Acne is a common skin disease that is caused by an overproduction of sebum. Dead skin cells and bacteria react with the sebum to cause the development of papules and inflammation. You can take several approaches to treating acne. Treatment with zinc supplements is a natural acne treatment that has been shown to work in some people.
Function
Zinc is a trace mineral that you get from foods in your diet. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the recommended daily allowance for zinc is 8 to 11 milligrams for an adult. Zinc deficiencies are rare for people living in industrialized countries but can occur in alcoholics, people on restrictive diets and those with malabsorption syndromes. Low levels of zinc are associated with slow wound healing and skin conditions like acne.
Effects
Zinc has been shown to be effective at reducing the severity of acne in some studies but not in others. MedlinePlus reports on zinc studies with mixed results. It concludes that it still remains to be determined what link there is between zinc levels in the body and acne because results from studies seem to contradict each other. Further confusion stems from the fact that high doses of zinc are often used in studies or zinc is combined with another form of treatment. such as antibiotics. The University of Michigan recommends taking only 60 to 90 milligrams of zinc per day for the treatment of acne.
Expert Insight
Taking zinc supplements for an extended period of time can cause a copper deficiency. To prevent this, the University of Michigan recommends that you take 1 to 2 milligrams of copper each day along with your supplemental zinc. It further advises to allow up to 12 weeks before improvement is seen in your acne.
Warning
According to the University of Maryland, zinc sulfate is the least expensive zinc supplement but it is also the least absorbed and might cause stomach irritation. It further warns that you should not take over 40 milligrams of zinc per day without talking to your doctor first. Side effects of too much zinc include upset stomach, nausea, metallic taste, vomiting, headache, dizziness, sweating, drowsiness, anemia and loss of muscle coordination. Zinc supplements may interfere with prescription medications. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take zinc if you are taking antibiotics, high blood pressure medication, chemotherapy drugs, diuretics, corticosteroids and NSAIDs like Advil or Aleve.
Considerations
Acne lesions form as a result of a buildup of sebum in the follicles. Various factors are thought to influence the production of sebum, such as hormones and heredity. Zinc supplements are one approach to treating acne, but other methods may be beneficial when done in conjunction with zinc, such as cleaning the face properly and using topical medications.
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