393 | id == 393
393 | category_id == 24
393 | category_order == 21
393 | category_name == Acne
393 | category_color == #C47AC0
393 | slug == IL6-acne
393 | title == Can an Inflammatory Protein Induce Acne? (IL6)
393 | meta_description == IL-6 can promote inflammation. Variants of IL6 have been associated with acne. Read more here.
393 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>IL-6 can activate parts of the immune system in order to promote inflammation. A variant of <em>IL6 </em>has been associated with acne. Read more to learn about this association, and about recommendations you may follow to mitigate the negative effects of this variant.&nbsp;</strong></p>
393 | overall_score_text == Your Acne Score (based on IL6 gene)
393 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/IL-6-Acne.jpg
393 | author_id == 14
393 | author_name == Shany Lahan
393 | author_title == MS (Neuroscience)
393 | author_order == 5
393 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Shany.webp
393 | author_intro == <p>Shany received her MSc in Neuroscience from Western University.</p>    <p>Prior to joining SelfDecode, Shany conducted research related to Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, and taught science to undergraduate students. She believes that research should be accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. Shany joined SelfDecode&nbsp;with a mission to help others optimize their health and wellbeing &ndash; as well as help them understand the science behind it all.</p>
393 | reviewer == None
393 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
393 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
393 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
393 | publish_date == 2020
393 | publish_date == 10
393 | publish_date == 8
393 | avg_rating == 5.0
393 | tags_id == 784
393 | tags_name == Cutibacterium acnes
393 | tags_id == 253
393 | tags_name == IL-6
393 | tags_id == 203
393 | tags_name == IL6 Gene
393 | tags_id == 24
393 | tags_name == Inflammation
393 | tags_id == 783
393 | tags_name == Sebum
393 | permissions_favorite == False
393 | permissions_rate == False
393 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6 is a protein that can promote inflammation by activating cells of the immune system. A variant of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">may play a role in acne by increasing IL-6 production. Supplement modifications may counteract the effects of this variant by decreasing production of IL-6 and lowering inflammation.&nbsp;</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>IL6</em> and Acne</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-6 is an immune system messenger (cytokine) that can activate different parts of the immune system and induce inflammation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3569"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Increased levels of IL-6 have been observed in individuals with </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/everything-need-know-acne/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">acne</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. These individuals often produce an oily substance called sebum in excess [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12592074/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28794550/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sebum provides an ideal living and growth environment for the bacterium </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cutibacterium acnes</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which has been shown to stimulate the release of IL-6 and subsequently promote inflammation and acne development [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12592074/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28794550/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rs1800796-C variant of </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/il6/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL6</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">has been associated with increased risk of acne. Carriers of this variant may produce a greater amount of IL-6 than rs1800796-G carriers [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25432444/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similar to the effects of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cutibacterium acnes</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, an increased amount of IL-6 may heighten inflammatory responses within skin pores and in turn, promote the formation of acne [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25432444/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Your <em>IL6</em> Results for Acne</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*5714473528250454*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNP: </strong><strong><em>IL6 </em></strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs1800796/"><strong>rs1800796</strong></a></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Increased risk of acne</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Decreased risk of acne</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">*7828978124108315*</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Recommendations for Improving Acne</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*5003150848715934*</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Supplements</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/nac-top-43-science-based-health-benefits-n-acetyl-cysteine-nac/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">N-acetylcysteine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (NAC) is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance.&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a randomized controlled trial, a 5% NAC gel applied to the skin (topical) helped reduce mild-to-moderate acne [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23346662"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another trial, NAC supplements taken daily for 8 weeks improved acne by 50% [</span><a href="https://www.longdom.org/open-access/effects-of-oral-antioxidants-on-lesion-counts-associated-with-oxidative-stress-and-inflammation-in-patients-with-papulopustular-acne-2155-9554.1000163.pdf"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NAC has been found to reduce levels of IL-6 in multiple studies [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24434384"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29573703/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24968347/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supplements may improve acne by reducing levels of IL-6 and lowering inflammation.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Zinc</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Research shows that people with low levels of the mineral </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/literally-everything-wanted-know-zinc-backed-science/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">zinc</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are more likely to develop severe forms of acne [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4135093/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23826827/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A number of small clinical trials suggest that taking zinc supplements (in the form of zinc sulfate or zinc gluconate) can improve acne [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11586012/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2575335/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/82356/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6163281/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/137693/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/146511/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20666829/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">An antibiotic ointment containing zinc reduced inflammation and improved acne in several trials [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2138180/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2533878?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8751022/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17309451/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In cells, treatment with zinc was found to reduce levels of IL-6 [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11968002/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zinc supplements are likely safe, in doses that do not exceed the upper limit of 40 mg per day (for adults). Taking too much zinc can cause stomach pain and gut irritation [</span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2407097/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Zinc supplements may improve acne by reducing levels of IL-6 and lowering inflammation.&nbsp;</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Probiotics</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a small clinical trial, a </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">probiotic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> containing </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/l-acidophilus/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus </span></em></a><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/l-acidophilus/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">acidophilus</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/l-delbrueckii/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus delbrueckii</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/b-bifidum/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bifidobacterium bifidum</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> significantly improved acne [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23582165?dopt=Abstract"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another trial, a <a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/s-boulardii/"><em>Saccharomyces </em></a><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/s-boulardii/"><em>boulardii</em></a> strain called CBS 5926 improved the appearance of acne in 5 months [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2530145/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saccharomyces boulardii</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;has been found to decrease levels of IL-6 and reduce inflammation in human cells [</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19161443"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Probiotic supplements may improve acne by reducing levels of IL-6 and lowering inflammation.</span></p>
393 | content_snp_table_5714473528250454_key == 5714473528250454
393 | content_snp_table_5714473528250454_blur == True
393 | content_snp_table_5714473528250454_hidden == False
393 | content_learn_more_7828978124108315_key == 7828978124108315
393 | content_learn_more_7828978124108315_blur == True
393 | content_learn_more_7828978124108315_hidden == False
393 | content_learn_more_7828978124108315_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your IL6 gene makes you somewhat more likely to develop acne. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of acne; it’s just one gene related to it. Zinc, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and probiotic supplements may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
393 | content_recommendation_5003150848715934_key == 5003150848715934
393 | content_recommendation_5003150848715934_blur == True
393 | content_recommendation_5003150848715934_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs1800796
rsStatus = rs1800796,IL6,chr7,22726627,G,A,C,,39,0,Normal
