Can Whey Protein Cause Acne? The Ultimate Guide for Clear Skin

Battling breakouts but can't figure out why?

Maybe you keep spending money on one skincare product after another: expensive cleansers, face masks, scrubs, acids, you name it. Yet the acne isn't budging.

What if the answer isn't in your skincare at all, but in your protein shake?

Taylor Stolt, functional medicine dietitian and hormone expert, explains the connection between whey protein and acne, and what to do about it.

The Scoop on Whey Protein

What is whey protein?

Whey is a dairy protein that comes from cow's milk. It's usually sold as a powder and mixed with water or milk into a protein shake. It's also sold as ready-to-drink bottled shakes, and people add it to smoothies, yogurt and baked goods to boost their protein.

Where does whey come from?

Whey has a long history. It's the liquid left behind when milk curdles during cheesemaking, and people have been drinking it for thousands of years. Hippocrates, often called the father of medicine, is said to have recommended it to his patients.

How is whey protein made?

Milk protein is about 80% casein and 20% whey. To make whey protein, milk is first pasteurized: heated briefly to kill harmful bacteria, then cooled.

Next, enzymes or acid are added to separate the milk. The solid curds become cheese, and the liquid whey goes on for more processing. It's filtered and concentrated, then spray-dried into a powder. Flavors, sweeteners and thickeners are often added after that.

Types of Whey Protein

There are three main types of whey protein powder. All three come from cow's milk and go through similar processing.

• Whey protein concentrate is the least processed. It still contains some lactose (milk sugar) and fat.
• Whey protein isolate is processed further to remove most of the lactose and fat, leaving mostly protein.
• Whey protein hydrolysate is broken down with heat, acid or enzymes so it's absorbed faster. Whey is already easy to absorb, so this extra step mostly adds cost.

All three are still whey, and from a skin perspective they raise the same questions. Here's why.

The Link Between Whey Protein and Acne

To understand whey and acne, it helps to start with dairy and acne. A large review of studies in nearly 80,000 children, teens and young adults found that people who consumed dairy had higher odds of acne than those who didn't.³

One reason may be a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). In lab studies, IGF-1 increases sebum production and inflammatory markers in skin oil glands.¹ Sebum is the oil on your skin that can clog pores when there's too much of it, and inflammation drives acne. In one small study, people with acne and acne scars also had higher IGF-1 levels than people without.²

Insulin may play a part too. Dairy proteins, especially whey, trigger a strong insulin response.⁴ High insulin and IGF-1 are both thought to encourage the oil production and clogged pores behind acne.¹¹ Insulin resistance is also common in conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is often linked to acne.

Whey comes straight from milk, so it makes sense that it could affect your skin the same way.

Hormones in milk

Modern dairy cows keep producing milk for most of their pregnancy, so commercial milk contains estrogen and progesterone.⁵

Are Humans Affected by Hormones in Milk?

A 2010 study looked at hormone levels in men, children and women after drinking milk.⁵

• Men drank milk and had their blood tested. Levels of estrone (a form of estrogen) and progesterone rose, and testosterone fell.
• Children drank milk and gave urine samples, which showed higher levels of several sex hormones.
• Women drank about two cups of milk every night for 21 days. The timing of their ovulation didn't change.

It's important to keep this research in perspective. It was a very small study, and the men and children drank a lot of milk for their size: roughly four to five cups for the men and two to three cups for the children.

So would one whey protein shake a day affect your hormones? Maybe. If you're dealing with hormonal acne, does it make sense to cut whey out for a while and see if it helps? I'd argue yes.

Is There Research on Whey Protein and Acne?

Yes, though it's still limited. In a 2013 study, researchers followed 30 young adults for two months after they started using protein supplements at the gym. Acne appeared or got worse over that time. The effect was strongest in women and in people who had no acne or family history of acne at the start.⁶

In other words, people with clear skin developed acne, and mild acne got worse.

What Does Acne from Whey Protein Look Like?

Acne from whey protein often shows up on the face, but it can also appear on the neck, back and other parts of the body.

There's no research on this yet, but when whey causes face breakouts for my clients, I usually see it around the mouth, chin and jawline. Other practitioners I've spoken with see the same pattern.

Breakouts can be whiteheads or blackheads, or more inflamed acne like papules, pustules or cysts.

Does Whey Protein Cause Acne for Everyone?

No. Like any food, reactions vary.

Acne-prone skin or a family history of acne may make you more likely to break out. But even without those, anyone can react to whey.

Some of my clients drink whey shakes with no skin problems. Many others see their acne improve a lot once they swap them out.

I always tell the women I work with to listen to their body. It doesn't matter what works for your coworker, partner or favorite influencer. What matters is what works for you.

Why Plant-Based Proteins Could Be the Answer to Your Acne

If whey is the problem, what's the alternative? Plant-based proteins like pea, hemp and rice protein.

Choose the right one (more on that below) and you get the benefits of protein powder without the dairy. Dairy is the food group most consistently linked to acne in research,¹³ so taking it out is a simple experiment that may help your skin.

How Long Before I See Improvements in My Acne?

It varies from person to person, from a couple of weeks to a few months.

I've seen some clients' skin clear within two weeks of cutting out whey, while others took two months. Your skin renews itself over several weeks, which is why blemishes and marks take time to fade.

I recommend cutting out whey for at least two months to see whether it makes a difference.

How to Make the Switch from Whey to Plant-Based Protein

Switching sounds easy, but not all plant-based protein powders are equal. Many contain ingredients you may want to avoid.

What to look for in a plant-based protein powder

Instead of trusting ads or healthy-looking packaging, read the ingredient list and research the brand. The best plant-based protein powders have:

• All nine essential amino acids
• No artificial sweeteners
• No added sugar
• No artificial flavors
• No emulsifiers (like sunflower lecithin, soy lecithin or carrageenan)
• No gums (like gellan, guar, arabic or xanthan gum)
• Third-party testing for heavy metals and other contaminants

Nutrients that support healthy skin

Several nutrients support healthy skin alongside plant protein. Some favorites are omega-3s, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin E.¹¹

Buy supplements from a reputable, third-party tested brand so you know you're getting what's on the label. When possible, work with a healthcare practitioner you trust who can give you personalized advice.

Other Common Causes of Acne

Imbalanced sex hormones

As a hormone specialist, I see many hormone patterns behind my clients' acne.

High androgens like testosterone are a common cause of hormonal acne in women. This is common with PCOS and usually shows up along the jawline, chin and around the mouth. Other signs of high androgens include irregular periods, hair loss and dark hair growth on the face.

Other hormone patterns linked to acne include estrogen dominance, low estrogen, low progesterone and low thyroid hormone. Not sure if your hormones are out of balance? Take this free quiz to find out.

Not drinking enough water

Drinking more water can improve skin hydration, especially if you don't drink much to begin with.¹² Its direct effect on acne hasn't been well studied, but well-hydrated skin is a good foundation.

Inflammation

Researchers now see inflammation as part of every stage of acne, not just the red, angry spots.⁷ Diet can play a part, including low omega-3 intake and blood sugar swings.¹¹

Blood sugar swings

Insulin manages your blood sugar levels. Diets high in fast-digesting carbohydrates raise insulin, which may increase sebum production.¹¹ Chronically high insulin, as in insulin resistance, can contribute to acne.

Gut health

You may have heard of the gut-brain axis, but there's also a gut-skin axis. An imbalance in gut bacteria is linked to skin conditions including acne, and researchers are studying probiotics as a possible add-on treatment.⁸

Stress

If you break out more when you're stressed, it's not in your head. In one study of university students, acne got worse during exam periods, and the increase tracked with how stressed they felt.⁹

Supplements

Some supplements can make acne worse. High-dose vitamin B12 has been reported to cause acne-like breakouts that cleared after people stopped taking it.¹⁰ In my practice, I also see this with high-dose biotin.

Nutrient gaps

Studies have found that people with acne tend to have lower blood levels of zinc¹⁴ and of vitamins A and E.¹⁵ Getting enough of these nutrients through food, or supplements if your practitioner recommends them, may help.

Caring for Your Skin During the Transition

A simple routine with a gentle cleanser, a gentle chemical exfoliant and a moisturizer will help keep pores clear and skin hydrated. Less is often more.

I know it's easier said than done, but don't pick. Picking can spread bacteria, cause infection and damage your skin, which raises your risk of scarring.

The Bottom Line

Clear skin isn't just about the cleansers and creams you use. What you eat matters too.

Whey protein isn't the culprit for everyone, but for some people, switching to a plant-based protein could mean clearer skin. If you think whey is affecting your skin, try a dairy-free protein for a couple of months and see how your skin responds.

Listen to your body and find what works for you. If your acne seems to be caused by more than whey, talk to a professional who can help you find answers.