I was hoping this day would never come – the day that I had to admit there might be some potential side effects to vitamin B12 supplements! I have heard from a few people over the years that they had a reaction to vitamin B12 supplements. In those cases, it was not clear whether it was the actual vitamin B12 or possibly another chemical that was included in the supplement preparation. But in June of 2010, someone wrote me saying that there had been some discussion on a German Blog that several people started getting “bad” skin after taking b12 supplements. As I am not a reader of German, I noted it but did not research further. Then, on October 27, someone commented on the Will a Multivitamin Cover B12 Needs? post, saying they had developed acne after supplementing with vitamin B12. I did some more research and found some cases in the scientific literature in which vitamin B6 and/or vitamin B12 was thought to be the cause of acne and rosacea. I have added the page Side Effects of B12 Supplements to Vitamin B12: Are You Getting It?
in order to alert people to this possibility. It would be good to know what sort of dose could typically cause this problem, how much of a culprit vitamin B12 is compared to vitamin B6, and if all forms of vitamin B12 are implicated. I found very little on it and the most recent report was from 2001, so it is not an area of much study at this point. Of course, if you suspect high doses of vitamin B12 to be causing a problem for you, opt for smaller doses more often (see Recommendations). This entry was posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2011 at 1:05 pm and is filed under Acne, Vitamin B12. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.Just when you thought you were doing something great for your health, it turns out your nutritional supplement might be having an undesirable side effect on your skin. Leslie Baumann, MD, a renowned dermatologist based in Miami who wrote the skin health bible The Skin Type Solution says taking certain vitamin Bs—specifically vitamin B6 and B12—may be behind bouts of acne.
Not dirt or oil. “Those with a history of acne are more prone, but I’ve seen vitamin Bs causing acne in those without a history, too,” Dr. Baumann says. How or why these B-complex vitamins cause acne isn’t exactly known. According to Baumann, you don’t necessarily need to avoid B vitamins in food—potatoes, bananas, chickpeas have loads of B6; and eggs and fish are swimming with B12. But reconsider your multi-vitamin and intake of energy drinks. Not-so-innocent Red Bull, while giving you wings with caffeine and vitamin B, can be giving you zits, too. “If you notice any acne flare-ups that coincide with supplements or energy drinks, stop taking them and see if your skin clears up. Give it about a month,” advises Dr. Baumann. Interestingly, B6 and B12 are not the only vitamins that may have adverse affects on the skin. B3, commonly known as niacin, can cause flushing, and too high doses of selenium and vitamin A can cause hair loss, says Baumann. And you already knew getting vitamin D through sunlight alone isn’t a good idea.
Want to fight acne the natural way? Here are 10 ways to do it, which is pretty handy considering there are all sorts of ways you could be sabotaging your skin without even realizing it. The 10 Game Changing Wellness Tips that you'll definitely want to follow in 2017 Also subscribe me to these editions:The world of Instagram and other social media outlets can make it seem like going vegan is the ultimate cure-all, helping everything from weight loss to mood regulation to improving overall skin health and complexion. So, it can be frustrating - even worrisome - to find breakouts or changes in skin’s appearance after going vegan.However, in reality, breakouts and skin changes aren’t all that uncommon for people transitioning to a vegan diet - or any major shift in the way you eat. In addition to simply reacting to a sudden change in your diet, there are several reasons why you might see an increase in acne when first going plant-based. Hormonal Reaction to SoyVitamin B12 OverconsumptionZinc DeficiencyFood AllergiesHow to Reduce Breakouts After Switching to a Vegan DietVegan Diet and Acne
As many new vegans look to replace meat and eggs as proteins in their diet, they may turn to soy to stand in as their new go-to protein. While soy products are perfectly safe to eat despite some controversy, there is no getting around the fact that the phytoestrogens in soy products can alter the balance of hormones in the body.In women’s bodies especially, there is a balancing act taking place between androgens (male sex hormones) and estrogens (female sex hormones). The phytoestrogens block the conversion of androgens to estrogen, resulting in a scenario where there are more male hormones than female hormones. Some studies show that a month on a phytoestrogen-rich diet led to a 20-30% reduction in estrogen and that imbalance can cause hormonal estrogen.This is important for new vegans to keep in mind, who might be turning to tofu and soy-based meat alternatives to replace the animal products they have phased out.Any new vegan knows (or should know) that supplementing vitamin B12 is necessary on a plant-based diet, as it can be difficult to get adequate levels of this vital nutrient from plants.
However, taking vitamin B12 can result in breakouts in some people.Studies find that, in the presence of vitamin B12, the skin bacteria that is commonly linked to acne begin producing inflammatory molecules that lead to pimples. This means that previously clear skin can start breaking out and getting pimples in people who take supplements or injections for this vitamin.Unsure of exactly how much B12 supplementation is necessary, many new vegans actually over-supplement this nutrient to compensate for consuming less of the vitamin through their diet. To reduce or avoid suffering B12-related acne, make sure you are only supplementing as much as necessary for your body. Continue Reading: A Guide to Finding the Best B12 Supplement for Vegans Zinc promotes clear, healthy skin by transporting vitamin A to the skin, skin cell renewal, and carrying out all-important hormone regulation within the body. When a person is deficient in zinc, skin cells clump together instead of dying and falling off the body like they do in bodies of individuals with adequate zinc levels.
The stuck-on skin cells lead to clogged pores, which are the main culprit for acne and breakouts.Vegans tend to be at risk for zinc deficiency, as many zinc-rich foods like red meat and seafood are obviously not appropriate for a plant-based diet. Additionally, vegans can experience a one-two punch for zinc deficiency because the vegan diet tends to be higher in grains and beans than an omnivorous diet. While grains and beans provide their own health benefits, the phytates in these foods bind up minerals, including zinc, and prevent them from being absorbed by the body. To make matters worse, the zinc from plants is more difficult for your body to absorb, so with the combination of hurdles, vegans are especially prone to zinc deficiency.If you have white spots on your fingernails, dry skin, hangnails, frequent colds, hair loss, diarrhea, low sex drive, or acne, you may benefit from a zinc supplement to clear up the skin and keep your body healthy and happy.While topical treatments like face creams and washes can help acne sufferers, ultimately, acne develops from inside the body.
Our skin is an organ of elimination, helping us remove waste products from inside the body to the outside. Food allergies, because they start from inside the digestive system, can have a huge impact on acne and blemishes on the outside of skin.Going plant-based may lead you to introduce foods into your diet that you hadn’t eaten previously, or eat more of something you used to eat sparingly. If you have an allergy to certain foods, the reactions might manifest themselves in breakouts and blemishes on the skin as your body fights to remove the “toxins” from inside. If you’re experiencing acne and skin issues after going vegan, it’s worth it to get an allergy panel test from your doctor. You’ll be armed with information about what causes reactions in your body, so you can avoid foods that cause skin problems, and eat more of the healthy vegan foods that your body doesn’t have any aversion to.Luckily, suffering through acne and other unpleasant skin conditions isn’t a requirement for leading a plant-based lifestyle.
In many cases, skin can be cleared up through making changes to diet, supplementation, and keeping a good daily skin care regimen.Supplementation is an important part of any vegan diet, but consuming too much or too little of any vitamin or mineral can lead to nutritional issues that result in acne. Vitamin B12Every vegan should take a good B12 supplement, but in this case, more isn’t better. When supplementing with vitamin B12, be sure to take the right amount of the vitamin for your age, gender, and activity level. Most adults ages 14 and up only need about 2.4 mcg per day, while pregnant and breastfeeding women need 2.6 and 2.8 mcg daily, respectively. Taking more than the recommended amount may cause the bacteria on the skin responsible for acne to begin producing molecules that lead to pimples, while too little will lead to neurological issues, so it’s best to hit this one right on the money. ZincOn the flip side, adding a zinc supplement to your diet may help clear up frustrating acne, as well as any other deficiency-related side effects.
Adult men should aim to consume 11 mg of zinc per day, while adult women only need about 8 mg. (more info on zinc dosage here.)Always make sure to take your zinc supplement with or after food, as taking the mineral on an empty stomach can lead to nausea and vomiting. When first switching to a vegan diet, it might be easy and tempting to simply replace any meat, eggs, and dairy products with soy-based alternatives. While soy is perfectly healthy in reasonable quantities, a day filled with tofu, soy-based seems-like-meats, and copious amounts of soy milk might lead to a hormone imbalance in the body which can cause acne and breakouts. If you find yourself consuming larges amounts of soy products as you transition from animal products, consider swapping out some of your soy products for other plant-based foods. Almond or coconut milk are soy-free dairy milk, while beans or seitan can stand in for tofu in an entree. Consider reducing the amount of soy products you consume each day.
When introducing new plant-based foods into your diet after pledging to go vegan, you may also wind up consuming foods that cause an allergic reaction in your body. If you’re struggling with acne after giving up animal-based foods and have introduced lots of plant-based foods into your diet, talk to your doctor about running an allergy panel at your next appointment. This brief test will let you know which foods react negatively with your body so you can avoid them and clear up any frustrating acne. Your doctor may also place you on an elimination diet - this whittles the diet down to basics and slowly reintroduces foods so you can pinpoint the exact foods that cause issues in your body. Some common foods and food groups might be wheat, gluten, nightshades, or FODMAPs. Your doctor will be better able to pinpoint any foods causing acne that aren’t cleared up by changes in supplementation or elimination diets.Lastly, a good skincare regimen is a key pillar to keeping acne at bay, whether it’s caused by diet or otherwise.
You can get started keeping breakouts at bay by using a basic acne skin care routine. FDo you have dry, flaky skin that tends to be dull, or do you have shiny oil patches on your forehead by the afternoon? Determining your skin type is the foundation of building an effective skin care routine, as it will determine what products and techniques you use to keep skin clear. that is suited to your particular skin type, and use this to cleanse your face one to two times daily. Take extra care not to rub your skin, as this can cause irritation and exacerbate breakouts, and pat skin dry with a soft towel. Your first thought when it comes to curing acne might be to dry your skin out, but this will only make the problem worse. All skin requires moisture, so make sure not to skip this critical step. To help seal in moisture, use the product while skin is damp after rinsing your cleanser. If you have oily skin, you can use a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer to keep skin healthy and clear. Always be sure to remove makeup before bed and wear sunscreen when you go out during the day.