researchers is proving their controversial theory. There is no way to do a double-blind, randomized controlled trial (considered the gold standard in research), because there is nothing that can be used as an adequate placebo for milk.
But some doctors are taking a new view of how diet affects the skin, and this no-dairy philosophy has its believers. Some dermatologists say they have had some success in having their patients cut milk and dairy from their diets.
There is still no hard evidence proving milk consumption causes, or worsens, acne. Much more research is needed before this theory can be proven. However, decreasing milk intake may be helpful, especially for those whose acne isn't responding well to more conventional treatments.
In the meantime, you can stick to the advice that doctors have given for years: avoid any foods that seem to worsen your breakouts whether that be pizza, chocolate, oranges, or dairy products.
0
Replies
-
At least you're consistent. Of your 34 posts every one has been a cut and paste from another website and you have yet to ever try to defend any of the propaganda that you spread.
Have you ever had an original thought in your life? Don't bother answering, it was a rhetorical question as I don't really care.......0 -
I used to suffer from really bad acne, and during that time I had a spell of about a month being dairy free as I was breastfeeding my son and we suspected he was allergic to dairy. There was absolutely zero improvement in my skin in that time. At the start of this year I began using Benzoyl Peroxide and rarely get spots now. (I used to get 30+ new ones a day). Anyone reading this that is suffering, just get yourself some BP!0
-
So if milk elicits all the negative side effects from the hormones it contains, why don't people see the positive effects of the hormones, i.e. testosterone. Why aren't guys getting huge while drinking milk every day like guys do when they take testosterone?0
-
At least you're consistent. Of your 34 posts every one has been a cut and paste from another website and you have yet to ever try to defend any of the propaganda that you spread.
This is a vast improvement from her past posts, in my opinion. The article she posted is pretty accurate. It says the studies are skewed, the claims are only from a handful of doctors, and that correlation does not imply causation. I would not call that propaganda. Mayo Clinic is a good source of information, too. Props to the OP for putting a decent article out there.0 -
I had very bad acne in my teens and it lightened up a bit when I got older but I always had a flurry of small pimples on my cheeks. I quit dairy, in addition to meat, eggs, ect. And my skin looks much better. When I was transitioning, if I ate dairy, like pizza, my face would flare up. I don't even use acne wash anymore. Then again, I also have bad sinus issues due to dairy so I'm not sure if the improvement of my skin is from not ingesting something I was allergic to, or if it's from the hormones that were in dairy that I am no longer ingesting.0
-
I can only speak for me .... When I drink cow milk I break out in a bad way !!0
-
I had chronic cystic acne as a teen and underwent every form of treatment, from antibiotics to laser treatment to the contraceptive pill to expensive creams galore to roacutane to benzol peroxide...etc.
The only thing that worked for me was limiting dairy! When I cut it completely, I get NO spots. Not a single one. When I reintroduce it (especially dairy high in lactose) I EXPLODE with pimples.
I used to drink about two pints of milk as a teen, plus ate lots of chocolate etc.
Now I drink dairy substitutes & eat DARK chocolate.
Skin is pretty much perfect.
:happy: 0 -
BUMP0
-
Guess I'm lucky then... I eat dairy and don't have any issues with acne.0
-
At least you're consistent. Of your 34 posts every one has been a cut and paste from another website and you have yet to ever try to defend any of the propaganda that you spread.
Have you ever had an original thought in your life? Don't bother answering, it was a rhetorical question as I don't really care.......
guilty LOL at this0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.8K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 396 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 967 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions