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Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 9 Dairy Products and Acne Is there a connection? by Shelley Burns Perhaps you have tried everything in the world of skin care and medicine to battle a stubborn case of acne. These treatments have improved the situation, but have not resolved it completely. Is there anything else you can do? Sooner or later, someone is going to ask what you think about the effects of dairy products—a topic that's been argued back and forth for decades. Although there are not many double-blind, randomized controlled studies on milk consumption and acne, there is enough clinical evidence to suggest a correlation. A study of 4,273 teenaged boys in 2008 found the boys who drank the most milk also had the worst acne. 1 Reducing or eliminating dairy products from your diet is worth a try to see what effect it has on your skin. There are a number of reasons why you might notice good results. Allergies, Hormones, and More If you are using nonorganic cow's milk, there is a good chance it came from cows who have had their natural levels of certain hormones boosted with injections to increase their milk production. The hormones most commonly given to dairy cows are bovine somatotropin (BST), also called bovine growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). In addition, cow's milk today contains much higher levels of estrogen and progesterone than was previously normal, and some researchers have also pointed to testosterone in milk as a factor in acne. Our own hormonal cycles are known to influence sebum production, so avoiding additional dietary intake of these hormones may be a good idea. Another possibility is that you may be allergic to milk. This is an immune-system reaction to certain proteins found in milk; it is not the same as being lactose intolerant, which is caused by a reaction to milk sugars. An allergic reaction can occur immediately, or up to 72 hours later. It can cause inflammation wherever the allergen or its immunoglobulin-G (IgG) antibodies are deposited in the body. This inflammatory process can result in acne, among other skin conditions. Other physical effects—constipation and other digestive upsets, ear infections, headaches, and sinus congestion—are also common reactions among people who are intolerant of dairy products. What About Calcium? If you remove dairy from your diet, there is always the question of where you will get your calcium. The recommended daily amount of calcium for an adult is 1,000 mg, increasing to 1,200 mg for women over 50. wellness Dark green leafy vegetables will keep you on track. Broccoli, Chinese greens, collard greens, kale, rappini, spinach, and Swiss chard all contain a significant amount of calcium. One cup of cooked spinach provides 245 mg of calcium, almost as much as you get from a cup of milk. Not bad! (Raw spinach, however, has very little calcium.) Other great sources of calcium include almonds, Brazil nuts, sardines, and sesame seeds—a quarter of a cup of sesame seeds provides 351 mg of calcium, so think of adding foods made from these seeds, such as hummus and tahini. With calcium available from these sources, and many varieties of nondairy spreads and milk substitutes available for your cooking needs, going dairy-free is easier than you might think. Try it for at least a week and see if your skin improves. If you see a difference, then you can presume cow's milk and other dairy products may not be a good source of nutrition for you. Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, completed studies at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and has certification in complementary and integrative medicine from Harvard University. She can be reached at the Executive Health Centre at 416- 222-5880 or shelley.burns@executivehealthcentre.com. NOTE 1. C. A. Adebamewo et al., "Milk Consumption and Acne in Teenaged Boys," Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 58, no. 5 (May 2008): 787–93.