{"id":70677,"date":"2021-01-27T02:11:54","date_gmt":"2021-01-27T02:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=70677"},"modified":"2021-01-27T02:11:54","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T02:11:54","slug":"drinking-milk-really-cause-acne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefastfashion.com\/?p=70677","title":{"rendered":"Does Drinking Milk Really Cause Acne?"},"content":{"rendered":"

My milk preferences change with my mood. I opt for oat milk when I\u2019m feeling fancy or almond if I want to cut back on sugar\u2014though true to my midwestern roots, I still love taking my coffee with good, old-fashioned dairy milk. But late last month, I noticed something strange happening to my skin when I switched back to skim milk from oat: my nose and the skin around it was suddenly and inexplicably beet-red.<\/p>\n

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Naturally, my mind went straight to my increased dairy intake, since the aphorism that “milk’s bad for your skin” is as common as “drink water for good skin.” (Been there, tried that). And interestingly, I wasn\u2019t completely wrong this time. \u201cWe know that dairy, particularly skim milk, has been associated with skin inflammation and acne breakouts,\u201d says Dr.\u00a0Joshua Zeichner, Associate Professor of Dermatology and Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research at Mount Sinai Hospital. \u201cThe thought is that skim milk contains a high sugar load as well as whey protein which activates messengers that stimulate our oil glands. This means more oil and inflammation, leading to acne breakouts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why Does Milk Cause Acne?<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s talk about whey protein real quick, since you might only know it as something you can buy in bulk for your smoothies. \u201cWhey proteins are mixtures of proteins isolated from whey, which is the liquid part of milk that separates when cheese is made,\u201d explains\u00a0Skin Wellness Dermatology\u2019s\u00a0Dr. Corey L. Hartman. From there, this protein can create a domino effect. \u201cWhey increases the production of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). Insulin increases the production of oil, which contributes to the development of acne. It also triggers androgen production, testosterone hormones that stimulate oil and cause acne,\u201d says Hartman. Dr. Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip, CEO of\u00a0Vibrant Dermatology\u00a0and Skin Bar MD, also notes that cow milk contains casein\u2014another protein linked to IGF-1\u2014and \u201chigh levels\u201d of progesterone, \u201cwhich is converted to an acne-stimulating hormone dihydroxytesterone in human sebaceous glands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

But wait, there\u2019s more.\u00a0Daily Harvest\u00a0nutritionist Amy Shapiro notes that while the hormone IGF-1 is found in our blood already, cows that are treated with Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (RBGH) \u201ctend to have higher IGF-1 levels,\u201d since RBGH \u201cstimulates milk production by stimulating the release of IGF-1.\u201d (That\u2019s why certain dairy milks are advertised as \u2018RBGH-free.\u2019)<\/p>\n

What About Oat Milk?<\/h3>\n

Swapping in non-dairy milk isn\u2019t a get-out-of-jail-free pass, either. Shapiro points out that while alt milks might not contain casein, whey protein, or hormones\u2014”which can help consumers avoid skin and digestive issues”\u2014they can be formulated with gums, emulsifiers, preservatives, carrageenans, and extra sugar. These can trigger gut and skin issues, too. \u201cWhen purchasing alt milks, I recommend reading ingredient labels first,\u201d she says. \u201cLook for clean, simple, whole-food-based ingredient lists.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, remember how I said I love dairy milk? I still do, even though this is all a lot to take in. \u201cDairy isn\u2019t all bad. Fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, help deliver probiotics to the body,\u201d says Zeichner. And that has a domino effect as well: \u201cProbiotics are bacteria that help restore a healthy microbiome. The microbiome is the collection of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live symbiotically on our bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adv<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n