Do energy drinks make you break out and give you terrible acne? It’s no coincidence. You’re not imagining things. If you’ve taken special notice lately that your skin is flaring up after you’ve consumed energy drinks – you need to continue reading to find out why.
One thing energy drinks have at TON of is sugar. Sugar has a high glycemic index, and it has been evaluated that foods with high glycemic indexes cause acne.
Energy Drinks might make your energy levels high, make you feel more focused and help you concentrate more. BUT, the side effects associated with energy drink consumption need to be highlighted. The dangers of what ingredients make up an energy drink will shock you if you dig a little.
Energy Drinks are NO Bueno for Acne
Yeah – that favorite energy drink of yours may give you a little boost, but did you know they also give you a dry T-Zone and acne? The high amounts of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks lead to fine lines and wrinkles, which like soda, causes premature aging in your skin. Skip the sugar high in favor of a better for you alternative like water with lemon or fresh mint.
Certain drinks, just like certain foods, have harmful effects on your skin.
Ingredients to watch out for? Caffeine, sugar, and salt. These additives dehydrate you and make you bloated, keeping you from looking like your fabulous self. After all, who wants to look puffy and wrinkled on top of their hard earned Beach Beauty Bar glow? Yeah, not me.
This season, do your body, and your face, a favor: Forego your margarita and pre-game energy drink for a bottle of water or a glass of sparkling mineral water. Your pores will thank you later.
Common Acne Causing Ingredients in Energy Drinks
It is important to know which ingredients are present in energy drinks. There are 5 key ingredients that nearly all energy drinks contain that are causing your acne. These ingredients might not affect every individual in the same way, if you are one of the people who do not experience such issues, then consider yourself lucky.
However, MOST people experience acne flair ups upon the consumption of energy drinks containing these ingredients:
B12
This water-soluble vitamin can change your skin’s bacteria, leading to acne-forming inflammation. Consuming too much B12 will flare your acne breakouts. You can read more about it here. You can also read more about energy boosters without B12 here.
Biotin
While it’s touted to give you more and lustrous hair and strong fingernails, those very qualities make it a disaster for the acne-prone. You’ve already got too many dead skin cells piling up inside your pores. Don’t add to it!
Caffeine in Energy Drinks causes Acne
It is proven that caffeine brings on acne because it causes your body to release stress hormones, which in turn causes the oil glands in your skin to produce more oil. ALL energy drinks contain caffeine. Why else would anyone drink them? They do nothing but leave you with dehydrated skin and clogged pores. Caffeine dehydrates skin!
Carrageenan
This ingredient is in virtually everything from food to drinks to hair care products. It is highly pore clogging and will cause pimples and pustules if you apply it topically through your makeup, hair care or if you ingest it. This ingredient is in virtually all energy drinks. You can read more about how carrageenan effects your skin here.
Sugar
High consumption of sugar causes your blood sugar level to spike, which then facilitates inflammation. That blood sugar spike then increases the production of sebum. The sebum and the inflammation caused by the spike in blood sugar levels ultimately lead to acne. Sugar and energy drinks go hand in hand. Just like acne and energy drinks.
Water is King
I know you’ve heard it a million times before, but that’s only because it’s true: If you want to have good skin, you’ve gotta drink water.
Considering all of the drinks that are bad for you dehydrate you, it makes sense that you need to consume something that does the opposite (aka hydrates you) to undo the damage. When skin is dried out, the pores contract and are unable to release the naturally secreted oils that keep you looking fresh. Plus, water flushes out your body rids your skin of all those nasty toxins you’re always hearing about.
Pop in a lemon for the best detoxifying results.
Soda is the Enemy
Despite how good Taylor Swift or Mary J. Blige looks trying to sell you on drinking Pepsi (I, for one, was a Diet Coke with lime girl) the fact of the matter is, the stuff is terrible for your skin.
The sugar in soda — even when its diet — messes with your skin cell functions prematurely aging you, which is something no one wants. Plus, like all of these other bad-for-you drinks, the sugar in soda and energy drinks WILL dehydrate you and make you look wrinkly and dull (yikes!).
Try sparkling water instead, or a natural juice without additives.
The Takeaway
Energy drinks are marketed as a quick fix that increase energy and enhance mental alertness. But evidence shows that energy drinks have serious health effects, particularly in children, teenagers, and young adults. A lack of regulation, potential health risks, and the damage they wreak on your skin make them a drink best avoided.
Water is imperative to a healthy gut and healthy skin. Instead of reaching for an energy drink on a sluggish day, try increasing your nightly rest, avoiding caffeine, drinking more water, and fueling your body with whole foods.
If you’re experiencing breakouts from consuming too many energy drinks, schedule your initial consultation today & let us help get you started on YOUR clear skin journey. A glowing complexion is still possible with our guidance.
Cheers to clear!
Rene