How To Solve Hormonal Acne Caused By Weightlifting ?

[abc abc]

hey, as written in the header, i'm trying to solve hormonal acne caused by weightlifting.
i'm currently doing the carnivore diet and feel excellent except this issue. the only "bandage" solution i found is to take ashwagandha, which helps, but i feel like im starting to develop a tolerance for it.
i already tried different things such as liver, vitamins d and k, more/less protein, more/less fat etc...
when i stop lifting the acne goes away completly and i can eat any kind of food without breaking out, but if i have coffee and train at the same day/ couple of days - i seem to break out more.

thanks in advance for any help/tip.

 

[julcreutz]

Well, maybe this is your body telling you you're lifting too heavy and thus whacks your hormones? I personally don't recommend super heavy lifting, but to each their own. Also, since you're mentioning you're on a carnivorous diet (I suppose mainly/all muscle meat and high protein?), it's likely that your body is in a great state of stress, especially after workouts and pumping out the gluconeogenesis to make up for the muscle glycogen needed for physical activity. I'm sure eating some carbs could resolve the issue.

 

[neuroplasma]

Are you consuming anything before, during or after your workouts?

 

[julcreutz]

Are you consuming anything before, during or after your workouts?

I eat 3 meals a day, so I don't additionally consume any extra meals before working out. But on carnivore, my worksouts were terrible, no matter how much or when I ate.

 

[orewashin]

The damage to your muscles is causing an inflammatory response that leads to acne. Try eating more salt, or bathing in magnesium salt with baking soda. Saline reduces inflammation.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

@abc abc
The sodium in sweat is immunogenic, besides other factors. Wash your face more often and after workout with clear water and without touching it, letting it dry on it's own. Also avoid touching your face during training, and maybe desinfect your hands after, if you are working out in a public gym. Since when are you carnivore and since when do you get the issue? I am not against carnivore, i myself are on a ketogenic diet atm.

 

[Zoë Barefoot]

Your body is most likely stressed out and cortisol is elevated

carnivore and lack of necessary carbohydrates for hormonal balance and production is going to put the body in a “fight or flight” mode and elevate stress levels aka cortisol which in return causes acne.

I have the same issue

 

[Tristan Loscha]

@Zoë Barefoot

I am on a low carb ketogenic diet with no more than 50g of net carbs, and my acne is strongly reduced though.

 

[abc abc]

Well, maybe this is your body telling you you're lifting too heavy and thus whacks your hormones? I personally don't recommend super heavy lifting, but to each their own. Also, since you're mentioning you're on a carnivorous diet (I suppose mainly/all muscle meat and high protein?), it's likely that your body is in a great state of stress, especially after workouts and pumping out the gluconeogenesis to make up for the muscle glycogen needed for physical activity. I'm sure eating some carbs could resolve the issue.

i make sure to eat enough fat too. how and what carbs would you suggest ?

 

[abc abc]

The damage to your muscles is causing an inflammatory response that leads to acne. Try eating more salt, or bathing in magnesium salt with baking soda. Saline reduces inflammation.

i tried already to add salt. didnt see improvement, only made me reatin a lot of water.

 

[abc abc]

Are you consuming anything before, during or after your workouts?

nothing specifically. sometimes i train fasted, sometimes after a meal.

 

[orewashin]

i tried already to add salt. didnt see improvement, only made me reatin a lot of water.

Aspirin also reduces inflammation. OTC acne products contain salicyclic acid, whereas aspirin is acetyl-salicyclic acid.

 

[julcreutz]

i make sure to eat enough fat too. how and what carbs would you suggest ?

All carbs your body does well with. Experiment to find out and listen to your body!

 

[neuroplasma]

Strenuous Exercise Can Have The Same Effects As Sepsis

 

[SonOfEurope]

I can relate bro....

I lift too... My profile pic is from my "legendary long hair days" back in 2014-15 when I was 23 or 24... (I seriously don't know how I had the patience to get it that long).

Now I'm 28 and have been back to lifting for nearly a year, I was at 160lbs with 14% in March, and at 189 at 17-18% ATM.

I also feel the estrogenic-cortisol side effects when I don't rest my three days proper (I lift Monday to Thursday and rest Friday Saturday & Sunday ), I feel a bit bothered by the time Sunday cones I'm desperate to hit the weights again but I remind myself that my body needs rest by closing my eyes and imagining myself benching to the point of serious catabolism and my muscles getting smaller instead of bigger... That does it for me.

Like peat said... "Muscles are in their state of greatest energy when at rest" - overworking is not good man, let your body recuperate.