Doctors have been saying for years that sugar won’t lead to acne breakouts. Studies show they may be wrong.

Researches studied the impact of glycemic index (GI) on cystic acne. Glycemic index shows how quickly the sugars from a food enters the bloodstream. Higher the glycemic index the faster the glucose is soaked up.

The researches compared the severity of acne between people who eat normal (high GI) diet and those eating a higher protein (low GI) diet. This study was published at a famous medical journal. And what did the study find? Folks who ate the low GI eating plan had far fewer pimples than those on the more normal (Western style) diet. Do I have to say it? Sugar provokes acne.

How is it possible for carbohydrates to lead to pimples?

It comes down to how your body regulates blood sugar levels Glucose for your body is like gasoline for your car. Your body needs the right about of blood sugar to function properly. That’s why it’s crucial to maintain constant blood sugar levels, and your body has a robust method for carrying out just this.

After a meal, blood glucose levels start rising. Your system reacts by releasing insulin, which is a hormone that escorts sugar from your blood into the cells and therefore lowers blood glucose levels. Along with insulin the body also releases other hormones.

The problem is that insulin along with the other hormones also have an effect on your skin. The bottom line is they increase sebum production and may lead to blocked skin pores. How this happens is discussed in more detail at blood sugar levels and acne page.

In essence the more your blood sugar levels change the more of these types of acne causing hormones your system produces and the more likely you are to wake up with more acne.

And what causes blood sugar levels to fluctuate? Eating sugars, white carbs and other foodstuff with large glycemic index is perhaps the greatest factor. But the impact isn’t limited to diet. Lack of exercise, carrying excess fat and shortage of sleep can make it harder for your body to keep stable blood glucose levels.

So what this comes down to is, certainly, sugars cause acne breakouts, but merely avoiding sweets may well not by enough to remedy cystic acne. If you are past your teen years and have suffered from acne for many several years, curing acne breakouts probably requires holistic effort to improve your wellness.

Posted by Seppo, filed under diet. Date: March 31, 2010, 10:13 am | 4 Comments »