Does Dairy Cause Acne?

If you're an acne prone girlie like me, I'm sure someone has told you to eliminate dairy from your diet. There's some truth to this, but it doesn't mean you won't ever be able to enjoy that ice cream or a cheese platter with your friends on a Sunday afternoon. It's also not about being lactose intolerant; it has more to do with the proteins in dairy, but we'll get into that in a bit.

The main cause of acne is the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands, which then blocks the follicle openings. Acne is an inflammatory condition, so we want avoid anything that will add fuel to fire whilst we are healing. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's dive into how dairy can contribute to your acne.

The major protein in cow’s milk is casein (80%), with the remaining 20% being whey proteins, which both raise insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a hormone that increases sebaceous lipogenesis. Your probably wondering what that means? Well, simply put, IGF-1 stimulates sebaceous gland activity and boosts sebum production. It promotes the synthesis of lipids within the sebaceous glands, contributing to overall sebaceous lipogenesis. Elevated levels of IGF-1 are common during puberty, which is why teenagers are more prone to acne.

Studies have shown that individuals suffering with acne have higher IGF-1 levels than those without acne.

Remember how I mentioned that acne is an inflammatory condition and that we should avoid adding fuel to the fire? Well, dairy can exacerbate this inflammation. How? The milk sugar, lactose, contributes to a high glycemic index, leading to dysregulated blood sugar levels, which we want to avoid. This effect is intensified when additional sugars are added to dairy products like ice cream and low-fat yogurts.

Now before you start cutting out all dairy, listen up, not all dairy is created equal. Studies have found that there is no significant difference with “quality” yoghurt and cheese’s, i’m talking yoghurt and cheese that have no added sugars or additives.

And what about A2 milk?
A2 milk is considered better for acne because it contains only A2 beta-casein, unlike regular milk which has a mixture of A1 and A2 beta-casein. A1 beta-casein releases a peptide called BCM-7 during digestion, which can increase inflammation and exacerbate acne in some people. Although more research is needed, some individuals find that switching to A2 milk helps manage their acne.

Where can you find A2 milk?
~ Any milk based products labelled “A2.”
~ Jersey milk products
~ Goat’s milk products: milk, yoghurt, cheese

So the take home here is to reduce dairy milk products during the healing phase of your acne. Focus on quality cheeses, yoghurts and fermented dairy such as kefir to support the gut and digestion.

Here are some of my favourite dairy-free brands:
~ COYO Australia
~ Pana Organic
~ Pure Harvest
~ Nutty Bruce
~ Pico Chocolate
~ Loco Love Chocolates

References:
Aghasi M, et al., Dairy intake and acne development: A meta-analysis of observational studies, Clinical Nutrition (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2018.04.015