Acne patients everywhere are in love with banana peels, apple cider vinegar and sea salt. Teenagers are fixated on questions like whether the natural salicylic acid in strawberry juice clears acne like the pharmaceutical version.
All these home remedies are brilliant in a way, because experimentation is great. But if you’re ignoring the natural nutrients and compounds which have been proven to slash acne, you’re slipping up big time.
Zinc lowers acne by 49.8%; acne patients have 40% lower vitamin C levels than average. Topical sea buckthorn oil improves oily skin by 45% in eight weeks.
Lemon juice and baking soda have the natural, uncharted territory appeal. They’re exciting because they could secretly contain a miracle compound right at your fingertips. They’re everyday items which you eat in meals or which grow in nearby woods or foreign jungles. They’re more exciting than a tiny white vitamin D pill from a pharmaceutical store on the high street.
It’s smart to experiment with home acne remedies, but you should never forget trusty old vitamin E or NAC…
…and one proven cure which is even more forgotten is superoxide dismutase.
The all-important role of superoxide dismutase
Superoxide dismutase is an antioxidant enzyme found in almost every living cell on Earth. In humans, the “enzyme of life” is one of the premier defensive antioxidant compounds.
You’re probably aware of the greatness of antioxidants already. There’s the smaller plant phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables like the famous resveratrol from red wine, and there’s vitamin C and vitamin E, the two main antioxidants from food.
Most health merchants focus on your consumption of antioxidants. However, the antioxidants manufactured by the body itself are equally important for acne.
Alongside glutathione, superoxide dismutase is the main one. In fact, it’s a step above glutathione in the antioxidant hierarchy. Superoxide dismutase’s main job is to deactivate superoxides, highly reactive molecules which are the most dangerous free radicals found in the human body.
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A superoxide is an oxygen molecule which has gained an extra electron. This can occur during many healthy bodily processes like enzymatic reactions, but the importance for acne is the massive instability.
The addition of an extra electron leaves just one electron unpaired as opposed to two in whole oxygen molecules, which is much more stable. The superoxide grows thirsty for a fresh electron. It bombards healthy cells and is attracted to them like a magnet.
Your immune system actually creates localised bursts of superoxides to kill infectious bacteria in wounds and keep you alive. However, a superoxide anion overload is a nightmare, and not the entertaining kind either. This study discovered elevated levels of superoxide anions in acne-prone skin.
That’s where superoxide dismutase steps in. Superoxide dismutase breaks down superoxides into oxygen peroxides and hydrogen peroxide, through a process called dismutation.
Glutathione gets involved later; it breaks down the oxygen peroxides and the hydrogen peroxides into simple alcohols. Another antioxidant enzyme called catalase breaks down the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.
The cycle is complete; the superoxides have been vanquished. The result: all three antioxidants have protected your skin from acne.
Superoxide dismutase is vital for the first step in metabolising one of the deadliest free radicals.
Superoxides can inflame your pimples, they can increase clogged pores, and they can age you prematurely by destabilising skin cells. Superoxide dismutase does the opposite.
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Superoxide dismutase is present inside almost all cells and extracellular fluids of the human body, or at least it should be.
Like glutathione, endless factors can suppress your SOD levels. They include toxic chemicals like fluoride, lacking the correct building blocks like vitamin D, and completely random things like makeup. Anyone could suffer from chronically low superoxide dismutase levels, including you…
…and acne patients have the lowest levels of anybody. This 2013 study proved it, as 50 acne patients were gathered and compared to 40 clear-skinned controls.
The acne patients were plagued with elevated malondialdehyde (a lipid peroxide), alongside significantly lower glutathione and SOD levels.
The mild acne patients had 4% less SOD; the moderate acne patients had 6% less. Finally, the patients suffering from severe acne had 9% less superoxide dismutase in their bloodstream compared to participants with clear skin.
There was a steady decrease in superoxide dismutase levels as their skin deteriorated. They tested normal acne, the widespread acne vulgaris, as opposed to the severe, burrowing acne conglobata or the red and scaly imposter version called acne rosacea.
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The telling studies for acne don’t end there. Take a look at these ones:
STUDY ONE – 52 patients with papulopustular acne had their blood antioxidant enzymes analysed and compared to 38 healthy controls. The acne patients had significantly lower SOD levels, in addition to lower glutathione levels.
STUDY TWO – this study examined 43 people with acne varying from mild to severe and compared them to 24 healthy controls.
Once again, the average level of blood SOD in the acne patients was substantially lower. They confirmed the link between low SOD levels and elevated superoxide radicals in the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. The scientists even recommended that future pharmaceutical acne drugs incorporated antioxidant ingredients.
STUDY THREE – this study concluded that patients with mild acne had roughly equal superoxide dismutase levels to clear-skinned patients. However, once their acne entered severe territory, the forces of deficiency couldn’t be stopped, and their SOD levels became significantly lower.
The last time you debated acne with your friends or family, did they ever mention superoxide dismutase?
Almost certainly not; they most likely recommended toothpaste or warned about the unstoppable, uncontrollable force of teenage hormones. Few acne patients know about superoxide dismutase, but the studies above prove that everybody needs to.
On acne forums where the knowledge is a little more advanced, superoxide dismutase still rarely gets discussed; the anti-ageing mob has a stranglehold over SOD marketing.
How superoxides create more free radicals
We’ve known for years that p.acnes bacteria triggers an onslaught of pro-inflammatory chemicals. We talk about it all the time, and such chemicals include TNF-a, interleukin-8, and IL-1beta. But we’ve always wondered whether p.acnes increases free radicals as well.
In this particularly juicy study, it was revealed that p.acnes bacteria stimulates a burst of superoxide radicals upon contact with skin cells.
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The superoxides were “rapidly produced”, appearing only 15 minutes after keratinocytes were exposed to p.acnes. Peak superoxide production was reached after 1 hour and fell progressively afterwards. However, acne patients have p.acnes bacteria in their pores all day long; they don’t live in a scientist’s petri dish.
The superoxide anions triggered apoptosis, the death of human skin cells. So firstly, this shows just how common superoxides are on the skin of acne patients…
…and furthermore, the study found that the superoxides reacted with the gas nitric oxide to form peroxynitrites.
These mutant molecules are another type of free radical with acne-causing powers. They even have photosensitising properties in the face of UVB radiation from sunlight.
Peroxynitrites are like the notorious synthetic nitrites added to bacon (always buy an organic brand) which lead to stomach cancer, except that they’re on your face wreaking acne havoc. They even create residues on skin proteins and alter their functioning.
Superoxide anions can increase peroxynitrites, and also levels of the pro-inflammatory chemical interleukin-8. Every chemical used by the scientists to inhibit superoxide anions inhibited IL-8 as well. This inflammatory player had already been detected in higher quantities in acne-prone skin (study).
Superoxides are one of the worst free radicals for acne, because their existence creates a bunch of new compounds which are equally deadly.
The best quote from the long and detailed study was this: “superoxide anions produced by epidermal cells are critical in the development of acne inflammatory lesions”.
The key is that superoxide dismutase can prevent this acne mayhem. Later on, the scientists added SOD-mimicking drugs to the keratinocytes, after they’d been stimulated with p.acnes. The superoxide anion production occurred, but was quickly neutralised. The surge in IL-8 and peroxynitrite never happened.
The SOD deficiency epidemic – does it exist?
Compared to glutathione, SOD deficiency is less rampant but still a big factor in acne.
Consider the two. Both are manufactured by the human body. The protein ingredients of glutathione are sulphur, cysteine, glycine and glutamine. Its mineral cofactors are zinc, magnesium and selenium. Acne patients are massively deficient in all three of the minerals, and almost the entire Western population lacks glycine.
Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase is created using four minerals: zinc, iron, copper and manganese (often mistaken for magnesium). There’s no widespread deficiency in manganese or copper, because they’re highly concentrated in many foods. There’s no depletion in drinking water or in soils caused by centuries of farming.
The real threat to your superoxide dismutase factories is zinc, because approximately 50% of acne patients lack it. As for iron, the big trend of vegan and vegetarian diets is causing shortages. Remember – you can’t absorb the non-heme iron from plant foods properly. You have to eat heme iron from eggs, meat and fish.
There’s this perception that animal foods are inherently unhealthy, that humans are really herbivores and enjoying meat is a “habit” to be frowned upon as much as smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. Don’t believe it; this belief is behind rampant zinc deficiencies as well, and acne full stop.
Overall, zinc is the proven superoxide dismutase ingredient which most people lack. Follow my guide to increasing levels here.
Next we have the issue of lifestyle free radical exposure. Free radicals aren’t all identical; free radicals formed from over-frying soybean oil or eggs are primarily lipid peroxides. The same applies to a rancid fish oil pill sitting in a hot warehouse for months.
To optimise SOD, you specifically have to eliminate superoxides, superoxide radicals, and superoxide anions, which are all the same thing. The more you ingest, the more superoxide dismutase will be depleted.
Bigtime sources include cigarettes, sunlight when acting on weak skin, parabens from make-up, arsenic, other heavy metals, and phthalates in plastic. A good 60% of the free radical sources you need to avoid manifest themselves as superoxides.
What about external SOD?
You should never get tricked into eating food sources of superoxide dismutase.
Almost all plants manufacture superoxide dismutase to protect their own cells from sunlight or poor soil conditions, just like we humans do. Therefore, many foods on your plate contain it, with mangos, cantaloupe melons, corn and soy being rich sources.
However, superoxide dismutase is a delicate molecule, way too fragile to make it through the digestive system intact. Supplement companies have attempted to cash in on the life extension hype by making SOD pills, but again, their test trials were disappointing. The proteins were completely destroyed by digestive enzymes and acids.
Recently, a more effective formulation was developed, consisting of superoxide dismutase molecules bound to gliadin proteins extracted from wheat. This complex was protected from rapid digestion and in studies on rats, the gliadin-SOD increased blood SOD much more effectively than isolated SOD. However, gliadin is a very dodgy substance for acne; it’s the active component in gluten, and the real reason why celiacs fear bread.
Humans are designed to make superoxide dismutase themselves. That’s the natural path, and with the right nutrition, it’s the only path for acne you need.
19 bonus strategies
It doesn’t end with zinc. There’s hundreds of obscure SOD studies lurking in the vast depths of scientific journals, probably including some French ones which we haven’t noticed.
The following strategies are ready and waiting for you to take advantage:
Vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin was shown in this study to increase SOD, and better yet, in atopic dermatitis patients. The mechanism hasn’t been discovered, but vitamin D affects over 3000 genes in the body. It may be an undiscovered co-factor alongside zinc.
Resveratrol – the phytoalexin compound resveratrol is proven to increase superoxide dismutase by enhancing the enzyme heme-oxygenase 1. Resveratrol also upregulates the output of superoxide dismutase at the genetic level (study). Add red grapes to your diet, eat some dark chocolate, or become a red wine addict.
Ginger – ground ginger root powder increased superoxide dismutase levels by 76-414% in this 1 month study on rats. Buy a bulk bag of ginger and add it to yoghurt, tea, coffee, and any acne-friendly recipes you can.
Basil – this rarely discussed herb increased levels of superoxide dismutase 1.1 to 1.4 fold in mice after 15 days (study). Basil is a top savoury herb for adding to meat, egg and cheese dishes (load your pizza with it to minimise the acne during a cheat meal).
Almonds – the prince of acne-clearing snacks (dark chocolate is king) increased superoxide dismutase levels by 35% in this study on 60 male smokers. If you can’t stop puffing on cigarettes, then gorge on almonds daily.
NAC – for acne, n-acetyl-cysteine is most famous as a short term glutathione booster, since it supplies the key ingredient of cysteine. However, this study found that NAC increased superoxide dismutase as well.
Cardamom – an Indian spice which people in the West ignore. This study found that cardamom consumption increased superoxide dismutase levels significantly, whereas this study observed a 90% increase in blood antioxidant levels.
Rosemary extract – this natural topical treatment contains the active compound rosmarinic acid, which reversed an SOD depletion caused by sunlight exposure in this study. Rosemary extract also kills p.acnes bacteria, by morphing the cell wall and causing uncontrollable cytoplasm leakage.
Saffron – the spice saffron is proven to increase superoxide dismutase in mice after 6, 10 and 12 weeks (study). Interestingly, this inhibited the formation of tumours on the skin’s surface. Could it translate to acne?
Turmeric – this orange spice has been dubbed “the fountain of youth” because of its SOD-boosting properties. Those claims are snake oil, but this study did find that turmeric combined with carrots could increase cellular superoxide dismutase levels.
Ashwagandha – this herbal remedy from the plains of India is associated with cheating Olympians and stress reduction, not antioxidants. However, it strongly inhibits free radicals, and this study concluded that ashwagandha compounds called glycowithanolides could increase SOD levels after 21 days.
Aloe vera – the gel of the aloe vera stem contains seven isozymes of superoxide dismutase. You can’t eat superoxide dismutase, but you can apply it to skin cells to minimise superoxide anion activity locally. Aloe vera application also generates an antioxidant protein called metallothionein, which prevents SOD from being suppressed.
Blueberries – a famous health food because of its own antioxidants. However, this study found significant increases in SOD after two months of a blueberry enriched diet. Interestingly, glutathione levels went up, but only by a small amount.
Burdock root – this “detox herb” is no miracle for acne, but one study found that burdock root tea increased superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant levels in human patients. Once again, glutathione increased but only slightly.
Avoid aflatoxins – the mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 is notorious for depleting antioxidants, and this study on rats found depletet superoxide dismutase supplies after several weeks. Avoid poor quality chocolate, coffee, peanuts, and beer.
Pecans – a bunch of scientists fed 344 male rats a control diet, a 5% or 10% almond diet, or a 5% or 10% pecan diet. The baseline SOD level in the control group was 1.20. In the 5% pecan group, it was 2.95 after 17 weeks, and 2.16 in the 10% group. The almonds performed similarly. The solution: eat small quantities of pecans daily.
Apricots – some scientists irritated the small intestines of rats using a chemical called methotrexate. Glutathione, SOD and catalase plummeted, but this was reversed by whole apricots, and carotenoid antioxidants extracted from apricots.
Ditch fluoride – fluoride doesn’t protect teeth any more effectively than a low sugar diet, or getting more vitamin D to shuttle the calcium properly. What it does do is deplete superoxide dismutase, by generating vast swarms of superoxides (study). Say no to fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash.
Milk thistle – a plant revered for its silymarin compound which stimulates glutathione production, but like NAC, this study found that silymarin increases superoxide dismutase as well, though more mildly than glutathione. Note that milk thistle can have side effects, so check up on them here before you make a move.
Stop smoking/cut your intake – we’ve saved one of the best hacks until last. Every cigarette you smoke is a rich fountain of superoxides. This study spelt it out clearly; smokers had significantly higher levels of superoxide anions, and lower levels of superoxide dismutase compared to non-smokers. It was concluded that superoxides “might be responsible for an enhanced risk of various diseases related to cigarette smoking”. Acne is one of them.
Eat a variety of acne-clearing foods, and you’ll probably be boosting superoxide dismutase automatically.
Conclusion
If your superoxide dismutase is suppressed, then your skin is in serious trouble. But if you know the strategies for boosting SOD, which you now do, you are at a serious advantage.
Zinc and vitamin D are the most important ones, alongside ruthlessly eliminating as many free radical sources as you can. Throw in a handful of the bonus foods and you’ll be in great shape.
Just think – how simple is taking a vitamin D supplement? It’s very easy compared to religiously applying benzoyl peroxide each day in a strict and precise regimen.
Yet vitamin D has been shown to boost superoxide dismutase, a molecule which almost every acne patient lacks, whereas BP works only temporarily and is the king of premature ageing.
NEXT: the ultimate diet for clearing acne permanently
Thanks for reading!