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WHOLEFOOD DIET Evidence is emergingthat the prevalence of acne in developed
countries is related to a glut of foods high
in refined sugars and starches. These tend
to cause the body to secrete copious quan-
tities of insulin, which seem to increase the
levels of the male hormones that may be at
the root of many acne cases. Cutting back
on refined and processed carbohydrates is
an important step in clearing acne.
DETOXIFICATION AND OTHER DIETS In
natural medicine, acne is viewed as a prob-
lem of excess toxicity. Clinical experience
shows that detoxification can be effective
in reducing acne and in improving the
condition of the skin. A common factor in
acne is an overgrowth of yeast organisms
and food sensitivity also appears to be a
common underlying theme in acne. (See
p.40 for diets to address these problems.)
ANTIOXIDANTS There is evidence to sug-
gest acne is an inflammatory condition in
which free radicals play a role. Antioxi-
dants can help to reduce the inflammation
by neutralising the damaging free radicals.
Eating plenty of antioxidant fruit and veg-
etables is important.
Regular intake of carrot juice, for exam-
ple, can provide you with beta-carotene, an
antioxidant and a precursor to vitamin A,
which helps to control acne. Supplements
can help, too: in one study, taking 200mcg
of the mineral selenium together with
20IU of vitamin E each day helped to
reduce acne symptoms.
FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS can also help to
reduce the inflammation that may be asso-
ciated with acne. This inflammation may
be linked to excessive amounts of omega-6
fatty acids (found in vegetable oils),
accompanied by a relative lack of omega-3
fatty acids (found in oily fish). There is
some evidence that many people with acne
are generally deficient in the essential fatty
acids they need.
You may be able to control your acne by
cutting down on both margarine and vege-
table oils and by eating more oily fish
(such as salmon, mackerel and trout), wal-
nuts and flaxseeds.
You may also reduce the inflammation
associated with acne by taking essential
fatty acids, such as gamma linolenic acid
(GLA). These are derived from evening
primrose (Oenothera biennis), borage
(Borage officinalis) or blackcurrant (Ribes
nigrum) oil, as well as from fish oil.
ZINC from food sources, such as pumpkin
seeds, or supplements can be effective for
people with acne. One study found that
zinc therapy worked as well as antibiotic
treatment. Take 30mg of zinc supplements
three times a day for 3–4 months and then
reduce the dose to 25mg once a day. Tak-
ing zinc for a long period can deplete the
body of copper, so take 1mg of copper for
each 15mg of zinc.
VITAMIN B6 can help some women whose
acne flares up before a period. A significant
proportion of female acne sufferers have
high levels of male hormones (androgens).
Women with pre-menstrual acne may
benefit from taking a 50mg vitamin B6
supplement a day.