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Those with acne
may find that a low- or no-carbohydrate diet leads to clearer
skin.
Eating highly processed
foods such as refined breads and cereals, which are easily
digested, leads to a chain reaction in the body. When breads
and cereals are digested, it leads to an increased amount
of sugar. In turn, this excess sugar allows the body to produce
high levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).
Elevated insulin levels lead to an excess of male hormones,
which cause pores in the skin to secrete sebum, a greasy substance
that attracts acne-promoting bacteria. Additionally, IGF-1
promotes the multiplication of skin cells known as keratinocytes,
a process associated with acne.
Previous evidence
has shown a link between insulin or IGF-1 and acne. It has
been found that when IGF-1 is used to treat certain illnesses,
male hormones increase, followed by acne. On the other hand,
when women with polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that
causes an excess of insulin, were treated with the insulin-reducing
drug metformin, acne was improved. Moreover, many women with
acne problems overproduce insulin and IGF-1, researchers say.
While there is
anecdotal evidence to support this theory that a reduced-grain
diet may curb acne, researchers are putting together a controlled
study to test whether teenage boys’ acne will be affected
by a low-grain diet. Researchers say that many dermatologists
report improvements in their patents’ acne after putting
them on low-carbohydrate diets. They also point out the rate
of acne in contemporary societies, up to 60 percent of 12-year-olds
and 95 percent of 18-year-olds, as compared with the rate
in societies such as the Ache of the Amazon and the Kitava
islanders in Papua New Guinea. In these traditionally based
cultures, refined sugars and grains are virtually unknown
-- and so is the incidence of acne.
The processes used
to manufacture modern breads and cereals may alter the protein
structures in the grains, leading to rapid digestion followed
by excess releases of insulin. Researchers point out that,
along with acne, eating refined starches may be associated
with short-sightedness and diabetes as well.
Archives
of Dermatology December 2002
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