3 Reasons Dairy is Causing Acne

Acne is one of the most annoying problems to deal with, and we are often told that it is because of stress, but that isn’t the only factor contributing to it. Acne is often triggered due to traces of inflammatory foods in your diet, which causes a hormonal or inflammatory reaction. The most common complaints of allergenic reactions occur among dairy, wheat, and peanuts, and though not allergenic, sugar is also inflammatory and leads to acne as well.

So why does dairy cause acne? Take a look:

Dairy contains hormones and is a natural source of sugar, even if you consume organic dairy or varieties sans added hormones, they all contain natural hormones that lead to acne. Remember, dairy only comes from pregnant cows, so you are
taking in the hormones from both the male and female involved in the reproduction process and the milk  is the result. This mixture of hormones cause an unwanted reactions that lead to acne.

Remember that all forms of sugar raise the glycemic index and can lead to breakouts in sensitive individuals. Milk sugar, also known as lactose, is especially problematic for numerous people as it not only raises blood sugar, but it leads to allergenic reactions as well. Milk sugars also shoot rapidly through the bloodstream and have been linked to diabetes. To put it in a nutshell, the contents of dairy and corresponding reactions can cause mild to severe acne as well as other unwanted problems for your body.

It is pro-inflammatory

As mentioned above, dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods you can eat. All animal proteins contain inflammatory proteins that have been linked to disease, but the proteins in dairy are most responsible for skin problems, especially whey and casein proteins. Dairy messes with your digestion as well. Whatever toxins the body can’t digest and eliminate through the colon, the skin takes the hit, as the toxins manifest in the form of acne, or possibly even rashes. Even for those who don’t have a diagnosed allergy, dairy can be very hard to digest.

Don’t forget the IGF-1 growth factor

Many dairy farmers also give their cows additional hormones to stimulate milk production and enable the cow to produce more milk. As a result, most milk is very high in IGF-1. This is basically a growth factor that peaks in the human body during adolescence when acne is usually at its worst. It is believed that IGF-1, along with testosterone and DHT, trigger acne breakouts.

Several studies have shown that high milk consumption is linked to increased IGF-1 levels. Then again, skim milk was associated with higher IGF-1 levels than whole milk. Whey proteins are added to the former to achieve a creamier consistency, which can impact acne development. Even though dairy causes acne, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on drinking milk altogether. After all, milk is a rich source of calcium, which is one of the essential nutrients needed by the body to function optimally. It is advisable to stick to choices like unsweetened almond, soy, coconut, hemp, or oat milk.

No matter where you are in your acne journey, we can help. We offer 2 acne coaching programs:

online acne coaching program or in-spa acne coaching for local clients.