Is there a link between diet and acne?

The link between diet and acne has been empirically demonstrated by many people. There are those who are covered with pimples when exaggerating with chocolate, those who notice a link between acne and fatty foods such as fried food, and those who consider the hated boils the inevitable "vent" of a recent indigestion.

Despite this, scientific research has repeatedly underlined the absence of evident relationships between diet and acne since the 1960s.
Those who practice holistic medicine, on the other hand, have always sup[ported the idea that toxins, stress and bad food contribute significantly to the eruption. Examining the scientific literature of the last few years, however, we realize that even according to some academic studies there is a link between acne and diet.

Foods to Avoid

The most accredited research on the subject shows that a diet rich in foods with a high glycemic index can promote the appearance of acne.

High Glycemic Foods

If consumed in excess, sugary drinks, yoghurt and fruit juices sweetened with industrial quantities of sucrose, white bread, pastry products and various sweets, raise insulin levels, which in turn increases the synthesis of IGF-1 and androgens.
These hormones stimulate the cutaneous production of sebum, an oily mass that dilates the walls of the hair follicle and englobes cellular debris to the point of occluding it. In addition to increasing sebum secretion, in fact, IGF-1 also stimulates the hyperkeratization of the stratum corneum (it thickens the most superficial layer of the epidermis, accelerating its turnover).
The accumulation of sebum and debris inside the hair follicle leads to the formation of real "caps", called comedones (first white points and black points later), and favors the appearance of pimples.
The latter are caused by the activity of some skin bacteria, which feed on sebum and release free fatty acids. These substances recall white blood cells and various inflammatory molecules, originating what is commonly called pimple.
Reducing the presence of foods with a high glycemic index in one's diet seems therefore a valid strategy to reduce the severity of acne manifestations. Not only that, for some time we know that this rule also protects from overweight, obesity, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome and coronary diseases.

Acne and Chocolate

Among the foods believed to be responsible for acne, chocolate is probably the one most frequently called upon.
Being a food with high index and glycemic load, it is clear that an abuse of chocolate can promote the appearance of acne and pimples.
However, to clarify the role of this food in the diet against acne, it is important to consider the quality of the chocolate consumed.
If we take the commercial chocolate spreads (see nutella) as a reference, it is an average of foods with a high index and glycemic load (because they are very rich in sugars), with high percentages of saturated fats from palm oil. Often milk derivatives are also present and their particularly sweet and inviting flavor often leads to consuming them in excess. These poor quality products can therefore be considered the ideal prototype of pro-acne food.
The discourse for extra-dark chocolate bars with high percentages of cocoa (70% and over) is different, in which the content of simple sugars is lower and where no tropical oils are normally found. The bitter taste, moreover, tends to limit the portions of consumption. Therefore, accustoming the palate to this category of products avoiding the commercial ones can be a valuable aid in the diet against acne.

Anti-Acne Foods

If we were to make a specific diet against acne we should then repeat the basic principles of healthy eating. Important, therefore:
contrast to a low intake of refined carbohydrates the right amounts of fats, proteins, complex carbohydrates and above all fibers, minerals and vitamins,
rediscover the fish and vegetables in at least a couple of weekly occasions each
limit salt and alcohol
at the same time increasing the supply of plant foods (fruit and vegetables) and consuming at least 4-5 servings a day.
A diet of this type provides numerous functional substances (phytocomplexes), which act harmoniously in regulating biological functions and eliminate any need to resort to various supplements.

Supplements against acne

These include products specifically designed for acne, whose composition - in the absence of a universally effective remedy - is the most variable.
In general, we try to act on several fronts, adding to the diet the contribution of various substances, such as:
antioxidants;
vitamins (in particular A, E, C and pantothenic acid);
fibers and probiotics to regulate intestinal function;
zinc;
hepatic detoxifiers (boldo, artichoke, milk thistle);
plant extracts with antiandrogenic properties (Serenoa repens, pumpkin seeds, African pigeo) for humans;
phytoestrogens for women.