Chocolate and Acne

Acne is a big part of many people’s lives in regards to their appearance. So, it is important for some to find ways to reduce it. Chocolate has then been believed by some to cause acne. However, with research inconsistencies the truth seems unclear. There are two contradictory beliefs gleaned from research: one that points to chocolate as the reason for acne and the other that muddles the link.

Research has pointed to the belief that chocolate causes acne. For instance, a 2013 research study on cells in a lab believed that chocolate increases the severity and frequency of acne breakouts by encouraging the immune system to react more aggressively to the bacteria that cause acne. Another study found that after eating 25 grams of 99 percent dark chocolate every day, 25 acne-prone men had more acne in two weeks. The acne amount even persisted after 4 weeks. However, due to natural inconsistencies and errors in research, this may not actually be true as other studies tell a different story.

Several studies have found that there is no link between the consumption of chocolate and the growth of acne. For instance, a study from 2012 researched 44 adults' diets over a 3 day period, finding that chocolate had no role in causing acne. A more recent study in 2015 researched the blood levels of insulin and glucose in 243 participants that are acne-prone and those who are not, determining a positive correlation between severe acne and insulin resistance. Because insulin resistance can possibly be blamed for acne, it seems it is not chocolate that is causing acne.

These studies and several other research have attempted to find the correlation between chocolate consumption and acne, each having different conclusions, making the truth impossible to discern. In fact, chocolate’s correlation to acne has been studied for several years, but no solid conclusions have been made. However, many doctors believe that chocolate does not cause acne, but like many things, this depends on the person.

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Sources:

Ferreira, M. 2018 March 3. Does Chocolate Cause Acne? Healthline.

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-chocolate-cause-acne.

Palmer, A. 2020 January 22. Does Chocolate Cause Acne? Verywellhealth.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/does-chocolate-cause-acne-15519.