7 Supplements That Might Be Causing Your Breakouts

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Supplements are supposed to help you get healthier. But, if you're starting a new regimen and your skin has broken out, you may be wondering if your supplements are causing your breakout.

The short answer is that some popular supplements can cause acne breakouts or worsen an existing acne condition. So, which supplements are they, and why does it happen? Let's take a closer look at the link between supplements and acne breakouts.

What causes acne?

At its most basic level, acne develops when both sebum - an oily, fatty substance your sebaceous glands make - and dead skin cells clog your pores. This can cause whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. It can also cause inflammation and redness of the skin. But, there's usually an underlying reason (or reasons) for the pore clogging.

"Acne is a complex condition that is multifactorial, affected by genetic, hormonal, environmental, and dietary factors," said Robin Evans, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

"Every individual's acne is unique to that person and each person needs a thorough evaluation, preferably by a board-certified dermatologist, to determine the causes for their acne and how to address those causes," Dr. Evans said.

Which supplements can cause acne?

Any supplements can cause acne if your body is particularly sensitive to one of the ingredients. But, vitamins like B6, B12, and iodine, and muscle-building supplements, like testosterone, whey, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), are the biggest culprits.

Let's review the more common acne-causing supplements below.

Vitamins B6 and B12

No one is quite sure why, but taking high-doses of vitamin B6 and B12 (more than 5 mg to 10 mg per week) has been shown to cause acne breakouts or worsen existing acne.

One theory is the metabolism of Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) - the bacteria linked to acne - needs B12. When you supplement with the vitamin, you're essentially giving nutrients to the bacteria. This raises the production of porphyrin, a compound that helps you make red blood cells. And this can lead to inflammation and acne.

High-dose vitamins B6 and B12 have also been linked to rosacea fulminans, a condition that looks like acne. Rosacea is marked by large red bumps and pustules that typically appear on the nose, chin, and/or cheeks.

Iodine

Iodine is a key trace mineral that's important for proper thyroid function. But, it can be hard to get it from your diet unless you're eating a lot of saltwater fish, seaweed, or table salt. Many multivitamins have iodine to help bridge this gap. You also get a good amount of this mineral from kelp supplements.

Even so, supplements that have iodine (including kelp) can cause or worsen existing acne. Most commonly, acne caused by iodine shows up as inflamed pustules or whiteheads on the face and chest.

Whey protein

When it comes to dietary causes of acne, dairy is one of the worst offenders. When you digest the proteins in milk - whey and casein - it releases a hormone that's like insulin. This is called insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1). This rise in IGF-1 can cause or aggravate acne.

In fact, whey protein supplements have a more significant effect on insulin and IGF-1. This is because they have a high concentration of whey and barely any fat.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)

Like whey, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) boost insulin secretion from the pancreas and raise IGF-1. This can also lead to the overproduction of oil. The oil then gets trapped in the sebaceous glands and causes bumps and acne lesions.

Testosterone and other steroids

Muscle-building supplements, like testosterone and steroids, can raise sebum production - an oily substance made by your sebaceous glands. These glands cover a large part of your body. And they're especially concentrated on your face and scalp.

But, sebum isn't a bad thing - it lubricates and protects your skin. When your body makes too much, it can prevent normal skin shedding and block your pores. This can cause acne. Some muscle-building supplements may have steroids in them without you realizing it. That's why it's important to get your supplements from a trustworthy source.

Prenatal vitamins

Over-the-counter prenatal vitamins aren't regulated by the FDA, so their quality and content varies. It's possible that prenatal vitamins could contribute to acne if they have ingredients that trigger acne, like iodine and B vitamins.

Some prenatal vitamins have also been found to have high levels of lead and cadmium, which may be associated with the development of acne.

But so far, no studies have shown that a specific prenatal vitamin causes acne.

Will changing supplements help your acne?

Most cases of supplement-induced acne tend to clear up within a couple of weeks of stopping the supplement. You may not need to stop them completely. And it's possible that your dosages are just too high.

Talk with a healthcare professional before changing your treatment plan. This is especially true if the supplements you're taking were prescribed or you're deficient in key nutrients.

How do you treat acne?

If your acne is caused by your supplement routine, treating it may be as simple as stopping the supplements or lowering the dosages. But acne is often more complicated and there may be many contributing factors.

"Acne treatment is not cookie-cutter and generally includes a prescription topical regimen, systemic therapy where indicated, professional cleansing of comedones, dietary changes as appropriate, food sensitivity testing when indicated, and cyst injections where needed," Dr. Evans said, adding that medications can also cause acne and need to be addressed as well.

Dr. Evans also said that dietary changes can make a difference for some people. She recommends:

• Drinking more water

• Lowering dairy consumption

• Limiting intake of table salt

• Avoiding ultra-processed foods (like certain breads, pastries, and breakfast cereals)

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