What You Put In, Reflects On The Outside
It is impossible to generalize most remedies, including medication and diet. People experience different reactions to the same medication. People also respond differently to the same diet. This context should be factored in while understanding if a gluten free diet can lead to less acne. There are many people who have actually experienced a substantial change in acne and how their skin felt after they excluded gluten from their daily diet.
There are a few people who do not experience much of a change. This does not mean that there is no connection between gluten or foods containing gluten and acne. There is contrasting medical research and scientific evidence but experts broadly agree that avoiding gluten is a better and more effective way to manage and remedy acne.
The Correlation of Gluten and Acne
Many people around the world are sensitive to gluten. Gluten sensitivity or celiac disease is a reaction of the immune system when the person consumes gluten. For those unaware, gluten is a type of protein found in barley, rye and wheat, refined or unrefined, processed or unprocessed. Gluten sensitivity is like lactose intolerance from a dietary perspective.
Both sensitivities and intolerances can have mild or severe effects. Mild side effects are bearable. The severe side effects of celiac disease can be anything from autoimmune conditions such as chronic hives, psoriasis, allergies, eczema and dermatitis herpetiformis characterized by itchy rashes.
Gluten And Your Skin
Gluten does influence how your skin feels. However, it does not cause acne, at least as a direct causal factor. There can be indirect causal relationship. Gluten sensitivity or celiac disease may cause a certain side effect or condition that could cause or worsen acne. A gluten free diet is good for people who have acne, not only because of the possible causal effect of the protein but also owing to the sources of the protein.
A low glycemic diet is anyway healthy for people with acne. Anyone with acne should reduce their daily intake of sugar and carbohydrates are the biggest source. Wheat, rye and barley in many forms are a major source of sugar. They cannot make their way into a low glycemic diet. If they do, the portions need to be stringently regulated.
Gluten Free Diet and Acne
The first reason why gluten free diet leads to less acne is the reduction of grain intake. If you are eliminating gluten from your diet, you are shunning breads, cookies, processed foods and many other products that are high in carbohydrates and sugars. You would be effectively on a low glycemic diet. This is good for acne. You would avoid flour, including rice flour. You would choose healthier foods, such as vegetables and fibers, as a substitute and these are good for your skin.
It should be noted that grains can cause or worsen acne. Gluten makes the gut a little more permeable than it has to be and this enables certain proteins to seep into the bloodstream. These proteins can affect the immune system and hence cause or worsen different kinds of inflammations. One of these inflammations could affect or cause acne. Those who do not have celiac disease stand to gain from a gluten free diet since the absence of grains and other sugar rich products will reduce acne. Those who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should anyway be on a gluten free diet. Eat foods that are good for your gut, immune system and skin.
