Acne and Milk
The link between cow’s milk and acne has long been a cause of controversy. As long ago as 1924 a doctor, Albert Hoge, in the Journal of American Medicine, talked about one of his young patients developing acne after his mother forced him to drink cow’s milk. Many people seem to develop an allergy to milk products which can cause skin rashes as well as digestive upsets.
It seems that more and more scientists, doctors and nutritionists are becoming convinced that cow’s milk plays a large part in causing acne. This seems to be confirmed by a 2005 Harvard School of Public Healthy study, where people who drank three or more cups of milk a day were 22% more likely to experience severe acne compared with those who drank less. In fact, skimmed milk was more likely to cause acne than full-fat milk.
So, why should drinking milk cause acne? It has been suggested that drinking milk and eating dairy products originating from pregnant cows exposes us to an unnatural level of hormones. These hormones contain estrogens, progesterones and androgens which are metabolized by our bodies, leading to an over-production of oil in the sebaceous glands, one of the causes of acne. Futhermore, pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers and hormones are added to milk.
What we know is that at least 85% of teenagers suffer with acne and what do teenagers love to eat - cheese pizzas and milk chocolate. It’s an almost impossible taks to get teenagers to give up dairy products, but if they are suffering with acne then it’s worth them eliminating dairy for a while to see if it clears up.
As milk is a great source of calcium, it’s important to ensure that you substitute dairy with other calcium rich foods.Here are some suggestive alternatives:
- Replace cow’s milk with calcium enriched soy milk. I would recommend that you buy organic soy milk.
- If you have a craving for cheese then don’t despair, try a non-dairy version made from soy. Why not sprinkle it on your home-made pizzas - tastes great!
- Have to have a dessert? Why not try soy yogurt or desserts that come in many wonderful flavors.
- If you are a chocolate addict then try dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants which make it healthier for you than dairy chocolate. Don’t get too excited though, dark chocolate contains a lot of fat and calories, so limit your consumption.
- Make sure you eat plenty of dark leafy green vegables which are rich in calcium such as kale, spinaches, collard and turnip greens. Other foods rich in calcium include broccoli, brussels sprouts, sesame seeds, almonds, tofu, salmon and sardines.
If you are suffering with acne and think that it may be aggravated by drinking milk and eating dairy products, then try eliminating them from your diet for a while and replacing them with the foods suggested.
Cow’s milk is not the only trigger for acne, so if you want to know more about acne and treatment, please make sure you take a look at my Clear Skin Guide website.
