Acne good for the heart?

A bit of good news for blokes with acne - the hormones that cause spots today may well protect you against heart disease tomorrow.

A study in the latest issue of American Journal of Epidemiology suggests the activity of male hormones, androgens, can give rise to acne during adolescence, but may also protect against coronary heart disease in adulthood. The downside in the study was that androgens also appear to be associated with an increased risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Nearly 10,000 men were successfully tracked through the NHS Registry. Overall, 18% of these had a history of acne. These men were 33% less likely to have died of coronary heart disease than men with no reported acne, the investigators found.

More research is needed. Dr. Bruna Galobardes, from the University of Bristol, who led the research told Reuters: 'Androgen level or androgen activity is implicated in several health outcomes, but its independent role remains controversial.'

In prostate cancer, for example, the relationship is not clear. 'The role of androgens on the prostate gland has not been elucidated, and whether they induce prostate cancer or facilitate the growth of existing lesions is not clear,' Dr Galobardes said.