Millions of people around the world suffer from a common skin problem every day; Acne!
Whatever your age might be, you can never be truly immune to the breakout of acne. Nobody ever said, “I am so happy, I got acne.” It is pretty common for teens. The unlucky ones suffer from it throughout their lives.
You might be in your twenties and still, suffer from severe or mild cases of acne. [1]
People use different methods to get rid of acne. There are various options from topical treatment, oral treatment, lifestyle changes, natural herbs, mineral supplements, to vitamins for acne relief. [2]
What is Acne and What Causes Them?
Acne is directly related to your hormones and skin type, and in some cases, are genetic.
Every one of us has Propionibacterium acne bacteria on our faces. But for some reasons, not all of us show the outbreaks of these bacteria. [3]
There is no particular cause of acne. But a lot of eternal and external triggers may lead to an acne outbreak.
The called sebaceous glands in your body produce sebum or fat. Overproduction of this body fat or body oil may clog your skin pores. [2,3]
Someone with inflammatory disease produces an excessive amount of body fat. This excessive body fat forms a plug with dead skin cells and blocks the vesicle.
If the blocked vesicle is near your skin surface, it balloons outward and forms whiteheads. If the plug is the highest of the cyst – gap on to the skin surface, it may cause blackheads.
Bacteria that go on the skin are sometimes utterly harmless. But in case of excessive fat production, these bacteria could cause the encompassing skin to become red, itchy, inflamed and sore.
Areas of skin with the foremost follicles are the face, higher back, and chest. Now you know why acne tends to occur in these regions.
Acne can be small and painless, or red, throbbing and painful. In most cases, if you touch the acne and then touch any other part of your face, there is a huge possibility you would get another bump there. Yeah, acne is highly contagious. [4]
Acne on your jawline or chin area can mean that you need to change your diet. It may be an indication you eat too many oily foods, sugar, dairy products, and processed food. So, you might need something which is rich and nutrient and can cleanse your stomach. [5]
If you are always stressing over stuff, I have a news flash for you. It can be visible on your face. You can notice acne on your skin after a sleepless or stressful night. There are several supplements for reducing stress. [6]
There are some minerals and vitamins which can work miracles for your acne.
8 Vitamins That You Can Help You Get Rid of Acne
1. Vitamin A for Acne
Vitamin A is one of the most popular and useful vitamins for relieving acne.
In all the cases people who have acne outbreaks show vitamin A deficiency on their skin.
There are five major compounds which we remark as vitamin A. There is vitamin A1, and four provitamins known as carotene. Of all carotenoids in nature, solely four have vitamin A activities. These are alpha, beta, and gamma carotene likewise as beta-cryptoxanthin. [7]
Vitamin A1 is that the biologically active kind of vitamin A. Doctors also refers to Vitamin A1 as Retinol. [7]
We get the carotenes mostly from plant sources whereas vitamin A1 from animals. [8]
By these mechanisms, the vitamin prevents the assembly of excess secretion and therefore the formation of inflammatory skin disease lesions. [9]
However, the most crucial anti-acne advantage of vitamin A is its antioxidant activity.
Vitamin A shows potent antioxidant activity. This is the most important function of Vitamin A against acne.
It protects the skin by removing reactive oxygen species and different harmful free radicals from the skin. [10]
It is not easy to determine, whether you have Vitamin A deficiency or not. But if you have rough, dry skin, bumps on the back of your arms, chronic inflammation and suffer from night blindness, you most likely have Vitamin A deficiency. [11]
The best source of Vitamin A is foods which are rich in Vitamin A. You can consume up to 800ug of Vitamin A each day. This will keep your skin healthy and smooth.
But there are some severe side effects of Vitamin A overdose including permanent dry eyes, depression and in some cases destroyed sexual function.
2. Vitamin B5 for Acne
Vitamin B5 or B-complex vitamin takes an active part in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. [12]
However, its most significant biological role is in the production of coenzyme A, an essential chemical compound in several physiological processes within the body.
The active type of vitamin B5 is D-pantothenic acid. We get this vitamin from meat, whole grains, cereals, legumes, dairy product, and eggs.
Vitamin B5 deficiency is rare however once it does occur, one amongst its symptoms is acneiform eczema.
There is a pair of mechanisms by which vitamin B5 facilitate stop and relieve acne symptoms.
First, it reduces the sizes of skin pores. This astringent-like constriction of the pores is not like that created by regular acne medications.
Regular acne medications often have the side effect of skin dryness.
Vitamin B5 shrinks the pores. The shrunk pores cause the fat build-up to be pushed bent on the skin surface wherever it is sloughed off.
Moreover, due to the shrinking of the pores, you will have lesser chances of clogged pores due to dead skin cells, bacterium, and excess fat. [13]
The second means by which vitamin B5 improves acne symptoms involve coenzyme A. vitamin B increases the assembly of coenzyme A that then quickens metabolism. This suggests that there’s way less fat pushed to the fatty glands. This reduces the amount of fat stored under your skin.
Because excess secretion on the skin provides the perfect setting for the expansion of acne-causing bacterium, this impact of vitamin B5 is enough to starve this bacterium and cut back acne breakouts. [14]
If you maintain a healthy diet, it is highly unlikely, that you are suffering from Vitamin B5 deficiency.
The symptoms of Vitamin B5 deficiency can be insomnia, irritation, fatigue, burning feet, depression, stomach pain and frequent upper respiratory infection.
This vitamin is water soluble. Therefore, there is a slim chance of overdose. Nevertheless, you should not take more than 20-50 grams of Vitamin B5 per day. Excessive consumption may cause diarrhea,
3. Vitamin B6 for Acne
Vitamin B6 is a group of 7 related compounds. Six of these are interconvertible. Two of these compounds are pyridoxine and pyridoxal phosphate or PLP. [15]
Vitamin B6 keeps your hormonal levels at a required level and controls your prostaglandin release.
Consumption of the vitamin might reduce the production of male sex hormones like testosterone. Testosterone is often known to be the cause of acne. [16]
Again, this vitamin reduces the inflammatory response caused as a response to skin injuries by different hormones.
There is something you should know before getting all cheered up about using this vitamin for acne whenever you feel like it. An overdose of this vitamin might cause a severe breakout. And, the case might be fatal if you take this vitamin with Vitamin B12.
4. Vitamin B7 for Acne
Another type of vitamin B is Vitamin B7. Scientists and doctors also refer to it as biotin, vitamin H or Coenzyme R.
We can find this vitamin in raw egg yolk, livers, Swiss chards, peanuts, vegetables, and corn. [17]
Vitamin B7 actively works in fat metabolism, maintaining blood glucose level and regulation. It also helps with cellular growth under the skin and the syntheses of the amino acids, valine, and isoleucine.
So, when you take any other B type vitamin, we suggest you take a moderate amount of Vitamin B7 to balance the scale.
Deficiency of Vitamin B7 can cause acne or acne-like symptoms.
Again, an overdose of B7 can cause the deficiency of Vitamin B5, which may lead to breakouts of acne.
Like with Vitamin B5, it is rare for us to suffer from Vitamin B7 deficiency. But excessive hair loss, conjunctivitis, depression, hallucination, seborrhea and acne-like dermatitis can be the sign that you have vitamin B7 deficiency.
5. Vitamin B12 for Acne
We often refer to Vitamin B12 as Cobalamin.
Eggs, milk, milk products, fish, shellfish, poultry and fortified foods are rich in Vitamin B12.
This vitamin has no direct effect on acne. However, it is involved in cellular metabolism.
Vitamin B12 synthesis fatty acid actively and takes part in DNA production. This vitamin also plays an essential regulatory role in the immune system and endocrine system. [18]
This vitamin indirectly reduces the inflammatory response of the immune system at the skin.
But, an overdose of this particular vitamin might result in an acne breakout. [19]
Memory loss, confusion, weakness, fatigue, breathlessness and poor balance can be the sign of vitamin B12 deficiency. [20]
Make sure to incorporate foods which are rich in Vitamin B12 in your diet.
6. Vitamin C for Acne
This is one of the most frequently used vitamins in our daily lives.
We also know this vitamin C by the name ascorbic acid. [21]
This vitamin is soluble in water and rich in antioxidants. The antioxidant of this vitamin fights acne.
Again, vitamin C produces stable collagen in your skin. This collagen prevents the skin’s protective barrier from breaking down as toxins come up to the surface. [22]
Vitamin C also prevents skin pigmentation and can help remove acne scars. The protective effect produced by vitamin C on the skin is especially useful in acne treatment when oral antibiotics are used to clear acne breakouts.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, raw liver, milk, and oysters are rich in Vitamin C. Include those in your daily diet.
7. Vitamin D for Acne
This one is hardly a vitamin. It is one type of hormone that your body manufactures when exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Therefore, is known as the sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D stops excessive growth of fat under your skin.
Like I said earlier, excessive fat cells under your skin are one of the culprits which cause acne. [23]
Right dosage of Vitamin D will give your skin protection against anti-inflammation.
Vitamin D also has antimicrobial property. Therefore, it fights against the acne-causing bacteria. [24]
The antioxidant property of Vitamin D protects your skin against oxidative stress.
If you have low muscle and trouble sleeping, it might be because you have Vitamin D deficiency.
Beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks are rich in Vitamin D.
8. Vitamin E for Acne
Vitamin E has antioxidant property. It clears up your skin from reactive oxygen, which is produced while fat metabolism under your skin.
This vitamin also helps in regenerating the tissues, therefore helps with the scarring caused by acne. [25]
Dietary sources of vitamin E include sunflower oil, safflower oil and wheat germ, green leafy vegetables, almonds, hazelnut and palm oil.
Almonds, sunflower oil, sweet potatoes, and avocados are extremely rich in vitamin E.
Things to Keep in Mind
- You need to determine your skin type, before taking any of these vitamins for treating acne problem. All of these vitamins do not suit all skin types.
- You can incorporate a healthy amount of nutrient-rich foods into your diet. In most cases, you do not need to consult anybody for that. But if you plan to take these vitamins topically or as a supplement, then you better consult with your dermatologist.
- Do not take any of these vitamins on a large scale. Overdosage of any of these vitamins can be harmful to you.
- Some of these vitamins might create the deficiency of other essential vitamins. So, it is better to consult with a doctor before taking any of these.
Bottom Line
Acne is one of the most common skin problems we face. Apart from the pain, itch, and irritation, acne might make some of us self-conscious and horrible.
Our lives are stressful as it is. Who wants to worry about some bump on their face on top of that? So, if you are just done with acne and want to solve this problem once and for all, I suggest you improve your diet and talk to your dermatologist.
Take the vitamins you need, eat healthy food, and exercise to reduce the extra fat. Do not stress yourself, drink enough water, and make sure you are getting enough sleep. You will get smooth and spotless skin in no time.
