Vitamins
For Acne
Vitamin
A
Vitamin-A
as we all know is important for normal vision. It is also very important
for the health and maintenance of the skin and the reduction of sebum.
Take note, that Retinoids like Accutane and Tretinoin are forms of
Vitamin-A. If you have acne you should take about 10,000 IU because
low levels of Vitamin-A is said to aggravate acne and if you are pregnant,
you should cut the dose to 5000 IU. Vitamin-A also functions as an antioxidant
which protects the skin from damage due to free radicals and toxic substances.
High dosage of vitamin-A as retinol palmitate ( 100,000 to 5000 IU per
day ) have been found to treat severe acne but at this dose Vitamin-A
could be fatal. High doses of vitamin-A accumulates in the liver and
would cause liver and nerve damage. Fat soluble vitamins like vitamin-A
tends to accumulate in the body at toxic doses. Natural sources of vitamin-A
include liver, fish oils and also dairy products. Carotenoid is the
plant version of vitamin-A. Excessive consumption of carotenoids do
not lead to liver toxicity but it would turn your skin "orange"
( harmless side effect ). The skin discoloration effect is temporary
and could be normalized by reducing carotenoid consumption. Natural
sources of carotenoid are typically plants with reddish to yellowish
colors like Carrots and Squash.
Vitamin B Complex
The B vitamins usually work best when they are combined
because they work synergistically. They make your skin tone healthy
and they also relieve your stress or anxiety. Of course, stress and
anxiety are aggravating factors for acne. Anxiety and stress translates
into excessive oil/sebum production of the oil glands and then massive
breakouts.
Thiamine
(Vitamin B1) – this B vitamin provides antioxidant effect
on the body which helps get rid of toxins. Thiamine also promotes proper
circulation and digestion.
Natural sources include: Green peas, Spinach, Liver, Beef, Pork, Navy
beans, Nuts, Pinto beans
Dosage for individuals with acne: 100mg 3 times a day
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) – the main function of
vitamin B2 is for proper metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
It is also needed for healthy skin, hair and nails.
Natural sources: Milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, liver, yeast
Dosage for individuals with acne: 100mg 3 times a day
Niacinamide
(Vitamin B3) – It is also necessary for the maintenance
of healthy skin, proper circulation and metabolism of carbohydrates,
proteins and fats. Niacin is also needed to remove toxic chemicals from
the body and in the assistance of steroid hormone production ( sex and
stress hormones ).
Natural sources: peanuts, eggs and avocadoes.
Dosage for individuals with acne: 200mg 3 times a day
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) – This B vitamin
is mainly responsible for reducing stress and it is also needed for
the proper function of adrenal glands.
Dosage for individuals with acne: 100 mg 3 times daily.
Pyridoxine
(Vitamin B6) – Helps in the proper function of the immune
system.
Dosage for individuals with acne: 100 mg 3 times daily.
Vitamin C ( Ascorbic Acid )
Vitamin-C
functions as an antioxidant to prevent cell-damage due to free radicals
and infections. It hastens the healing of wounds and damaged tissues
like inflamed acne lesions. This vitamin also helps in the production
of collagen which is the supporting structure for connective tissues.
Vitamin-C also enhances the immune system which protects us from infections.
Natural sources of vitamin-C: citrus fruits, pineapples, guava and others
Dosage for individuals with acne: 1000 to 1600 mg 3 times daily
Chromium
It
is said that people with unstable blood sugar levels are susceptible
to severe forms of acne. Chromium helps in regulating unstable blood
sugar levels and thus it may reduce the incidence of severe acne. Chromium
is also a very popular supplement for diabetics which also helps them
regulate blood sugar levels.
Dosage for individuals with acne: 400 mcg per day.
Zinc
Zinc
enhances the healing ability of tissues and can prevent the formation
of scars. Zinc can also regulate the oil gland activity and reduce hyperactive
oil glands.
Dosage for individuals with acne: 25-30mg per day.
Vitamin
E
This
vitamin is also an antioxidant and thus it prevents free radical damage
to tissues. It also enhances the healing and repair of tissues.
References
- http://healing.about.com/od/acne/a/acnevitamins.htm
"Acne Prevention Vitamins - Powerful Antioxidants Guest article"
by Jennifer Thoden
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html
"Vitamins" (Topic last reviewed: 11 September 2007)
Page
last modified: January
07, 2008
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