Are Your Supplements Secretly Causing Your Breakouts?
If you've been struggling with acne despite eating right, using the best skincare, and staying on top of everything, there's a chance you're overlooking something: your vitamins and supplements.
Over the years, I've noticed a sneaky cause of acne that's easy to miss—some of your most common supplements can cause breakouts. Yes, that “healthy” multivitamin you take daily just might be the reason for your persistent acne.
Before we dive into the “why,” let's take a look at what happened to Stephen when he started taking the wrong vitamins:
One day, Stephen started taking a multivitamin containing Vitamin B12, biotin, iodine, and kelp, and sometimes he took it twice a day to be “even healthier.”
His skin blew up.
Picture #1 was his first visit to my office, when he was just starting to notice a breakout - he came in because he'd never had acne before.
Picture #2 was 4 weeks later, and his skin only got worse.
Picture #3 was 12 weeks later. As you can see, his skin broke out more and more as all the acne rose to the surface. In Stephen's case, his acne took longer than the usual 12 weeks to clear because of the double dose of vitamins.
It's also important to note that Stephen stopped taking his vitamins the day of his first appointment with me, but his skin continued to break out for 12 weeks after that.
There is always a delay with acne breakouts - the acne you have today was actually formed at least 4-12 weeks ago.
Let's break it down why this happens.
Common Acne Triggers in Your Supplements
In most cases, vitamins are good for you (as long as the quality is great). But it you have acne, many common vitamins and supplements contain ingredients that are known to cause breakouts.
*Always check with your doctor before making any changes to vitamins and supplements.*
Here are some ingredients that are known to trigger acne:
Biotin: Often found in “hair, skin, and nails” supplements and most multivitamins, biotin increases cell turnover but clogs pores due to this cell proliferation. You'll notice tiny, inflamed bumps all over your face from biotin.
Iodine & Potassium Iodide: These are huge culprits hiding in multivitamins and prenatals. They irritate your pores and lead to inflamed breakouts, usually along the chin, jawline, and mouth area.
Kelp, Chlorella, Spirulina, Irish Moss: Common in “superfood” or “green” supplements, these algae-derived ingredients are huge acne triggers due to their high iodine content.
Gel Capsules: Many supplements come in gel caps filled with corn oil or soybean oil, which are highly inflammatory, high in iodides, and cause breakouts. Opt for powdered capsules if you can.
Vitamin B12: A known acne trigger that can be found in most multivitamins and prenatals. I recommend getting a blood test to check B12 levels before supplementing with it - always check with your doctor first.
Even one small dose a week of these ingredients can cause new acne to form, which will show up on your skin about 4-12 weeks later. For example, popular fizzy vitamin drinks during cold and flu season—like Emergen-C or Airborne—are packed with acne-triggering ingredients such as B12 and iodine.
Look at what happened to my client Amanda's skin when she got sick and took Emergen-C packets for only one week! Her skin was clear prior to this, and these breakouts took 10 weeks to fully clear after she stopped taking her supplement.
If you're taking any of these, it could explain why your acne just won't go away, no matter how hard you try, or why you've suddenly started to break out “out of nowhere."
Supplements That Help Your Skin
Now, there are supplements that actually support your skin and can help reduce your acne. Here's what I recommend to my clients:
Zinc Monomethionine: This acts as an anti-inflammatory and has been shown to have an affect on acne similar to antibiotics. Acne-prone people are often low in zinc, and supplementing with it can reduce the severity of cystic acne.
Turmeric Root: Highly anti-inflammatory, turmeric helps soothe and heal acne lesions.
Reishi Mushroom: Balances stress and boosts your immune system by increasing white blood cell production, helping your body fight off acne-causing bacteria.
Probiotics: If you've been on antibiotics for acne (oral or topical), you need probiotics. Antibiotics wipe out good bacteria in your gut, which can worsen acne. Probiotics help restore this balance, reducing breakouts from the inside out.
So, what's the takeaway? It's important to know what to avoid when you have acne. Many vitamins marketed as “clear skin vitamins” can actually do more harm than good for your skin. I've seen it happen to countless clients, and it's happened to me as well.
