TLDR Acne is linked to vitamin B12 deficiency.
This case-control study investigated the relationship between acne and nutritional anemia among 114 individuals aged 15 to 25 in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia. The study found that patients with acne vulgaris had a significantly higher prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency (38.6%) compared to the control group, with a p-value of 0.041. Although the patient group showed lower levels of mean corpuscular volume, vitamin B12, ferritin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and hemoglobin, and higher levels of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and red cell distribution width, these differences were not statistically significant. The study concludes that there is a significant association between acne and vitamin B12 deficiency, suggesting the need for further research to confirm these findings.
14 citations
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January 2018 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology” Women with androgenetic alopecia have lower zinc and iron levels.
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October 2016 in “Clinics in Dermatology” Some medications can cause acne, and stopping these drugs is the main treatment.
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October 2010 in “Clinics in dermatology” Diet, especially dairy and high-sugar foods, can cause acne.
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63 citations
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May 2017 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” People with alopecia areata often have lower levels of vitamin D, zinc, and folate, but more research is needed to understand if supplements can help treat it.
