Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne? - PaleoHacks.com

Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-01-31T07:18:22Z

Hullo! :)

I'm a desperate woman. I miss yoghurt something fierce (and yes, I know it's not Paleo, but this is a recurrent craving that I'm having trouble ignoring as it has been nagging me for literally years), and I would love to figure out why I can't eat dairy. Whenever I do, I break out in epic, ginormous cysts. Other than the occasional taste (a lick of sour cream off my fingers, or a tiny bit of milk in some chocolate, but never more than that), I haven't had dairy in years. I attempted to eat a bite of organic cow's milk cheese the other day, and paid for it in stomach cramps and digestive upset. (It's too soon for me to tell if it will break me out, though, as the cysts arrive about 7-10 days after dairy consumption.)

My research has come up with two hypotheses:

1) Dairy causes a hormonal response, which triggers acne flare-ups.

2) Food intolerance (lactose/casein) triggers an inflammatory response, thus acne occurs.

I purchased myself some full-fat goat's milk yoghurt (Sierra Nevada brand, which claims to be a sustainable, small farm that does not use antibiotics or synthetic hormones in their production) tonight at my local health food store and enjoyed a tiny bowl of it for dessert this evening. It's my understanding that goat's milk has less of the Alpha-type of casein found in cow's milk that triggers a reaction, and is more easily digested than cow's milk.

When I searched this forum, I found many people noting link between dairy and acne, but I couldn't find any suggestions as to /why/ it happens. If it's the casein, perhaps I can enjoy dairy again? If it's hormonal, am I completely out of luck? I was also wondering if, perhaps, any of you who do react to dairy has fared better on goat/sheep/other-lactating-mammal dairy?

Thank you! :)

Answer by Tom for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-01-31T08:32:53Z

Maybe this will help:

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/Cordain%20US%20Dermatology%20Reviews.pdf

Answer by Josh for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-01-31T11:11:09Z

My friend has the exact problem. She will break out if she has cow milk. I'm talking like a spoon full or two of yogurt and it's on. She just uses almond milk or coconut milk instead. Doesn't upset her stomach, and doesn't cause acne.

Answer by Carly for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-01-31T11:14:07Z

From what I understand it's not the lactose in all cases that can be problematic but a protein found in dairy called Casein which can cause an inflammatory (auto immune) response. I know for me and many other goats dairy can be so much less problematic, and I do enjoy a nice cup of tea so goats milk in that is my saving grace :D perhaps because it is pastuered? So try go without for 30 days and then re-introduce back in some goats dairy, yoghurt or whatever and see how it makes you feel, or whether yourance flares back up, with alot of these things I think trial and error plays a huge part.

Answer by Paul for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-01-31T20:07:13Z

2 questions:

would Ghee (clarified butter) be a problem for acne prone skin?
is clarified Butter allowed on an auto immune diet plan?

Answer by Lee for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-01-31T20:33:15Z

Have you tried heavy cream? Any dairy that has casein causes me problems, but heavy cream is great - and delicious! If I'm running late and don't have time for breakfast, I just pour myself 1/4 cup (I always measure it because it is, after all, loaded with calories) and drink it straight. Makes a great snack before heading to the gym, too.

Answer by No more. for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-02-01T16:32:03Z

There's lots of room to try to tweak dairy consumption. Have you tried grassfed dairy? Have you made sure your dairy is A1 and not A2? Have you tried yogurt fermented for twenty four hours? I can do cheese but not store bought yogurt. If I make my own I can handle it. Raw milk is a gift from God. An expensive expensive gift. Also, how s your digestion in general? How long have you been off wheat? I know this isn't mechanistic. The short of it is that it's inflammatory to some of us. This is especially noticeable to those of us who are healing from a state of chronic inflammation. I'll try to hunt down a pathway for you. I don't think I'll be lucky. If it's giving you cysts, I'd just wave goodbye, personally.

Answer by Stancel for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-02-01T17:22:20Z

possibly IGF-1

"In rat experiments the amount of IGF-1 mRNA in the liver was positively associated with dietary casein and negatively associated with a protein free diet" (Wiki)

Casein is the main protein in dairy, except ricotta, which is mostly whey, and butter, which has no protein.

Answer by cliff for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-07-02T15:11:57Z

It raises your metabolism and raises your need for vitamin A, b6 and zinc. Supplementing vit A usually fixes the acne

Answer by Alyssa for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-12-24T00:28:50Z

Hi, I realize this column was done nearly a year ago, but!.. I am wondering how your body reacted to the goat's milk? I, too, develop cystic acne when consuming cow's milk, so I avoid all types of dairy products. I am also free of gluten, soy, and questioning whether cane sugar should be. I drink almond milk also, but I would love a chance to enjoy actual cheese, yogurt, etc. Did you break out with the goat's milk? I also found it interesting that you said you begin to break out 7-10 days after consuming dairy. I haven't kept track of days, but I do know it takes too long of a time for them to heal. Please reply back! Thank you! :)

Answer by Hans for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2011-12-24T08:13:56Z

Either because of the IGF1 due to amino acid composition, Iodine, or AGEs (if there are any)

Answer by vivi for Why, exactly, does dairy cause acne?

2012-03-14T00:34:18Z

wow..really. Just don't ingest. Have some self-control. Casein creates inflammation in your cells at the foundation of your body and systems. Acne is a manifestation and warning signal that you are creating an unhealthy foundation to support disease in your body. I would rather forego the dairy than possibly develop disease later. It's a no-brainer. The reduction of inflammation at a cellular level also balances your body, balances your hormones which in turn regulates insulin (which is a hormone) and reduces weight to a normal balanced level. Forget the dairy..