High-Glycemic Foods and Acne



Posted: Thursday, November 27, 2008

by
Acne-Vitamins.com

What you eat can affect your skin in both big and small ways. And contrary to what some acne FAQs will tell you, that includes acne. The wrong diet can be a contributing factor that gets in the way of clear skin. We hear a lot about the problems of the western diet of fast foods and processed foods in the media, but what are some eating habits that we should specifically avoid? Of the potential acne culprits in your diet, high-glycemic foods are high up on the list, especially for men. These are foods that are generally highly processed, and among them, breads are one of the most common elements in the western diet, although certainly not the only. High-glycemic foods include processed grains, refined sugars and many diary products. A good way to judge the potential threat of a food is to consult a Glycemic Index (GI), which are readily available online. This way you can find out if any of these foods are unwittingly playing a major part in your diet.

But what is it about high-glycemic foods that is so bad for your skin? Glycemic foods earn their name because they affect your body's blood-sugar levels. These foods bring about an increase in insulin levels and also the growth factor IGF-1. This in turn leads to a dramatic increase in the production of the male grown hormone testosterone. With an overproduction of testosterone come excess levels of sebum (skin oil), and excess sebum is the root cause of most acne.

Between breads and cereals, processed grains in particular are a major element of the western diet. Many carbohydrates that are not even considered junk food can still have negative effects on your skin. This has been backed up by several studies, and also telling is the fact that many cultures and regions that have a low intake of processed grains have dramatically lower rates of acne. Does this mean you should avoid all breads? Certainly not, but substituting rice or the occasional whole grain food is a good idea.

Moreover, this type of evidence brings us back to the fact that conquering acne is ultimately about managing your body's output and metabolism of skin oil. Sebum is the real culprit behind most acne, not bacteria or any dirt or grime on the surface of your skin. Acne starts from the inside, and you need a skin care regimen that stops it from the inside if you're going to find lasting results. Much of this evidence consistently strengthens the main tenant of vitamin B5 acne theory – that by reducing skin oil (by increasing sebum metabolism or decreasing sebum production) you can ultimately put a real stop to acne.

If your acne is proving stubborn despite all the treatments you've tried, try taking a hard look at your diet. Use a Glycemic Index to identify what specific foods diet may be causing you trouble by raising your insulin levels. Put reasonable limits on your intake of these foods, and don't just cut out carbohydrates from your diet altogether, but find healthy alternatives to processed grains.

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Don Amodeo is the webmaster of Acne-Vitamins.com, which offers vitamin B5 clear skin products and a free guide to vitamins for acne: http://www.acne-vitamins.com

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