An excess of vitamin B12 affects bacteria that live on the human skin, claims a new study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).The researchers noticed a shift in the behavior of the skin bacteria that might lead to inflammation of the skin. Several researchers in the past have tried to connect vitamin B12 with the development of acne. However, the exact mechanism was not properly understood until the UCLA team discovered the interconnecting link between the vitamin and the appearance of acne – the skin bacteria.People who take B12 supplements have higher levels of the vitamin in their skin. However, the researchers found that the skin bacteria called Propionibacterium acnes lowered its production of B12 under such conditions.This resulted in an overall imbalance, leading to an excessive production of porphyrins, a naturally occurring chemical in the body. Porphyrins, that are known to cause inflammation, thus resulted in acne in such people.
However, lead researcher Huiying Li suggested the results should not considered conclusive until other researchers come up with the same findings that confirm the link between vitamin B12 and acne.“It is too early to suggest a clinical implication of our study in terms of B12 supplements,” said Li in a statement. “It is not clear if the regular intake of vitamin B12 from food can lead to acne breakout.”The complete study has been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.by Dr. Leo Galland Fish oils are a major source of omega-3 fats which have many health benefits. However there are numerous side effects of fish oil supplements. Breaking out a bottle of fish oil could lead to breaking out in acne. Some fish oil side effects include: Fish oils decrease the tendency of blood to clot. This action can cause side effects like bruising or prolonged bleeding from a cut. Some studies have found that this side effect is more likely to occur in people who take aspirin in addition to fish oils.
Fish oil supplements should usually be discontinued about 2 weeks before elective surgery. Fish oils can cause diarrhea, which is the most commonly reported side effect in clinical research studies. Diarrhea may necessitate lowering the dose of fish oil. Taking fish oils with food or with calcium pills (but not magnesium) may decrease this side effect. People may burp fish oil, or experience heartburn or reflux, a potentially damaging side effect. The side effect of burping fish oil may be reduced by using a delayed-release or enteric coated fish oil and by taking the capsules on an empty stomach with a large glass of water and a capsule of digestive enzymes. Fish oils may cause acne. This is more likely in people with oily skin. Acne as a side effect may be prevented by also taking zinc tablets (about 15 to 30 milligrams per day) and by avoiding supplements that contain vitamin B12. Acne is a potential side effect of vitamin B12. Fish oils may increase the need for omega-6 fats, especially those found in supplements like evening primrose oil, borage oil or black currant seed oil.
Because the omega-3 fats found in fish oil compete with omega-6 fats for use by the cells, it may actually induce a relative deficiency of omega-6 fats by taking fish oils. Signs that this side effect is happening are dry skin or hair, hair loss, brittle nails or menstrual irregularities, that start or get worse when taking fish oil. Fish oils may suppress the immune system, rather than strengthen it. This side effect can contribute to having more infections while taking fish oils. Reduction in the amount of fish oils used or taking antioxidant supplements could help.The Internet is littered with tales of people claiming to have overdosed on vitamin B12, or saying that they suffered various unpleasant symptoms as a result of taking B12 supplements. But the fact is, vitamin B12 is not toxic. If you’re an average, healthy person, you don’t need to worry about negative consequences from taking B12. Vitamin B12 Is Not Toxic Some vitamins are dangerous in large quantities.
For example, too much vitamin A will kill you (which is why you should never eat polar bear liver!), and high concentrations of vitamins D, E and K are also harmful. But these vitamins are fat-soluble, so they build up inside your body. Vitamin B12 is not fat-soluble; So any excess B12 in your body is simply excreted out in urine. There have been various scientific studies where test subjects were given extremely high doses of vitamin B12 (often several thousand times the RDA) for extended periods of time (months or years). None of this research suggested that these large quantities of B12 were in any way dangerous – there were no adverse effects. Hydroxocobalamin (a vitamer of B12) is used to treat cyanide poisoning, most commonly as a result of smoke inhalation. This is generally done by intravenously administering 5mg of B12 (the RDA is 2.4mcg!), and the procedure is sometimes repeated less than an hour afterwards. There would be no reason for anyone to ever take more than this amount of B12, and it doesn’t harm the patients – in fact it often saves their lives.
Many national health authorities don’t bother giving an upper limit to the amount of vitamin B12 that is safe to take, because as far as anyone knows, there is no upper limit. The US Food and Nutrition Board is just one of many national organisations that take this approach. The quantities of B12 found in food are tiny compared to what you can find in B12 supplements, so there’s certainly no risk of overdosing from your diet alone. Basically, unless you take more B12 than scientists have ever even considered, you won’t overdose. And even if you did take more, you’d probably still be fine. Despite not being toxic, it is possible to be allergic to vitamin B12 (or cobalt, a key building block of B12). However, it should be pointed out that vitamin allergies are exceptionally rare. If you have an allergic reaction to a dietary supplement, the chances are that it’s not a vitamin causing the problem, but a different ingredient. Either way, you should seek treatment immediately.
For the unfortunate few who are allergic to B12, symptoms may include: Vitamin B12 is known to interact with a number of different medications – you can take a look at our article on medical interactions for more information. You should also be wary of taking B12 supplements if you suffer from any of these conditions: The B12 Deficiency Alternative The point is that you shouldn’t be put off taking B12 supplements by the risk of overdose, toxicity or allergic reactions. Unless you fall into one of the very small and well-defined categories outlined above, you have absolutely nothing to fear. For the vast majority of people, it would be far better to take more than the RDA of vitamin B12 than to take too little. Not getting enough B12 can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency. This is a serious and unpleasant illness, and everyone should try to minimise their risk of suffering from it. Unfounded fears do nothing but stop people from taking supplements that would probably make them healthier and happier in the long run.