Everything You Should Know About Coffee & Acne, From Research

People can make a far-fetched case for just about anything causing acne. And while it would be great to have one singular trigger for breakouts—and therefore one single effective treatment—that's just not how acne works.

There are so many things that contribute to breakouts, from genetics to hormones to lifestyle and yes, your diet.

Whether or not coffee can trigger breakouts is not a cut-and-dried answer—like, by any means. There are so many things that influence acne, and there's also plenty of variety when it comes to coffee.

But rest assured coffee lovers, "There isn't evidence to support that coffee itself can directly cause acne," board-certified dermatologist Ramya Garlapati, M.D., tells mbg. "However, there is some supportive evidence that the way coffee is consumed can potentially lead to acne," she notes.

Given that the consumption of caffeine releases adrenaline, it can make people feel jittery, shaky, and restless. Caffeine may also increase cortisol—the stress hormone—both at rest and during periods of high stress, research shows1.

However, for those who regularly consume coffee, this spike will be less significant than that of those who drink caffeine on occasion2.

High cortisol levels trigger a chain reaction in the body including activating sebocytes, the epithelial cells that produce sebum—the waxy, oily stuff that protects the skin. However, when sebum production is cranked up too far, that is linked to acne3.

What's more, "[One study on stress and wound healing4] has shown that stress can slow down healing, which may worsen acne and acne scarring," board-certified dermatologist Jaimie Glick, M.D., once told mbg.

Here's the thing: One cup of coffee likely isn't going to put your body into a state of extreme stress, though for some people—those sensitive to caffeine and children—it certainly can. How much coffee you can consume without feeling the negative side effects depends on a few factors, metabolism rate included.

The general limit for daily caffeine intake is 400 mg5 (or about four cups). However, if you know your metabolism runs on the slower side—or four cups make you feel jittery—a maximum of two cups a day is going to be your best bet.

As you very well know, caffeine can impact your sleep—which at times is kind of the point—as caffeine helps to wake up your brain and keep it alert, two things essential for many of us to keep up with a busy schedule. However, studies show that consuming a dose of caffeine (specifically 400 mg7 in this study) up to six hours before bedtime has "important disruptive effects" on your sleep.

Not only might you have more trouble initially falling asleep if you're buzzing on caffeine, but the study demonstrates interrupted sleep as well.

As mentioned earlier, too much caffeine can lead to a dangerous loss of body fluid. But even if you're consuming 400 mg or less, you can still get dehydrated. While consuming a moderate amount of caffeine does not directly dehydrate you, studies reveal9, you're more likely to skip a glass or two of water if you always have another beverage in hand.

Dehydration can lead to situationally dry skin. While this doesn't seem like a trigger for acne at first, it actually is. This is because when your skin is dry, it craves moisture. If you don't replenish it, whether it be topically or internally, your skin creates more sebum to compensate and essentially attempts to self-moisturize.

This is similar to how your skin behaves during air travel—the air in plane cabins tends to dry out the skin, making it produce oil and break out because of it. This is another type of occasional acne to look out for post- or during travel.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), a low glycemic index diet, (an eating plan based on how foods affect blood sugar levels), may lead to fewer pimples. In one study, 2,258 patients were placed on a low glycemic index diet, initially to study weight loss.

As a secondary result, "This diet also reduced their acne, with 87% of patients saying they had less acne and 91% saying they needed less acne medication," the study showed. All this to say, what foods are categorized as high glycemic index?

Foods like white bread, many breakfast cereals, white potatoes, pineapple, watermelon, and of course, refined sugar, all score above 70 on the glycemic index—aka, they're high in sugar and release quickly into the body. This quick release causes a blood sugar spike, which is what may trigger acne.

See when your blood sugar spikes, it causes inflammation throughout the body. "These spikes also cause your body to make more sebum, an oily substance in your skin. Both inflammation and excess sebum can lead to acne," as stated in the AAD review.

Cow's milk may be a low-glycemic beverage when consumed alone, but it's not the best for breakouts. "The type of milk added to coffee can possibly lead to acne as studies have shown that consuming low-fat or skim milk has been associated with a higher incidence of acne as compared to consuming whole milk or no milk at all," Garlapti says.

This may come as a shock, but coffee can contain mold, thanks to the presence of ochratoxin A.

This mycotoxin (aka a toxic chemical produced by fungi) has been found to have negative effects on bodily health in animals, as studies show it can damage kidneys in all mammals12.

However, more studies are needed before we can make the link to humans as well, cardiologist Joel Kahn, M.D., once told mbg. That being said, it's still considered to be nontoxic to humans13 as of now.

All of this to say, roasting coffee beans may destroy ochratoxin A14, but it may depend on the type of roasting and particle size, Kahn said.

Now, reading all of this, you might be thinking that coffee has zero health benefits, but that's actually not the case—not even close.

Some of these benefits may be due to coffee's antioxidant content—as it's actually one of the most antioxidant-rich beverages19 next to tea and red wine. Consuming antioxidants is great for the skin—both in terms of acne and physical skin aging thanks to their ability to fight off free radicals.

Research shows that it can offer a boost for protection against skin cancer20 too, including melanoma (the most serious type of skin cancer).

We must mention that one of the major benefits of coffee is that you enjoy it! Coffee can encourage joy, productivity, and an overall good feeling for many of us—which is partially why it's so widely consumed.

If you're just looking for a focus aid that doesn't make you jittery, there are supplements out there for just that purpose. Some of these formulas slowly release caffeine (which is the opposite of consuming coffee).

Mushroom coffee has been used for centuries in medicinal practices and has more recently been used in the modern health scene as a caffeine alternative. There are tons of benefits to consuming mushrooms, even if you're only swapping out one of your daily coffee beverages a day for this mushroom blend.

Here's what you need to know about mushroom coffee benefits and the 7 best blends to try.

Most of all, if you're struggling with acne, it's best to visit a dermatologist if you can. Trying to find the cause of your breakouts can feel like a never-ending game of Clue—which, as you know, will only increase stress.

As you can tell now, there's nothing straightforward about the link between coffee and acne. To be frank, it all boils down to how much you consume, how you prepare it, and how much you prioritize other skin habits like topical skin care, sleep, hydration, hormonal balance, etc.