Reviewing your daily diet is important for the improvement of acne symptoms because the contents of the diet relate to the secretion of sebum. Carbohydrates stimulate sebaceous glands just like fatty foods. Therefore, an excessive intake of fatty foods and carbohydrates can increase the secretion of sebum more than necessary.

In addition, the consumption of diets with a high glycemic index rapidly increase postprandial blood glucose levels. This is because insulin, which is secreted to lower blood sugar levels, also stimulates androgen hormones, the level of sebum increases when people often consume diets with a high glycemic index.

Vitamin B2 and B6 can control the secretion of sebum. The lack of these vitamins may cause an excessive secretion of sebum. Vitamin B2 is abundant in yogurt, camembert cheese, the liver of mammals, eel, natto (known as fermented soybeans), maitake-mushroom (known as Grifola frondosa, dancing mushroom, or hen of the woods), nori (dried seaweed), eggs, almonds and more. Vitamin B6 is abundant in garlic, the liver of mammals, pork, tuna, saury and sweet potato.

Zinc is an important mineral that supports the functions of more than 200 enzymes present in the body. If zinc becomes insufficient in the body, our metabolism slows down or the immune functions are reduced. There are papers suggesting that the amount of zinc in the body is related to the occurrence of pimples and worsening of the symptoms of acne (*4). Zinc is abundant in oysters, scallops, eel, cheeses, and the liver of mammals, eggs, soybeans, green tea, cashew nuts and sesame seeds. You may want to review your daily diet to avoid having a shortage of zinc in the body.

There is also a research paper about the relationship between acne and the intestinal environment (*5). According to this paper, people who suffer from acne often have digestive problems such as constipation, and 54% of acne patients have abnormalities in their intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, it suggests that probiotics are effective to heal the symptoms of acne. To put it briefly, when the intestinal environment is deteriorated, the toxins that are produced in the intestines leak out into the body and cause chronic inflammation throughout the body. As a result, it may cause skin problems such as acne. The improvement of the intestinal environment may ameliorate the acne symptoms. (*6, *7)

References:

*4: BioMed Research International 2014 (2014)
*5: Gut Pathogens 3 (2011)
*6: Journal of Intestinal Microbiology 22, 1–5 (2008)
*7: Journal of the Nagoya Women’s College 52, 87-91 (2006)