< Previous page
First-time acne diet link found by Australian researchers
October 2006
The link between diet and acne has long been considered a myth, but a new groundbreaking study by RMIT University suggests otherwise.
A research group led by Associate Professor Neil Mann has found that a Higher Protein-Low GI diet can reduce acne by more than 50 percent in just 12 weeks.
The study, the first of its kind to look into the effects of a total dietary approach to treating acne, involved two groups of teenage boys. One group consumed a typical western diet containing highly processed foods and refined grain products. The other consumed a more natural, Higher Protein-Low GI diet consisting of food such as lean red meat, seafood, fresh fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. Both groups also used a Low level topical acne treatment and those on medication for acne were excluded from the study.
“The group who consumed the Higher Protein-Low GI diet for the 12 weeks produced significantly greater improvements in facial acne when compared with the group who were allocated the Western diet,” explained Dr Mann.
The Higher Protein-Low GI diet was found to help control the hormonal imbalances associated with acne. A significant difference in insulin levels was noticed between the groups, with the Higher Protein-Low GI diet showing a trend for improved insulin sensitivity. It is believed that acne may be affected by hormonal changes that are closely related to changes in insulin levels. A decrease in testosterone bioactivity was also observed in the Higher Protein-Low GI group, this hormone is often linked to acne.
The study, which was recently accepted for publication with the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, was funded by Meat & Livestock Australia.
Acne is a common and complex skin disease that affects all ages. In developed countries like Australia it is estimated to impact between 79 and 95 percent of all adolescents and between 40 and 54 percent of individuals older than 25 years.
“In our research we found acne had a huge impact on quality of life, with improvements having a positive effect on self esteem, confidence and on overall mood. Therefore the more we can learn about acne - its causes and treatment the better,” Dr Mann said.
In 2002 US researchers observed that acne was rare or non existent in the hunter gatherer societies of Papua New Guinea and Paraguay. It was also observed that the diet of these communities was natural and minimally processed and things like white bread, sugary ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, pre-packaged snacks, soft drinks, cakes and biscuits did not exist. Given there has been no research on the relationship between diet and acne over the last 30 years, Dr Mann and his team were inspired to investigate.
“We mirrored the hunter gather dietary pattern by asking participants to follow a diet where 25 percent of their energy intake came from protein, 30 percent from fat and 45 percent from carbohydrates. Processed foods and take-aways were kept to a minimum,” he explains.
“The changes were significant even after adjustments for differences in age, ethnicity, BMI and acne severity at the beginning, implying that diet was the main factor influencing acne improvement,” Dr Mann continued.
Dr George Varigos, Head of Dermatology at Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Children's' Hospital, who was also involved in the study, describes the results as crucial in supporting this paradigm shift of diet being involved in acne. He was not surprised of the outcomes of this research in review of the epidemiological evidence.
“The acne of the boys on the Higher Protein-Low GI diet improved dramatically, in fact, by more than 50 percent. This is significant because it challenges the belief held by many health professionals, including some dermatologists, that there is no link between diet and acne. This new evidence suggests that a more natural diet, comprised of minimally processed foods, may serve as a defence against acne,” he added.
More information on the study can be found at http://www.themainmeal.com.au/