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Vegetarian, low fat diet & Acne

It is the male hormone, testosterone, which stimulates the production of the sebaceous glands in times of stress. This is why people often develop acne when under stress. Meat (including poultry) contains hormones and hormone-like substances which can affect the hormonal balance in the body. Beauticians have reported that women who regularly eat meat are more likely to suffer from acne and hirsuitism which they put down to the steroids and hormone levels in the meat.

(1) [The polycystic ovary syndrome and increased body mass]. Sindrom polikistoznyh iaichnikov i izbytochnaia massa tela. Alieva EA; Fanchenko ND; Pshenichnikova TIa; Parshutin NP; Gasparov AS; VetrM Acta Univ Palacki Olomuc Fac Med 1990, 126 p233-40
(2) J Rasmussen - Review - 'Diet & Acne' Int J Derm 16 (1977);488
J Fulton, 'The effect of chocolate on acne vulgaris' JAMA 210 (1969);2071

Essential Fatty Acids & Acne

Research published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology has shown that Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) can help hormonal imbalances that lead to acne. In fact, people with hormonal related acne have been shown to have deficiencies of EFA's . It is therefore well worth ensuring that the diet contains plenty of the EFA's in cases of PCO's. 

Foods rich in EFA's include sunflower, soybean, corn or safflower oils, sunflower seeds and linseeds (otherwise known as flax seeds).

G Hoehn 'Acne & Diet' Cutis 2 (1966);389

Vitamin A & Acne

Vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance of healthy skin and hormonal balance. Research has confirmed that people with severe acne typically have low levels of vitamin A in their blood. There are several reports of adolescent women with imbalanced hormonal function and consequent acne who were 'cured' of acne within a few weeks after taking vitamin A supplements. In one case, even the scars left from the acne disappeared. After two weeks of vitamin A supplementation, the patient noted no new eruptions for the first time in five years. The regime was so effective that there was no need for conventional medical treatment for the removal of scars. Another patient also reported that her face cleared up within one month of taking vitamin A, vitamin E and brewers yeast tablets. Good natural sources of vitamin A include carrots, green leafy vegetables (eg. broccoli, kale, spinach), yellow/orange fruits (e.g. peaches, apricots, mangoes). 

Zinc & Acne

Zinc is known to help acne sufferers. Whilst the mechanism by which it works is still not fully understood, a lack of zinc has been shown to increase the production of male hormones. There have been several reports of patients who were 'cured' of longstanding acne (one for over 12 years) which were 'cured' with a low fat diet coupled with zinc gluconate supplements. In a controlled study, zinc was shown to have "dramatic improvement" in approximately 60% of acne sufferers. (8) Zinc is found naturally in generous amounts in brewers yeast, whole grains, brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds. 

Vitamin B6 & Acne

Dr B Leonard Snider of Pennsylvania reported that vitamin B6 is particularly helpful in cases of acne. In one study involving adolescent girls who had menstruation difficulties, he noted reduced symptoms of acne by 50 - 75%. 

Chromium & Acne

There are reports that suggest that up to 90% of the population may be deficient in chromium. Chromium is related to blood sugar - the more sugars we eat, the more chromium we need. Hence the common deficiency; most people eat excess sugar foods. Researchers have found that people with unstable blood sugar levels have a high incidence of severe acne and that when these patients are given 400 micrograms of chromium in the form of yeast, their skin rapidly improved  Chromium is found in brewers yeast and molasses.

Selenium & Acne

Selenium is a trace element that has received a lot of attention in the health press in recent years, primarily due to its clear connection in the prevention of cancer. However, research has shown that selenium coupled with vitamins A & E can within 12 weeks reduce the severity of persistent acne and help alleviate resultant scarring.