Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements for Acne

In a double-blind trial, topical application of a 4% niacinamide gel twice daily for two months resulted in significant in improvement in people with acne. However, there is little reason to believe this vitamin would have similar actions if taken orally.

Several double-blind trials indicate that zinc supplements reduce the severity of acne. In one double-blind trial, though not in another, zinc was found to be as effective as oral antibiotic therapy. Doctors sometimes suggest that people with acne take 30 mg of zinc two or three times per day for a few months, then 30 mg per day thereafter. It often takes 12 weeks before any improvement is seen. Long-term zinc supplementation requires 1–2 mg of copper per day to prevent copper deficiency.

Large quantities of vitamin A—such as 300,000 IU per day for females and 400,000–500,000 IU per day for males—have been used successfully to treat severe acne. However, unlike the long-lasting benefits of the synthetic prescription version of vitamin A (isotretinoin as Accutane®), the acne typically returns several months after natural vitamin A is discontinued. In addition, the large amounts of vitamin A needed to control acne can be toxic and should be used only under careful medical supervision...