Does Drinking Milk Cause Acne?

ANSWER: Drinking milk DOES cause acne in some. More Info: Acne vulgaris is the most common disease of the western civilization affecting more than 85% of teenagers.  According to two studies, drinking milk could be partly to blame. [Melnik, 131] Hormones in Milk Cause Acne Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health examined the possible association between dairy intake and physician-diagnosed severe acne in teenagers.  They studied more than 45,000 women and found that there was a positive association between acne prevalence and drinking milk or skim milk.  They also found an association between acne and additional milk products including cream cheese, cottage cheese, sherbet, and instant breakfast drink.  The researchers suggest that the presence of hormones and bioactive molecules in milk are the acne causing agents. [Adebamowo, 207] Insulin in Milk Causes Acne Researchers from the University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany suggest that drinking milk has a definite impact on the prevalence of acne. Milk and whey protein contribute to elevated insulin, which can cause or aggravate acne, increase sebum production, and cause inflammation of the hair follicles.  The study authors suggest that the answer is to ultimately figure out how to generate less insulinotropic milk, or to [...]