Can protein supplements give you acne breakouts?

Read this before you invest in protein supplements.

If you have started to hit the gym lately, you can t stop gushing over the post workout glow you see on your face. But at times this glow could be just short lived and soon you might see your face and sometimes, back covered with acne or breakouts. No, it is not exercise sweat that is leading to these breakouts. It could be your protein supplement, especially whey protein, that is messing up with your skin. Here is all you need to know before you buy whey protein.

While there is no definite study that can concretely say that whey protein is responsible for your acne, it can be a reason for the same.

Whey protein and acne: The co-relation

Whey protein is made up of whey, a by-product of cow s milk. Many times dairy products can be a cause of acne. There are studies which suggest that consumption of whey and acne can be related. Here is a gym beginners guide to whey and other protein supplements.

A study done in early 2017 and published in the journal Health Promotion Perspective pointed out that whey protein leads to acne breakouts in the trunk area and sometimes on face. When milk is coagulated to make cheese the leftover is termed as whey. This whey contains a hormone called insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) which helps us to build muscles faster. The study pointed out that the nutritional whey supplements that gym goers or body builders have contain six to 12 litres milk in the concentrated formulation. While IGF-1 can actually help in building muscles and tone them, the excess of it can cause some problems, like:

• It stimulates the adrenaline gland to produce more oils
• It leads to breakouts as it clogs the pores of the skin

The results: breakouts and acne. The breakouts are more visible on the face and trunk. However, the study also showed that when the intake was monitored and was taken regularly, the acne reduced in numbers [1]. Most protein supplements are concentrated dairy which could be problematic to digest, which is the case with milk products. That could lead to stomach upsets, allergic rashes and allergic dermatitis, says Dr I K Ramchandani, Director of Dermatology at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre.

What you can do

Talk to your diet expert to monitor your diet and protein intake. If taking protein supplements leads to breakouts continuously, talk to your dermatologist for help.

Reference: [1]Cengiz, F. P., Cemil, B. C., Emiroglu, N., Bahali, A. G., & Onsun, N. (2017). Acne located on the trunk, whey protein supplementation: Is there any association?. Health Promotion Perspectives, 7(2), 106.

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