Does Vitamin A Help With Acne?

Does Vitamin A Help With Acne?
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Teenagers and young adults are most prone to experiencing acne. However, anyone can suffer from this condition. The American Academy of Dermatology says that adult acne is often more frustrating to treat then any other kind of acne. To help reduce the appearance of acne, you should consider supplementing certain foods into your diet that are all rich in vitamin A, as this nutrient is effective in treating acne.

Antioxidant Properties

Vitamin A is an antioxidant vitamin. MedlinePlus states that antioxidants are essential nutrients for protecting your body against free radicals. Free radicals are harmful compounds that can possibly cause damage to your body. Antioxidants are important if you have acne, as they can help to remove excess bacteria and germs from your skin cells. A build-up of bacteria and germs on your face may result in the formation of blackheads.

Vitamin A and Acne

Vitamin A aids in the prevention of acne development by enhancing the strength of your skins protective tissues, while also reducing the production of sebum, according to the Vitamin & Nutrition Center. Excess sebum production can possibly lead to the formation of acne. MedlinePlus notes that vitamin A is also necessary for the growth of new skin cells.

Deficiency

It is essential to have an adequate supply of vitamin A in your diet when it comes to dealing with acne. According to the Vitamin & Nutrition Center, a vitamin A deficiency can actually result in acne formation.

Food Sources

Vitamin A is easy to obtain, as it can be found in plenty of foods such as broccoli, cream, cheese, winter squashes, cod, eggs, spinach, fish oil, milk, apricots, liver, pumpkin, milk, halibut, pink grapefruit, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots, according to MedlinePlus.

References

Article reviewed by Libby Swope Wiersema Last updated on: Apr 22, 2011

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