NCT00900939

Plant-based Dietary Intervention for Treatment of Acne

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 43 (actual)
• Sponsor: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if a low-fat, vegan diet affects the number of acne lesions, acne severity, and acne extent.

Detailed description

Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States. Although many cases are transient, the condition is often chronic, causing self-consciousness and social stigmatization over the short term and physical scars and damaged self-esteem over the long term. Patients and clinicians have frequently attributed acnegenesis to diet; studies of varying quality have been published on the topic since the 1830s. Recently, well-designed, controlled, prospective studies suggest an acnegenic effect of specific dietary factors, including high-glycemic-index foods and dairy products. Limited evidence also suggests an acnegenic effect of foods containing saturated fats. More well-designed, randomized, controlled trials are needed to further establish dietary effects on acne. Based on epidemiologic observations and results of prior clinical trials, we are conducting a pilot study to determine if a low-fat, low-glycemic-index vegan diet affects the number of acne lesions and acne severity.

Conditions

• Acne

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Low-fat, vegan diet	Participants in the intervention group will be asked to follow a low-fat, vegan diet for the full 16 weeks of the study. They will also be guided to favor foods with a low glycemic index. The diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, with no restriction on energy intake. Animal products, added oils, and added sugars will be excluded.
BEHAVIORAL	Control	Participants assigned to the control group will be instructed to follow their usual diets for the full 16 weeks of the study.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-07-01
• Primary completion: 2009-11-01
• Completion: 2010-03-01
• First posted: 2009-05-13
• Last updated: 2012-08-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States