Vitamins for Acne

Which vitamins and other supplements are best for healing acne?

It’s become a popular trend today to try vitamins and see if they cure acne. After a few days, some people don’t see an improvement, and disregard them as a false claim to cure.

Research has shown that vitamins do have a part in healing skin conditions like acne.

However, the effective use of vitamins for acne is a little more complex than a simple cause-effect popping of the pill. Often, vitamins work well in combination with other vitamins or minerals. The amount taken at a certain time of day will also impact your progress.

For instance, are vitamins for acne more effective when taken before meals, during meals, or after meals? Which other supplements can they be taken with?

Vitamins for Acne

Vitamin A: One of the most used vitamins for acne in health studies, Vitamin A works by making your skin cell walls stronger and lowering the oil production. Prescription equivalents of vitamin A are isotretinoin and retinoids (derivatives of vitamin A).

Be aware that overdosing on vitamin A can lead to serious side effects, like birth defects if you’re pregnant, a side effect found as a result of using isotretinoin or other vitamin A derivatives.

The recommended daily dosage is 25,000 – 50,000 IU daily. You can take vitamin A with a multivitamin. Or, if you don’t want to worry about overdosing on vitamin A, you can get enough it from red, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables such as carrots and red peppers containing beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A as needed.

Vitamin B complex: The B vitamins are coenzymes which help the enzymes function properly in the body. These vitamins for acne work together, and a deficiency in one B vitamin can lead to a deficiency in another. The B group of vitamins improves the functions of the brain and liver, and helps the bones, hair, and muscles.

In skin disorders, like acne, they provide relief from rashes, dryness, and itchy skin.

A supplement of 100mg of each of the major B vitamins is recommended.

You will deplete your vitamin B if you consume a lot of sugar, breads and other white flour products, processed foods, caffeine, or alcohol. A deficiency can also result if you are ill, exposed to pollution, or experience stress.

Vitamin B3: This vitamin has been used to treat inflammatory skin conditions. Also known as Niacin, B3 maintains a healthy skin, mouth and digestive tract.

It is also necessary for normal mental functioning and can increase blood circulation and help bring down high blood pressure.

Vitamin B5: This vitamin is necessary for metabolism and studies show it may decrease sebum in the skin and reduce acne. Vitamin B5, or pantotheic acid, is the most effective vitamins for acne treatment. You need to take more of it than other vitamins to maximize its efficiency, but there is no risk because B5 is water-soluble.

If your body has enough vitamin B5, it will speed the rate your body metabolizes skin oil, and will help prevent most acne. B5 helps to balance hormonal activity, effective in acne treatment.

Vitamin B6: This vitamin aids in the metabolism of hormones. Recommended dosage is 50mg 3 times a day.

Vitamins C and E: These vitamins for acne are antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation. Vitamin E is necessary in the body for vitamin A to work properly. Doses of 400 IU a day for vitamin E together with 500 to 1000mg of vitamin C is recommended.

Supplements for Acne

Chromium: Chromium helps the body to break down glucose. It can help to reduce skin infection rates by breaking down sugars that induce acne. 200mcg is recommended daily.

Colliodal Silver: Colliodal silver is an anti-microbial which kills bacteria. Bacteria does not build resistance to it, unlike many antibiotics. It is normally sprayed or inhaled. There are no known side effects to date.

Evening Primrose Oil: This supplement has an unusually concentrated amount of an essential fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Once processed in the body, this omega-6 fatty acid has anti-inflammatory and other healing properties.

Evening primrose oil dilutes sebum, and its essential fatty acids may reduce the clogging of pores and development of lesions.

Take 1,000 mg evening primrose oil three times a day. This provides 240 mg of GLA over the course of a day.

Potassium: This supplement regulates the transfer of nutrients to cells and maintains water balance in body tissues and cells. In some studies, a deficiency in potassium has been associated with acne.

MSM: Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a dietary supplement that is a nutritional sulphur – not to be confused with the sulfur family. Studies have found that including MSM in the diet helps to heal acne.

MSM is safe, and you cannot overdose on it because the body takes only what it needs and flushes out anything in excess after 12 hours.

Selenium: Selenium helps the body use vitamin E and prevents inflammation. The recommended daily allowance is 70mg per day. Some suggest between 100 to 200mg to treat acne.

Zinc: Studies indicate that zinc may be an effective treatment for inflammatory acne and heals damaged skin. This mineral helps to regulate oil glands, and is an antioxidant that can eradicate toxins in your skin cells.

30 - 50 mg Zinc supplement daily may help contribute to reducing the inflammation and heals the damaged skin.

Sources:

Acne Resource Centre http://www.acne-resource.org/ Whole Health MD.COM http://www.wholehealthmd.com/

Find out here how to control your acne with food, nutrients and supplements.

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