Nutrition and acne: therapeutic potential of ketogenic diets

Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2012;25(3):111-7. doi: 10.1159/000336404. Epub 2012 Feb 11.

Abstract

The influence of nutrition on skin health is a growing research area but the findings of various studies on the effect of diet on the development of acne have often been contradictory. The general opinion among researchers has oscillated between two different, opposing positions: that diet either is or is not a key factor for acne development. This review examines the evidence supporting an influence of various dietary components on the development of acne particularly focusing on the role played by carbohydrates. The physiological and biochemical effects of the ketogenic diet are examined from this perspective and mechanisms will be proposed via which this type of diet could have a role in the treatment of acne.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acne Vulgaris / diet therapy*
  • Acne Vulgaris / etiology
  • Acne Vulgaris / physiopathology
  • Diet, Ketogenic* / adverse effects
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / adverse effects*
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Humans
  • Ketosis
  • Nutritional Status
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Dietary Carbohydrates