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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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The Daily Utah Chronicle

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New study links acne and dairy products; U dermatologists disagree

By Jenny Willden

Many college students struggle with acne during their teenage years and, unfortunately for some, skin problems persist into adulthood.

Some experts believe eating greasy foods and sweets is part of the cause for these outbreaks, but a new study suggests the danger is not in the grease, but in dairy products.

A 2005 study published in The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology said that consuming milk products can have a large influence on acne flare-ups.

Researchers found that people who consume two glasses of milk per day are 22 percent more likely to get severe acne during high school than non-dairy consumers.

The results showed that skim milk has the greatest influence on acne-development and that cream cheese and cottage cheese are also important factors.

Milk is targeted as a possible cause of acne because it contains large amounts of hormones, especially from pregnant cows. These hormones break down into 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone known to cause acne.

But dermatologists at the U Hospital disagree with this study.Katherine Fields, a visiting instructor in the department of dermatology said, “When (U dermatologists) discussed it, we felt like the association wasn’t strong?There’s a minimal risk of acne from milk.”

Fields also believes the study itself was flawed. The researchers found subjects and asked them in 1998 what their diet consisted of in 1989, including how many dairy products they consumed and how severe their acne was during their teenage years.

This means the study relied on the memory of high-school food consumption, which could be an unreliable source. Those who consumed dairy products could have had many other factors in common that made them more prone to developing acne.

“Just because there is an association, though minimal, does not prove causation,” Fields said.

Instead, Fields said the main dietary cause of acne is excessive iodine, which occurs from supplement use or shellfish, soy sauce and iodized salt.

Fields said that those prone to developing acne should avoid iodine supplements. Still, she said, it is important to note that dairy products contain some level of iodine as well.

Fields said other causes of acne include excessive bacteria, hormonal imbalances, some medications and clogged follicles. Tung Kim, an undeclared freshman, said that she feels diet affects the health of her skin.

“Oily food makes my skin feel oily,” she said.

Others say that acne could be caused by dairy products if a hidden food allergy to milk has gone unnoticed. Fields said she believes such a skin response to an allergy is highly unlikely, but that if acne sufferers believe they may have a milk allergy, they can try removing dairy from their diets to see if their skin improves.

“If you find (your skin) improves with your diet, (removing dairy) may be good for you,” Fields said.

She said the study of whether or not dairy products affect acne outbreaks could have a negative impact on adolescents, who may discontinue consuming dairy products.

She proposed a different type of study in which 10-year-olds’ diets could be observed. These children would then be followed into their teen years to see who developed the most acne.

Fields said this would yield more accurate results.

Fields said she believes that iodine supplements, not the iodine in food, are what cause acne. She also said diet is most likely not the cause.

“I personally don’t think there is a role in diet,” she said.

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