Stevia is an herb used as a non-caloric sweetener. In her book, "The Family Guide to Natural Health Remedies A-Z," Janet Maccaro, who has a doctorate in holistic nutrition, claims that this herb is useful in treating acne. Many people have begun to use this substance with positive results.
Causes of Acne
There are several physiological factors that can lead to acne. These include the presence of acne-causing bacteria, increased sebum production and inflammation. According to a December 2010 article in "Lipids in Health and Disease," there is also a growing body of research indicating that acne patients have high levels of oxidative stress, not only in their skin but throughout the body, which could play a causal role in the development of this disorder.
Antioxidant Effects
According to an article published in the September 2009 issue of "Food and Chemical Toxicology," extracts from stevia leaves possess antioxidant properties that, while weaker than those of vitamin C, are still significant. Although, as of July 2011, there are no studies of stevia as a topical treatment for acne, studies of other compounds with antioxidant properties, particularly vitamin C and green tea, have shown that these do decrease the number of acne lesions.
Antibacterial Effects
According to a 1997 article in "Microbiology and Immunology," a stevia extract significantly reduced the number of many food-borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli. The colony-forming ability of these bacteria decreased, as did their secretion of substances such as verocytotoxin 1 and 2, which are secreted by E. coli and can cause acute kidney failure. In contrast, the extract did not appear to harm populations of healthy organisms such as Bifidobacteria or Lactobacilli. While the extract was not tested on the bacteria known to cause acne, these results suggest that it could have antimicrobial effects on these organisms, too.
Cautions
If you want to try stevia to treat acne, remember that the evidence for its effectiveness is largely anecdotal. While research suggests mechanisms through which topical application of stevia might improve acne, this is different from controlled clinical studies. On the other hand, stevia is relatively inexpensive and recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as being generally safe. However, the Mayo Clinic does advise pregnant and lactating women to avoid this substance until more is known about its effects on fetuses and babies.
References
- ABC15.com; Stevia For Acne and Tea Tree Oil For Dandruff, Just a Few Home Remedy Solutions; Daphne Munro; June 7, 2011
- "Advances in Dermatology"; Pathogenesis of Acne: Recent Research Advances; J.C. Harper, et al.; 2003
- "Lipids in Health and Disease"; Clinical Implications of Lipid Peroxidation in Acne Vulgaris; Old Wine In New Bottles; W.P. Bowe, et al.; December 2010
- "Food and Chemical Toxicology"; In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Content Of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Stevia rebaudiana Bert; S. Shukla, et al.; September 2009
- "Microbiology and Immunology"; Bactericidal Activity of a Fermented Hot-water Extract from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni Towards Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli 0157:H7 and Other Food-borne Pathogenic Bacteria; T. Tomita, et al.; 1997
- Mayo Clinic: Stevia -- A New Zero-calorie Sweetener
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