Inflammatory skin conditions can affect many of us and lead to feelings of anxiety, and low self worth. For a long time science dismissed that the diet has anything to do with skin disorders. What’s even more interesting is that 2500 years ago the famous ancient Greek physician Hippocrates stated that “All disease begins in the gut”. More recently, studies have made it clear that nutrition can play a significant role in influencing skin conditions (1).

What does the diet and hemp seeds have to do with skin disorders?

The diet has everything to do with skin disorders! Adjusting and improving the diet may help to manage and may event prevent some common skin problems. Nutritional deficiencies in vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, certain essential fatty acids and amino acids have been shown to cause skin issues (1) . Interestingly, Hemp seeds are known for their impressive amounts of vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin E, zinc, essential fatty acids and contains all 9 essential amino acids (building blocks of protein). Let’s discuss some common skin disorders and how both nutrition and hemp seeds can positively impact these conditions!                                                             

Acne

Acne is common during puberty, but can also affect adults too! The cause of acne is often complex and can include multiple factors that include genetics, hormonal issues, immune disorders, psychological, environmental and the use of pharmaceuticals (2).  The diet also plays a big role in the development of acne. Especially when it comes to dairy products (in particular milk), refined sugar and carbohydrates!

Now we’re not saying that dairy products and sugar are the devil, but we would suggest to just be cautious if do suffer from acne and consume large amounts of sugar or refined carbohydrate dairy products. When you consume these foods they can initiate an inflammatory response and could lead to breakouts (3).

First and foremost, it’s in your best interest to reduce your refined sugar and carbohydrate intake to improve you health all round. Not only that reducing your sugar intake has been demonstrated in multiple studies to improve symptoms of acne and inflammation (4) One of the amazing things about hemp seeds are that they are very low in carbohydrates, while being rich in fibre, and protein making it a great addition to the diet. Not only that, hemp seed oil has an impressive amount of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids that may also provide an important role in reducing inflammation and symptoms of acne (5).

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is another inflammatory skin condition that affects many people. Many nutritional deficiencies of the diet have been suggested to play a role in psoriasis that include antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin E, essential fatty acids, iron, and zinc. These nutrients can act as antioxidants and are believed to be helpful in the treatment of Psoriasis (6)! Yep, you guessed it, hemp seeds contain all of these essential nutrients! Our hemp hearts are particularly high in these nutrients, while our hemp seed oil contains large amounts of essential fatty acids. We also recommend to consume our hemp seed products in conjunction with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables similar to a Mediterranean diet that has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of psoriasis (7). 

Dermatitis

Omega 3 and omega 6 are important components of cells in the skin and body and are believed to play an important role in development of dermatitis. One study compared hemp seed oil and olive oil in people suffering from dermatitis and found that hempseed oil improved symptoms of atopic dermatitis. This is believed to be due to hemp seed oils balanced and abundant supply of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in this hempseed oil (7). Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is another healthy fat that plays a role in the management of dermatitis. One study found that GLA may not only prevent dermatitis, but can reduce the symptoms of dermatitis (8). Further establishing hemp seed oil as an essential in the diet due to its large amounts of omega 3, omega 6, GLA!

Ageing skin

Unfortunately, as we age our skin does too. Our skin is more likely to be inflamed as we age and this can causes skin damage and loss of function. This can be due to many factors that includes hormone levels, genetics, ultraviolet rays, chemical pollution and of course.. the diet! Many people, especially women spend a lot of money on cosmetic and medicines to try to prevent and treat ageing skin, but often forget the important role that diet plays in not only ageing skin but every health condition.

As we’ve discussed previously, consuming adequate amounts of zinc, iron, vitamin A, B vitamins and Vitamin E are essential in reducing inflammation and improving anti-oxidant status of the skin! Protein is also essential for the skin as it’s involved in producing the proteins in the skin and helps to repair and supply energy to the skin (how cool is that!). Our hemp seed protein powder has an impressive amount of plant-based protein (containing all 9 essential amino acids!), while also still maintaining all the nutrients required to assist in preventing inflammation in ageing skin (9). 

Conclusion

So you now know that all skin conditions can be influenced by inflammation and that inflammation can come not only from our lifestyle and environment, but also our diet. One of the best ways to manage any skin condition is to first start with the diet. It’s not difficult! All you have to do is mostly a plant-based diet, while making sure you are getting adequate protein and essential fatty acids, while also avoiding that bad stuff aka sugar and processed foods where possible. Even more cool is the numerous ways you can use hemp seed oil and it’s awesome diversity of nutrients to help manage various skin conditions.

Disclaimer: this article does not constitute medical advice and does not take into consideration your personal circumstances. Please see your medical professional before implementing the above.

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27401878/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4884775/
3. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/73/5/853/4739553
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17448569/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3543297/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4316654/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16019622/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12663296/
9. https://europepmc.org/article/pmc/3583891