Hair, Skin & Nails 6 MIN READ 1964 VIEWS February 21, 2022

Best Vitamins for Acne for a Clear Skin

Written By HealthKart
Medically Reviewed By Dr. Aarti Nehra

vitamins for acne

Skin is the most sensitive body organ. Any disturbance within your body directly reflects on the skin. Acne is one skin condition that invariably surfaces due to an imbalance of the levels of vitamins and minerals. In other words, hormonal changes, stress, constipation, lack of sleep, food allergies, etc. are responsible for an acne outbreak. Thus, a daily dose of vitamins for acne can help you get rid of the condition with ease. 

Importance of Vitamins for Acne

Vitamins and minerals are innumerable and each one confers a different benefit to the human body. Therefore, an ample supply of the assorted mix helps the body maintain its balance and function effectively. 

A comprehensive understanding of the stages of acne is important to find the best acne treatment. As the type of acne varies from mild, moderate, severe to cystic, each stage follows a variation in treatment too. Severe and cystic acne cannot be controlled and prevented without dermatological prescription. 

But interestingly, for every stage of acne, a concoction of vitamins of acne, when taken in sufficient quantities every day, provides the perfect body conditions to help treat this condition and reduce future outbreaks.

Best Vitamins for Acne Treatment

Every vitamin is important and useful for the body. Maintaining the right levels is equally important. Deficiency or excessive intake will have negative impacts. 

Listed below are the best vitamins for acne treatment

1. Vitamin A 

Vitamin A is one of the crucial vitamins for acne. It helps flush out free radicals and reduce toxic build-up from the body. This is important for removing the body waste which is directly linked to an acne outbreak. Also, optimum levels of Vitamin A in the body help strengthen the protective tissues of the skin and reduce the sebum production in the sebaceous glands.

Recommended daily intake of Vitamin A is 5000 IU. Foods rich in Vitamin A are spinach, broccoli, cheese, eggs, oily fish, cod-liver oil, milk, yogurt, liver, and liver products.

2. Vitamin B5

Counted amongst the most important vitamins for acne treatment, Vitamin B5 plays the crucial role of producing Coenzyme-A, a helper molecule required for the activation of certain enzymes which activate chemical reactions in the body. It helps break down the fats produced by the body and reduces the amount of oil secreted by the skin. As excess production of the sebum by the sebaceous glands is the key factor of acne outbreak, optimum levels of vitamin B5 help maintain the balance.

Recommended daily intake of Vitamin B5 is 5 mg per day. Foods rich in Vitamin B5 are meat, fish, grains, dairy products, and legumes.

3. Vitamin B6

Pyridoxine, commonly known as Vitamin B6, is one of the vital vitamins for skin acne. It boosts skin health and mucous membranes. People who suffer from Vitamin B6 deficiency tend to have dry, scaly, and itchy skin. Interestingly, both high and low levels of Vitamin B6 in the body are linked to an increase in acne production. Therefore, maintaining the optimum balance of Vitamin B6 is important. 

As excessive oil production by the sebaceous glands is responsible for acne outbreaks, Vitamin B6 helps correct the hormonal imbalance which triggers oil production. High production of testosterone, the primary male hormone, also leads to acne outbreak. Vitamin B6 helps balance the hormone levels. 

The recommended daily dose of Vitamin B6 is 1.2mg a day for women and 1.4mg a day for men. Foods rich in Vitamin B6 are pork, poultry, peanuts, soya beans, oats, bananas, pistachios, pinto beans, and avocado.

4. Vitamin C 

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin. As the body cannot produce it, vitamin C has to be consumed through a balanced diet. This vitamin is important to neutralize the body’s free radicals which are responsible for causing acne. The vitamin also plays a key role in healing, protecting, and producing new skin cells. 

Also, as Vitamin C is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, helping reduce redness and inflammation caused due to acne outbreaks and thus helps improve the appearance of the acne lesions.  

Vitamin C is also considered one of the best vitamins for acne scars. The presence of Vitamin C in the body increases the synthesis of collagen. Collagen is a protein that boosts the skin’s structure and helps rebuild healthy skin. As a result, Vitamin C plays a crucial role in accelerating the process of healing acne scars.

The recommended daily dose of Vitamin C ranges between 65 mg and 90 mg a day. Citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and leafy greens are best for Vitamin C.

5. Vitamin D

Vitamin D, or the sunshine vitamin, is produced by the body upon exposure to sunshine. The vitamin is known to possess antimicrobial properties. Thus, if the acne outbreak is spurred by bacterial overgrowth, Vitamin D will help calm the symptoms. Also, the anti-inflammatory properties of Vitamin D help reduce the redness and swelling around acne lesions. 

The recommended daily requirement of Vitamin D is 400-800 IU per day. In addition to sufficient sunlight, the foods which are rich in Vitamin D are cheese, mushrooms, fatty fish, egg yolk, and fortified milk.

6. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an important nutrient for the body as it supports the immune system and helps the cells to regenerate. It possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, making it one of the best vitamins for acne. This vitamin proves exceptionally helpful in reducing acne scars, as it is known to improve blood circulation under the skin.

Vitamin E is found in sunflower oil and seeds, soya bean oil, corn oil, almonds, and hazelnuts. The recommended daily dose of Vitamin E is 15 mg per day.

Other Vital Nutrients Essential for Acne Treatment

In addition to vitamins for acne, there are some other vital nutrients that help reduce acne and manage its spread and side effects. Read on to find out: 

1. Zinc 

Zinc is an important essential nutrient that the body needs for overall well-being and optimum functioning. Its primary role is to boost the immune system by fighting away harmful cells. Thus, it helps thwart the growth of bacteria that triggers acne growth.

Zinc helps regulate insulin levels and growth hormones. Its anti-inflammatory properties offer relief from redness, swelling, and irritation caused by acne. It also speeds up the acne healing process.

In addition to the vitamins for skin acne, the recommended daily dose of zinc is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. Foods rich in zinc are bananas, seafood, meat, poultry, nuts, and beans. Zinc consumption should be closely monitored, as high zinc intake can increase toxic build-up in the body, which in turn, increases acne growth.

2. Selenium 

Selenium is a trace mineral. Though required by the body in small quantities, its deficiency can cause impaired growth and muscle weakness. If the presence of selenium is less than the optimum levels in the body, it can lead to inflammatory skin conditions like acne. 

Selenium is required by the body to produce glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme that thwarts inflammation and swelling. It also possesses skin-supporting antioxidants which help minimize acne lesions and acne scars. 

The recommended daily dose of selenium is 55 mcg. Foods rich in selenium are nuts, fish, ham, pork, beef, turkey, chicken, cottage cheese, and brown rice.

3. Chromium 

Chromium is another trace mineral that in addition to the vitamins for acne helps improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. The high sugar levels trigger the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which in turn, spurs acne outbreak. Chromium is thus helpful in maintaining blood sugar levels and improves skin cell metabolism.

The recommended daily dose of chromium is 25-30 mcg. You can get it naturally through apples, bananas, grapes, beef, poultry, milk, and milk products. Vegetables like potatoes, broccoli, and green beans also contain high levels of Chromium.

4. Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide a range of health benefits. Probiotics are known to boost gut health. On the other hand, one of the most common causes of acne outbreaks is metabolic issues like constipation. Probiotics offer the required dose of ‘good’ bacteria which enhances metabolic activity. Once the probiotics help treat irritable bowel syndrome and constipation, the outbreak of acne reduces manifold. 

You can get probiotics naturally from foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, miso, and soy drinks

Conclusion 

Vitamins for acne, along with other beneficial nutrients, play a crucial role in improving your skin’s health. While some impact directly, others work indirectly to boost the overall health condition and thus reduce the acne outbreak. The detrimental impact of acne can thus be controlled by taking your daily dose of vitamins for acne treatment.

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