Natural Acne Treatments - Essential Fatty Acids - part 1

by Rebecca Prescott

Whilst scientists do not fully understand the cause of acne, the role of essential fatty acids in the body, including the skin, is reasonably understood. This understanding has led to some scientists and natural health practitioners looking at the effects and benefits of essential fatty acids for skin conditions such as acne.

Udo Erasmus is a writer with post graduate studies in genetics, and biochemistry, and a PhD in Nutrition. He believes there are nutritional deficiencies and problems that can cause or exacerbate acne, though they are not as simple as the usual ones about chocolate!

Central to his belief is that: "Hard fats and (hard) protein debris clog narrow pores and channels in our skin, and invite infection by bacteria who feast on the mess". (p346)

He believes acne is a result of "fatty degeneration". Factors in this are:

* fats associating poorly with protein * too many 'hard' fats * not enough essential fatty acids

Hard fats are also called saturated fatty acids. These are the fats that are found in most food, including animal fats and dairy. Their name comes from the fact that the fat molecules carry the maximum amount of hydrogen molecules that they possibly can. This has significance in the way these fats act in our body. Some of these saturated fats have a high melting point, like butter and milk fat. An excess can cause problems for our arteries and heart health.

Fatty acids, of the essential and non essential kind, are found in our cell membranes. This includes the membranes of the skin. Erasmus describes the characteristics of saturated fatty acids as tending to stick together. And because they have a higher melting point, they are more likely to be clump together and form deposits when we consume them in excess. So, they are harder for the body to get rid of. And as well as clumping together, they can clump with other things like protein, minerals, and cholesterol. Excess sugar can be a problem because our body converts excess sugar into saturated fatty acids.

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Natural Acne Treatments - Essential Fatty Acids

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