A-C-E Your Acne: Vitamins for Treating Acne

Looking for a low-cost at-home pimple treatment? Here's how you can A-C-E your acne treatment with simple, inexpensive, and, if you take only the recommended dosage, safe vitamin therapies.

Vitamin A is the naturally occurring analog of the prescription drug tretinoin (Accutane). Like its chemical cousin, vitamin A reduces the production of sebum and slows the rate at which skin cells produce keratin. Together, these actions keep pores open and reduce the probability of infection.

The drawback to using vitamin A as a supplement is that a dose that is big enough to stop acne is big enough to cause side effects. Problems from using even up to 300,000 IU of vitamin A per day are rare, but they are significant. The first signs of vitamin A overdose are dry skin and chapped lips, especially in dry weather.

\Later signs of toxicity are headache, mood swings, and pain in muscles and joints. In massive doses, vitamin A can cause liver damage. In the first 3 months of pregnancy, it can cause birth defects. Women who are or may be come pregnant should not use more than 5,000 IU of vitamin A per day, which is not enough to improve acne. Discontinue high-dosage vitamin A at the first sign of toxicity, and never use it for more than 3 months at a time.

In true vitamin C deficiency, acne, along with gum sores, is a key diagnostic symptom. Just a tiny dose of vitamin C, however, a mere 10 mg a day, is enough to correct acne caused by vitamin C deficiency.For people who do not have scurvy, vitamin C does not have a scientifically demonstrated direct effect on acne, but it makes other vitamins more available. Studies at the Northern Ireland Centre for Diet and Health have found that taking vitamin C increases the amount of available vitamin E in the bloodstream by about 10 percent. Taking vitamin E increases the amount of available vitamin C in the bloodstream by about 60 percent.

Vitamin C also may protect against the side effects of prescription acne drugs. Tetracycline antibiotics for acne, especially minocycline (Cyclimycin, Minocin, or Trimomin), cause a condition known as "blue smile," a discoloration of the tongue and teeth. Scientists at the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas have found that giving vitamin C to lab rats at a dosage approximating 1,000 mg per day in humans prevents staining of teeth during minocycline therapy.
Vitamin E is also an important cofactor for vitamin A. In laboratory studies with animals, the amount of vitamin A in the bloodstream stays low regardless of intake until vitamin E levels are normal. Vitamin E supplementation is useful even if you do not take vitamin A, since it complements the vitamin A available from the diet.

Read about Homeopathy for Acne and get the scoop on Nutritional Recommendations for Acne, too. You may also be interested in:

Vitamin B5 (Panthothenic Acid) for Acne
Zinc, Glutathione, and Acne
Azelaic Acids for Acne
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids for Acne
Selenium for Treating Acne
Tea Tree Oil and Calendula for Acne