Friday, 3 May 2013

Testosterone & Acne Link - Can too much exercise cause acne?


Testosterone is a steroid hormone, mostly associated with men as it is responsible for the development of male sex organs. Despite this testosterone is still present in women and when trying to fight acne, both males and females should consider how testosterone is affecting breakouts.

Acne is formed when skin follicles get clogged with oil called Sebum. The purpose of sebum is to carry dead skin cells to the surface of your skin, however when too much of it is produced the oil can clog up and break out as pimples on your skin. Testosterone plays a part in this, as it increases Sebum, increasing the likelihood of follicles blocking.

All is not lost though, testosterone is variable and understanding what changes it can help reduce your breakouts. Dairy, sugar and starch foods have been discovered to effect testosterone levels. Another link is the amount of exercise you are undertaking. It has been found lifting weights increases your testosterone by up to 30% immediately after you exercise, which often results in breakouts. All heavy resistance training has similar effects, with each session increasing testosterone levels.

So how do you reduce your testosterone while staying fit and healthy? Some suggestions include reducing dairy, using medications that reduce testosterone levels or for females, the birth control pill which contains estrogen and progestin counteracting testosterone. It terms of reducing exercise, it is not recommended you stop physical activity. Consider the benefits of testosterone before trying to reduce it such as improved strength, red blood cells production, sex drive and bone density. Rather than abolishing all of these health benefits, a better option can be to ensure you thoroughly wash your face after exercise and avoid irritating acne after breakouts occur.

Testosterone is an essential hormone with many health benefits despite its tendency to cause breakouts and acne. Rather than trying to reduce it, a good understanding of how and when it fluctuates can be an effective prevention method for acne, as you can ensure you wash your face and look after your skin when testosterone levels increase such as after exercise.

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