Acne & Caffeine

Caffeine consumption may contribute to the development or progression of acne, a common and unsightly skin condition marked by pimples on the face and other parts of the upper body. The mechanism for this relationship is believed to involve stress -- specifically caffeine's effect on stress hormones and the subsequent effect of those hormones on the development of acne.

Acne

A common skin condition typically beginning in adolescence, acne occurs when bacteria, dead skin cells and the skin's own sebum, or oil, clog the pores of the skin. What results is a breakout of non-inflamed blackheads or whiteheads -- open or closed comedones, respectively -- or more inflamed symptoms, including pustules, lesions or pinkish-red pimples. Acne most often appears on the face but may also form on the shoulders, upper chest and back. Doctors suspect the formation of acne is mostly hereditary with stress and the body's androgens, or sex hormones, playing contributing roles.

Caffeine

Caffeine is an alkaloid substance with known stimulant properties that is found in regular coffee, black and green teas and many sodas. While caffeine provides a temporary energy boost, it is a highly addictive substance with many known side effects, including elevated stress and increased propensity for acne.

Stress & Sleep Deprivation

As a person's stress level can influence the proliferation or abatement of acne symptoms, doctors advise patients with acne or a propensity for it to avoid foods and substances that stress the body. Caffeine is one such substance, increasing the body's level of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which in turn triggers the skin's sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. According to the Eastbay Acne and Skin Clinic, sleep deprivation is another factor that may contribute to acne. Sleep deprivation is also one of the side effects associated with excessive caffeine intake.

Related Influences

Some health experts, according to Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Dietary Wellness", believe that the evidence linking caffeine to acne is inconclusive, with several other factors concomitant with caffeine ingestion influencing acne development just as much or more. Among these other factors are the sugar in sodas and the sugar and milk often added to coffee, according to a 2008 study in "The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology" that linked foods with a high glycemic index to acne. The study's authors explained that sugary foods cause blood sugar levels to rise dramatically, leading to the production of IGF-1, a growth hormone also contained in cow milk, that has been associated with the development of acne.