Age 17 to 18
Race: Caucausian
Acne: Moderate to Severe, around 20 white heads a day on all parts of face but especially on left cheek. also lots of black heads on nose, and small cysts that happen about every 3 weeks.
August 2012: Started Zinc and sees 50% imporvement within 2 weeks. Substantially less acne but still a lot more
October 2012: started taking vitamin D
January 2013: Starts to limit sugary foods slightly: not much of an improvement
February 2013: Completely cuts sugar to less than 20g of sugar a day not counting fruits, not much improvement
March 2013: starts to see drastic imprvement that is consistent with how much sugar is eaten but still has about 8 pimples a week
April 2013: Cuts almost all carbs except fruit, 99% improvement in acne, about 1 small pimple a week
May 2013-June 2013: keeps up the no carb diet and still has almost no acne, complains of depression, low ability to do exercise, and extreme fatigue
July 2013: Starts taking chromium 500 mcg a day and ends no carb diet, goes back to high sugar high carb diet as before. no new acne
August 2013-Mid-september 2013: continues taking 500mcg of chromium a day and still only has about 1 pimple a day while changing nothing in his diet and mood improves as well as physical ability
Results and Possible explanations:
The acne was reduced because it was somehow being caused by his high carb, high sugar diet. Upon reducing intake of such carbs and sugar, the acne disappeared. However, when taking chromium, a know blood-sugar stabilizing element, his acne stayed at bay while he was able to return to his previous diet and no longer have problems in mood or physical ability possibly caused by the low carb diet.
Conclusion: 500 mcg of chromium a day can substantially help clear acne specifically because of its blood sugar lowering effects and seems to continue working after an extended amount of time.
I've started taking 400 mcg of chromium, but I do every other day. Not sure if this has had an effect yet as its only been about a week. I know my skin Was cclearing up beautifully a few weeks ago when I was eating very low carbs. Then comes birthday after birthday and I end up going out, drinking and eating all sorts of junk. Very next day, two cystic zits and a bunch of other ones!! Because I ate/drank so many different things, its hard to tell if I broke out because my blood sugar spiked or because of a food sensitivity. I did take chromium the day I went out and went crazy on my diet so idk... but congratulations! !