Lack of Fat May Be Causing Your Skin Problems

Lack of Fat May Be Causing Your Skin Problems 2

The word fat usually has a negative connotation due to its association with excessive weight gain. In truth, fat plays several crucial functions in promoting overall health such as maintaining core body temperature and facilitating absorption of certain vitamins. In maintaining optimum skin health, the fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 play a critical role in promoting skin growth and maintaining normal skin barrier functions.

In 1929, George and Mildred Burr discovered that rats whose diet is devoid of fat (the rats were still fed the same amount of food but it was completely fat-free) suffered from scaly skin. Here’s an excerpt of the report:

“Their tails became inflamed and soon ridged with scales. The hind paws reddened and sometimes swelled. The fur on the back filled with dandruff. The animals lost fur around the face and throat, and sores appeared. As they continued on the fat-free diet, the animals began to lose weight and, within three or four months of the weight loss, died. When they were autopsied, the Burrs noted that the animals’ kidneys and urinary tracts bore significant signs of damage. The Burrs showed that the added vitamins did not help the animals recover from the syndrome, but that adding small amounts of lard, as little as three drops, was enough to help the animal recover.”

In 2010, another team of scientists reinforced the results of the Burr study. While the Burrs focused on the lack of linoleic acid as the main culprit behind the mice’s skin problems, the 2010 report found that another fatty acid may play an important role in maintaining optimum skin health arachidonic acid.

Embrace the fat!

We’re not telling you to feast on those greasy french fries to keep your skin healthy and young looking. The takeaway here is to consume healthy fats such as those found in fatty fish, avocado, coconut oil, lard, whole milk, and whole butter.

Would you like to learn more about keeping your skin healthy and naturally glowing through diet? We’d love to hear from you! Call us at 440.639.3223 or fill out our contact form to schedule an initial consultation. We are located in Mentor, Ohio and serve neighboring areas too!