Jump to content
Acne.org
Search In
Find results that contain...
Find results in...

Diet

The affect of diet on disease is a notoriously difficult thing to study. For this reason, we do not know for sure whether diet directly affects acne, and if so, to what degree. However, it remains a distinct possibility that moving toward a healthier diet may reduce symptoms of acne, at least to some degree. From the science produced thus far, we have early hints that it may be best to:

  • Eat a low-glycemic diet rich in whole grains, meat/poultry/fish, vegetables & fruits, nuts, eggs, and oils, and cut down on high-glycemic processed foods and drinks like white bread, candy, and soda. 
     
  • Take up to 6 regular fish oil pills per day, or up to 3 "concentrated" fish oil pills to get the omega-3 fats your body needs to combat inflammation. Remember: Acne is an inflammatory disease.
     
  • Eat lots of colorful vegetables & fruits. Nature makes food colorful when it contains high amounts of antioxidants, and these plant-based antioxidants may help calm the skin. 
     
  • Take 30mg of zinc gluconate per day: People with acne tend to be low in zinc, and multiple studies support a link between low levels of zinc and acne. 

Outliers:

  • Dairy gets a lot of press when it comes to acne, but the evidence we have thus far is tenuous at best.
     
  • Consider calories: A rapid increase in calories can cause the body to increase hormone production, which could hypothetically increase symptoms of acne. This may be why most "acne diets" tend to work in the short term as calories are limited.
     

Only have a few minutes? Check out these articles first:

Latest in Diet

Diet Caloric Intake and Acne Increased calories might increase skin oil production, and thus make acne worse, whereas decreased calories might have the opposite effect. Is this why most "acne... May 02, 2022
Diet Tips on How to Eat Low Glycemic Eat more whole foods like meat/poultry/fish, veggies, eggs, nuts, beans, and oils, and less processed and high-sugar foods like white bread, white rice, candy, and soda November 15, 2021
Diet Glycemic Load Diet and Acne The area of research on diet and acne that has the most compelling evidence is the possible connection between high-glycemic (high-sugar) diets and increased acne symptoms. Eating a diet low in sugar and rich in whole grains, fish, meat, oils, fruits, and vegetables could prove beneficial. November 09, 2021
Diet Why Is Researching "Diet and Acne" Difficult? Studying the effect of diet on any disease is notoriously difficult because there are so many variables involved. This is why we do not yet have definitive proof of whether diet affects acne. November 02, 2021
Diet How Fatty Foods Affect Acne It may be the calorie content in fatty food more than the fat itself that might lead to more acne. However, there is simply not... October 25, 2021
Diet Diet and Acne All of the latest science on diet and acne is explored on this page, including information on milk/dairy, glycemic load, omega-3s, zinc, caloric intake, fatty/oily foods, iodine, chocolate, antioxidants, and gut bacteria. October 01, 2021
Diet Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Acne Acne is an inflammatory disease, and omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in fish oil, may help reduce inflammation and potentially help reduce acne. September 22, 2021
Diet Do Probiotics Clear Acne? A healthy gut may help keep inflammation in check. Since acne is an inflammatory disease, it makes sense to do what we can to keep the gut healthy. Probiotics might help to restore or keep a balance of gut bacteria, particularly during or after taking oral antibiotics. September 08, 2021
×