Vitamin Supplements for Acne

There are a few time-honored vitamin and mineral supplements that can aid you in your fight against acne. Please note that these are supplements meant to be taken internally - external or topical vitamins or minerals for acne are a different subject.

If you have stubborn acne, it's quite possible that these vitamins and minerals will be able to help you.

Vitamin B5 for acne

Taking vitamin b5 (pantothenic acid) for acne is often cited as being effective for acne. Unfortunately, there seems to be only one study supporting the use of vitamin b5 for acne, and this study appeared in 1981. Further research on the effects of vitamin b5 on acne is not extant. Most people receive adequate amounts of vitamin b5 from their diets. Supplementation with this vitamin for acne may not be effective.

Zinc for acne

Zinc (as zinc gluconate) has been clinically tested and proven to be effective against acne breakouts. In fact, proper zinc supplementation was nearly as effective as the antibiotic minocycline over 90 days of treatment. Zinc is thought to work even better against acne when combined with other treatments.

Unfortunately, zinc is not a benign supplement. In high doses, zinc can build up in the body and become toxic. More than 100 mg of zinc per day is not recommended. High zinc levels can deplete the body of the essential metals copper and manganese, so it's probably best to get zinc from a multivitamin or a formula that contains all three metals.

Vitamin A for acne

Vitamin A is thought to be an effective anti acne supplement. Vitamin A is an antioxidant which is usually found in nature in the form of beta carotene, which the body freely converts to Vitamin A. In addition, beta carotene is not toxic in large quantities. Unfortunately, Vitamin A is fat soluble and can be toxic when taken in its pure form in excessive doses.

Although these anti acne vitamins and supplements are thought to work, they are a complement to rather than a replacement of your anti acne skin care regime. So add these supplements in, but keep cleansing and exfoliating, too.