Acne.org Products
OK, so IGF-1 contributes to acne right?
It is well known (from a quick Google search) that some vitamins and minerals such as Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D considerably increase plasma IGF-1. I know there are large benefits in taking these supplements for other reasons but surely the fact that Zinc could raise IGF-1 levels in plasma by 25% outweigh any other benefit from taking them.
I have personally seem a huge improvement since I have STOPPED taking these supplements, now I just take beta carotene and/or Vitamin A and things are looking better.
Thoughts?
I think, although individual vitamin and mineral supplements are classified as alternative/natural therapy they are a very unnatural source of nutrition. The day I realised homeless and starving people had better skin than me I stopped with the vitamin/mineral route and spent my time searching for real causes of skin disease. If anyone does want to enhance nutrition - herbs, flaxseed oil, brewers yeast, spiriulina, sea kelp, epsom salts etc are food source supplements, but vitamin and mineral extraction is just unnatural. High doses of vitamin C really worry me, people will end up with scurvy if they let their bodies get used to such high amounts.
Zinc doesn't increase IGF levels:
"Zinc had the effect of downregulating IGF-1 and IGF-1R levels."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20927124