Low GI clears up acne in boys

"Low GI clears up acne in boys", Australian, October 5, 2006,
Link:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-23289,00.html

EATING slowly-digested carbs won't just help shed weight - it could
clear up your pimples too, nutritionists claim.

Carbohydrate foods with a low glycaemic index (GI) have been proven to
help weight loss by making the dieter feel fuller for longer.

Now researchers have discovered that the popular diet can also improve
acne by 50 per cent when trialled on a group of teenagers for three
months.

Nutritionists at RMIT University enlisted 50 boys with moderate to
severe acne and randomly assigned half a typical adolescent boy's diet
high in processed foods and refined grain products.

The other half were put on a diet high in low-GI foods like wholegrain
bread, pasta and legumes.

These foods are slowly digested and absorbed producing only gentle
rises and falls in blood glucose and insulin levels.

Other carbs removed from their diet were replaced with high levels of
protein like lean red meat and seafood.

"The acne of the boys on the higher protein-low GI diet improved
dramatically, by more than half," said Dr Neil Mann, lead researcher of
the study to be presented at a European dermatology conference in
Greece today.

"This new evidence suggests that a more natural diet, comprised of
minimally processed foods, may serve as a defence against acne."

He said the finding was significant because it challenged the belief
held by many health professionals that there is no link between diet
and acne.

Dr Mann said the diet was successful because it reined in high insulin
levels he believes could be responsible for acne.

"When you go through puberty you produce a lot of growth hormone that
actually makes you insulin resistant temporarily," he said.

"With chronically high levels of insulin you're going to get blockages
in the pores and extra oil building up under the skin."

A diet high in processed foods pushes glucose and insulin levels
higher, exacerbating the problem, but low GI foods do the opposite.

"It's as clear as day," Dr Mann said.

"We're convinced the results show that if people do suffer from acne
badly this sort of dietary change is going to help them a great deal."

Sydney-based dermatologist Phillip Artemi said the results provided
food for thought and proved the area should be studied in more depth.

However, he warned there was no evidence that acne was caused by food,
so dietary changes could never cure the condition.

"Diet may be an adjunct in therapies for acne but it's not going to be
a stand-alone treatment," Dr Artemi said.