Blood sugar "Roller Coaster" ride aggravates acne

Acne joins the blood sugar roller coaster ride when you eat starch and sugar

INSULIN and Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1) hormone levels are increased.  Which can lead to:

•   Secretion of sebum (a greasy substance that attracts acne-promoting bacteria) from pores.

•   Multiplication of skin cells (keratinocytes).   A process associated with acne.

H. Aizawa, M. Niimura, Elevated serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels in women with postadolescent acne. J Dermatol. 1995 April; 22(4): 249-252.ef="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7608381?dopt=Abstract"PubMed

Blood sugar (BS) levels eating foods with high glycemic load (GL)

The BS Roller Coaster Ride

The glycemic load reflects how much a particular food increases your BS levels. Eating high GL foods spikes your blood sugar (BS) levels, since the body can quickly convert them to glucose.

To protect against a harmfully high BS level after eating high GL foods (non-fiber /high starch and sugar carbs), the pancreas responds by releasing large amounts of INSULIN to bring it down.   

High INSULIN ▲  and IGF-1 ▲  levels increase sebum production ▲  ▲  ▲ 

However, large quantities of INSULIN cause BS level to plummet.   BS levels that are low or swing too low trigger an emergency response instructing the adrenal glands to releaseandrogens.   These male hormones signal the liver to release some of its glycogen stores to raise the BS level and so prevent the person from becoming unconscious.

Low BS levels also trigger strong sugar cravings.    Such that you'll eat something sweet (with its inherent high GL) and the cycle repeats. Treating yourself to something decadent once in a while won't harm you, but unfortunately today's typical diet comprises an abundance of processed foods loaded with high GL foods and the roller coaster ride for blood sugar becomes a cycle repeated several times a day

Consequences of the BS Roller coaster

The pancreas becomes worn out trying to produce sufficient INSULIN

Cells become resistant to INSULIN's message to store glucose to get it out of the blood (called INSULIN resistance);

INSULIN resistance revs up your acne problem  . . . more cell proliferation, more sebum and well-fed bacteria increase their colonies.