Does Fish Oil Really Help Acne?

A recent study evaluated job-search results for people with acne. It also looked at the probability that employers would hire someone affected by acne. The results showed that low self-esteem caused people with acne to do poorly at job interviews, but it also showed a prejudice among employers in favor of clear-skinned applicants. So you see how important it is to break that cycle!

Years ago, grownups admonished teenagers to avoid acne by eliminating certain foods, such as chocolate or French fries. They also told teens that sex would make their skin worse. Today we know that neither of these old beliefs holds true! Most likely, it boils down to genetics. There are some known contributing factors, such as:

- Oil in cosmetics and moisturizers, especially if skin isn't cleansed regularly.
- Hormonal fluctuations in teen and young adult women starting about a week before their period.
- Environmental factors such as working in a fast-food place or a dirty garage.
- Pressure to the skin, like too much scrubbing during cleansing, or wearing a helmet of some kind.
- Bacterial inflammation within the skin pores, which worsens when people pick at their skin and spread the bacteria.
- Stress, anxiety, and depression.

Scientists have been studying the relationship between stress and oil production in the pores. Increased levels of stress have been shown to reduce two important skin vitamins, A and E. And our skin is negatively affected by a chemical called Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) because it increases the production of skin oil, called sebum. But an omega-3 fish oil called Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) limits the production of LTB4, which is a good thing for your skin!

In the process of studying these chemicals, the scientists noticed that many of them were gaining a reputation for fighting stress, anxiety, and depression. They realized that since stress lowers vitamins A and E, and fish oil fights stress and depression, a combination therapy might be useful in fighting depression and promoting skin health.

Their interest soared when they factored in another contributing cause of acne. People with abnormal blood sugar and insulin levels have increased amounts of acne. Studies showed that populations consuming diets high in fish oil had decreased sugar and insulin problems. So, people with good blood sugar and insulin levels were most likely to have clear skin.

Initial results are very positive! People who took 1000 mg of an omega-3 fish oil containing EPA for at least two months showed an average 36% decrease in the amount of pimples and blackheads. They showed an astonishing 75% decrease in the amount of swollen red bumps. Just as significant, their mental outlooks before and after this therapy were evaluated using a standardized test to measure depression and stress. After being on EPA for at least two months, their outlooks improved by an average of 24%.

What does this mean to you? Scientists are still studying the fish oil and acne connection. But these results propose a specific connection between the two. It means that taking fish oil can improve mental stresses that cause acne. It means that taking fish oil can improve acne that causes stress. It means that it's time to begin therapy with an omega-3 fish oil supplement! Look at it this way-with a better chance at landing a great job, you'll spend fewer years working in a fast-food place.