Vitamins Improve Depression With Anxiety

By Marcelina Hardy, Staff Writer on Thursday, August 25, 2011

Current research indicates that depression and anxiety symptoms are often accompanied with a vitamin deficiency. Find out what are the best vitamins for depression and anxiety.

Researchers have found that vitamins deficiencies can lead individuals to feeling depressed and anxious. By ensuring you receive a sufficient amount of certain vitamins, specifically vitamin D and vitamin B, you can relieve yourself of depression and anxiety symptoms.  Here's what current research indicates.

Vitamin D Deficiency

• A national study in 2010 found that people with depression were more likely to be deficient in vitamin D compared to people who were not deficient in the vitamin.
• The University of Toronto found that depression sufferers with seasonal affective disorder felt their symptoms improve as their vitamin D levels increased with the turn of the seasons.
• In a study^[1] published in Clinical Rheumatology in 2007, researchers found that there might be a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and depressive symptoms if associated with other illnesses. For example, if someone has rheumatoid arthritis and vitamin D deficiency, they are more likely to suffer depression.

Vitamin B Deficiency

• Researchers in Spain^[2] found that depression rates increased for male smokers as their folate levels decreased. Women also showed an increased risk of suffering from depression if they were smokers or were physically active but if they were deficient in vitamin B12.

Which Vitamins to Take For Depression with Anxiety
If you’re looking for a natural way to relieve some of your symptoms of depression with anxiety, consider these vitamins.

Omega 3s or Fish Oil
Scientists have discovered that people who don’t get enough omega 3s in their diet are at an increased risk of suffering from depression. Researchers in one study found that people in one society who ate a limited amount of omega 3 had a higher rate of depression than societies that eat much more of it.

Omega 3 also helps reduce anxiety. Fish oil helps keep brain membranes flexible. This helps the movement of hormones and chemical messengers, which then helps a person think more clearly and experience better moods.

Tip: If eating fish isn’t your idea of a delectable meal, alternatives do exist.  Flax seeds and flax seed oil contain ample omega 3s that are just as beneficial to the body as the omega 3s from fish oil.

Antioxidants or Vitamin C and E
The brain needs antioxidants to attack free radicals that try to enter the brain to cause damage. This damage to the neurotransmitters is what can cause major depression in some people. Free radicals are toxins that your body produces from normal daily body functions.

You can’t do anything to keep them from producing but you can eliminate them and thus stop their corrupting effects on the body by getting adequate amounts of vitamins C and E.

Not only can vitamin C help keep your brain safe from free radicals, it can also produce a tranquilizing effect. This can greatly help individuals who feel anxiety with their depression.

If you are under an extreme amount of stress, you may want to try taking a compound that include bioflavonoids. This will further increase the calming effects of the vitamin.

Vitamin Bs
According to the Depression Guide^[3], vitamin B deficiency leads to mood changes, insomnia, changes in appetite, sugar cravings and impaired drug metabolism. It also reports that it plays an essential part in relieving depression and the anxiety and restlessness that is commonly associated with it.

Vitamin B1 is a great vitamin for the brain. It turns carbohydrates into energy for the brain and it stimulates the nerves.

Vitamin B3, also referred to as niacin, produces serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood and many anti-depressants target this to correct the imbalance of it. This may be a way to do it naturally.

Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid produces a natural chemical that can also aid in the production of neurotransmitters.

To reduce anxiety specifically, you should ensure you are getting plenty of B6 or pyridoxine.

Speak to Your Doctor
Speak to your doctor before starting any vitamin regimen, as some vitamins can affect some drugs’ effectiveness. Do not stop taking anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications without the guidance of your medical doctor. For many of these medications, you may need titration or you could experience severe side effects. In addition, your symptoms may come back suddenly, which could put you at risk for suicide.

Sources

1. ^[1] - Vitamin D Deficiency With Depression & Anxiety, LiveStrong.com
2. ^[2] - Depression and Diet, Depression Health Center, WebMD.com
3. ^[3] - Vitamins and Depression, Depression-Guide.com

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What Blood Pressure Should Be

By Carolyn Wick, Purchasing Team Lead on Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Tracking your blood pressure is how you know if you have hypertension, and knowing how to lower your blood pressure today could save your life tomorrow.

High blood pressure is a dreaded disease that usually sets in during the adult years (40 years old and older). It can be defined simply as, “a common condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems…” High blood pressure per se may not be a cause for worry, instead what you should be concerned about is the complications that arise from it, as they can be debilitating and even fatal.

The ideal blood pressure reading for adults is less than 120/80 mmHg for persons who do not have any other chronic diseases. A reading of over 120/80 indicates prehypertension (120 to 139 over 81 to 89), stage 1 hypertension (140 to 159 over 90 to 99), stage 2 hypertension (160 and over to 100 and over) and hypertensive crisis (higher than 180 over higher than 110).

The cause of primary high blood pressure is unknown, thus its other name “essential hypertension”. Essential hypertension accounts for 95 percent of all high blood pressure cases. However, several risk factors can increase the likelihood of having the disease. It's worth mentioning that most of these factors are preventable by lifestyle and behavioral changes and there are a few over which we have no control.

Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure

• Age – As you grow older, your risk for this disease goes higher. It's more common in men through middle age and in women when they reach menopause.
• Genes – Persons with one or both parents having high blood pressure are at greater risk for the disease than those who don’t. Around 30 percent of primary hypertension can be traced to genetic factors.
• Overweight or Obesity – Being overweight is measured as having a body mass index between 25 and 29.9 and obesity as having a body mass index of 30 and higher.
• Lack of Exercise – Physical inactivity leads to higher heart rates. This, in turn, increases the work on the heart and the force on the arteries.
• Too Much Fat and Salt in the Diet – Salt causes fluid retention in your body and fat adds to the cholesterol deposits in the arterial walls. Both can trigger high blood pressure.
• Smoking – The chemicals in cigarettes can cause an acute attack of hypertension and chronic injury to the arterial walls, increasing blood pressure. Second hand smoke has the same effect.
• Stress – Stress releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which can elevate blood pressure over time.
• Too Much Alcohol – Alcohol coats the blood vessels and arterial walls, increasing tension. It also depletes the body of calcium and magnesium, essential minerals that help maintain normal blood pressure levels.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure may be present but some people do not feel any symptoms while others may experience dizziness, headache, nape pain or nose bleeding. It's easy for a doctor to diagnose high blood pressure. A consistently high reading of blood pressure over 120/80 is hypertension and treatment should commence immediately. There is no cure for high blood pressure; you must manage and control it so that it remains at a normal level.

People with high blood pressure have a higher risk of getting heart attack, stroke, diabetes, congestive heart failure and other diseases affecting the vital organs, memory and comprehension. Don’t wait for this silent killer to rear its ugly head and maim or kill you. Convert to a healthy lifestyle with diet, exercise and a positive attitude. To complement a lifestyle change, take natural supplements that have undergone research and been found to help control high blood pressure. Here are some guidelines you can follow so that you can prevent high blood pressure or manage it properly.

• Avoid too much fats and salt in your diet. Fast food offerings such as hamburgers, French fries, milk shakes and pizzas, and processed foods contain high sodium and fats. So do red meats and dairy products. Stick to broiled chicken without the skin, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables.
• Make exercise a regular part of your life. An exercise regimen of three to four times a week at 30 minutes to 1 hour each time is good. Do cardiovascular activities such as brisk walking, swimming, biking and aerobics.
• A combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise can also keep obesity at bay. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for hypertension.
• Don’t smoke and limit your alcohol intake to the physician’s recommended amount.
• Learn how to manage stress with coping techniques like meditation, deep breathing and yoga, or simply change your attitude when faced with a stressful situation.
• Take natural and organic supplements that contain ingredients, vitamins and minerals to aid in the prevention or management of high blood pressure.

Look for products that contain vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin D (ergocalciferol) and vitamin B complex (niacin, thiamine and riboflavin), vitamin B6 and B12.

Read the label and look for the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, chromium and zinc. Other ingredients that reduce high blood pressure are alpha-linoleic acid, blond psyllium, cayenne, horsetail leaf and many others.

Natural compounds and herbs that help in blood pressure control are CoQ10 (ubiquinone), garlic, Hawthorne berry, lecithin, grape seed extract and fish oils (Omega-3 fatty acids, cod liver oil, flax seeds, etc.).

When it comes to hypertension, there are several options and various ways to control high blood pressure. Success may come from one supplement or several of them working synergistically, and the best results may come from not just changing your diet but also your lifestyle.

High blood pressure is a killer disease. It's never too early to prevent it from coming into your life, or taking the necessary steps to manage it. Help your body fight high blood pressure by eating the right foods, exercising and having a positive outlook. Don’t forget to take the vitamins and supplements that come from nature’s resources.

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What Are Diabetes Vitamins?

By Carolyn Wick, Purchasing Team Lead on Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Find out what vitamins and lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of diabetes.

Diabetes: a leading lifestyle disease that can cripple you, make you blind and just about destroy all your other body systems if left untreated. Uncontrolled diabetes can wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system, your eyes, kidneys, nerves, digestion and skin. What makes having diabetes even worse is the knowledge that by taking diabetes vitamins, eating the right food and doing regular exercise, your chances of getting the disease would've been greatly reduced. Diabetes, while largely genetic (meaning you get it from your ancestors), is also an environmental disease. An abusive lifestyle -- smoking, drinking sugar-laden sodas, eating foods rich in fat, carbohydrates, salt and calories -- and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the insidious onset of this deadly disease.

Here's the good news though, you can still reduce your odds of getting diabetes through behavior modification. A change from a morbidly unhealthy lifestyle to one that promotes physical fitness and psychological well-being can spell the difference between a life full of limitations and a life of pleasure and enjoyment.

The proper diet and regular exercise prevent obesity and ward off the onset of diabetes.  Keep tab of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, avoid smoking and alcoholic drinks to keep your sugar levels in check. Adding diabetes vitamins to your diet also enhances prevention and treatment. If you have prediabetes (a fasting blood sugar level between 100 to 125 mg/dl), you can arrest it and inhibit its progress into full-blown diabetes. Diabetes supplements can help in the management and control of the disease and its terrifying consequences.

Two Major Types of Diabetes
There are two major types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, usually occurs in children and young adults. An autoimmune disease, Type 1 diabetes is triggered by external factors in people who are genetically predisposed to it. It’s not common and accounts for only 5-15 percent of all diabetes cases.

Type 2 diabetes is non-insulin dependent diabetes, since the body can still produce some insulin. However, the amount may be inadequate or the cells in the body may not function properly to react to the insulin. It’s more often a lifestyle disease, the result of poor eating habits and lack of exercise. It usually occurs in people at the age of 40 years old and over but with the decadence of modern living, it can now be found in younger people.

Vitamins, Minerals and Herbal Supplements for Diabetes
When looking to buy diabetes supplements, read the labels carefully and choose the ones that contain ingredients that, singularly or in conjunction with others, have been proven to keep glucose levels under control and grow healthier cells. Here are some of the best:

• Vitamins B1, B6, B12 – Vitamin B1 may help in the reduction of blood glucose levels, vitamin B6 may help prevent heart diseases and vitamin B12 reduces the numbness and tingling sensations caused by nerve damage.
• Vitamin C – It helps in normalizing blood sugar and cholesterol levels in diabetics.
• Vitamin E – This vitamin may help in improving glucose tolerance and the body’s response to insulin.
• Chromium – This is an essential mineral that regulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism and improves the response of body cells to insulin.
• Magnesium – Magnesium is a mineral that has several benefits for diabetic persons. It helps blood sugar reach normal levels, promotes bone density and improves muscle and nerve functions, cardiac rhythm and the immune system.
• Vanadium – A mineral that copies the actions of insulin in the body, it decreases insulin resistance and helps lower blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Dosage should be calculated since this mineral can be toxic.
• Zinc – Zinc is a mineral that helps the body produce insulin, enhance its absorption and minimize unnecessary excretion. It transports blood sugar to the cells to convert it into energy. It's especially effective for people with Type 1 diabetes.
• Ginseng – An herb, specifically Panax Quinquefolius, that may improve control of blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin that's used to monitor the fluctuation of blood sugar over a three month period.
• Aloe Vera – The gel in aloe vera reduces levels of blood sugar and glycosylated hemoglobin.
• Gymnema – It's an herb that can make the blood sugar level in Type 2 diabetes drop; people taking this supplement should monitor their blood sugar level closely.

Risk Factors for Diabetes
Smoking can aggravate the existing poor blood circulation that’s already present in people with diabetes. The nicotine in cigarettes damages the major blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular and kidney problems. Active smokers increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 44 percent. Moreover, diabetics who smoke have a harder time controlling their blood sugar levels than non-smokers.

Drinks that have high sugar content include regular sodas, purchased fruit drinks and restaurant milk shakes. Too much of these can raise your blood glucose to dangerous levels and add pounds to your weight. People with diabetes or prediabetes should stay away from these drinks and replace them with low-sugar ones or use artificial sweeteners instead.

Obesity increases the risk for getting diabetes by putting extra stress on the body and increasing insulin resistance. If you live in a modern, affluent nation - specifically in Western nations like America, Canada and England - you have easy access to high-caloric foods that are rich in fats, carbohydrates, sugar and sodium. Overweight or obese people are those with a body mass index of more than 25, a waist circumference of more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women. An overweight person has more fat cells than muscle cells. Fat cells have a stronger resistance to insulin, the glucose-controlling hormone in the body. The weakened action of insulin prevents the glucose from being used as energy; it remains in the blood and diabetes develops or becomes worse.

A sedentary lifestyle contributes to obesity and poor diabetes management. Exercising regularly helps in weight management and maintenance of proper blood sugar levels. A 30-minute exercise, done three to four times a week, is sufficient for diabetic people. However, diabetics need to be extra vigilant when exercising since there is the risk of a dangerously lowered blood sugar level or hypoglycemia, which can be fatal. Make sure to stay adequately hydrated before, during and after doing exercise activities to keep body cells in optimum condition.

Now that you know what can possibly cause diabetes and how you can avoid it, don’t wait for it to control your life. Plan your diet and exercise regimen, keep to your ideal body weight and take diabetes vitamins. It’s your life. It’s your rule!

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The Best Male Multivitamin: Think Performance and Hair

By Michael Angelo, Senior Editor on Monday, August 22, 2011

The best male multivitamins should include ingredients that address the most common conditions in men. See if your multivitamin meets the standard.

Here's a tip for discovering what the best male multivitamin is: find out what matters most to a man in his life – and know what food and vitamins will enhance it. Men’s needs differ vastly from women’s, owing to each sex’s unique genetic makeup, the social and cultural norms they grew up in and the gender expectations that men and women have been brought up to conform to. Hence, the supplements men should take must contain the vitamins and minerals that support their needs.

Male multivitamins address the issues of sexual dysfunction and hair loss, the two most common anxiety-provoking concerns of the male species. You see several of these products in pharmacies and health stores, with bewildered men looking them over and getting more confused over which one to buy. These multivitamins are combined with natural and organic supplements to produce the desired effects quickly, safely and permanently. If you’re a man and you have gotten this far, continue reading and increase your knowledge of the appropriate supplements for improving the overall quality of your life through enhanced intimacy and a better self-image.

Men have always believed that the most important measure of their masculinity lie in their sexual performance. Being great in bed and the ability to please one’s partner is the hallmark of manhood. It defines machismo and is the ultimate symbol of virility. A decrease in the desire and quality of a man’s sexual function is a major cause of anxiety and creates a vicious cycle because anxiety further impairs performance. The causes of sexual dysfunction are both physical and psychological. Physical causes include medical conditions and their treatments. They affect the desire for and quality of the sex act. These are heart conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure, neurological and hormonal changes. The drugs used to treat them can also alter their libido. Psychological conditions include stress, anxiety, relationship problems, depression and past traumatic sexual experiences. Altered sexual performance comes in the form of erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and inability to achieve orgasm.

Increase the pleasure and intensity of your sexual performance by having stronger and longer lasting erections combined with staying power. Look for male supplements that contain vitamins B complex and E mixed with potent natural aphrodisiacs. Here are the most popular herbal energy ingredients that men swear by and have been taking since way back in time:

• Ashwaganda (The Ginseng Of India)
• Fo-Ti
• Ginkgo Biloba
• Horny Goat Weed 
• L-Arginine
• Muira Puama (The Viagra Of The Amazon)
• Panax Ginseng 
• Peruvian Maca
• Propionyl L-Carnitine
• Saw Palmetto Extract
• Tongkat Ali
• Tribulus terrestris

These organic nutrients and herbs all work independently or together to increase blood flow to the penis, cure impotence and enhance endurance, strength and stamina to boost the male libido. Products don’t have to contain all of them in one pill or cream. Male multivitamins for making sexual performance an exciting experience can come in the form of tablets, capsules and soft gels. These oral pills can be further complemented by potent creams for topical application that give the immediate effect of harder erections with increased lasting power.

Another aspect in a man’s physical appearance that he puts great significance in is his hair. Hair is a symbol of power and masculinity. It gives a man inner strength and boosts his body image, making him self-confident and secure enough to face challenges and meet new people. Rightly or wrongly, people tend to view a man with a full head of hair in a more positive way than a bald man. Think of all those mean jokes about bald men and you get the idea.

Hair loss in men is caused by several factors: genes, age, hormones, stress or trauma. Genes are responsible for 95 percent of male pattern baldness. These genes can come from the paternal or maternal side of the family. As a man grows older, his hair follicles shrink and the hair eventually fall out, contributing to his baldness. The speed and frequency of this occurrence is genetically related, which explains why hair loss happens to some men and not to others. The male sex hormone, testosterone and its relation dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are produced in higher levels during puberty and adulthood. They are the same chemicals that cause the many changes in the puberty stage, such as change in voice, growths spurts and sexual development, including axillary and pubic hair. Excessive production of DHT accounts for male pattern baldness. Other causative factors are stress and trauma to the head.

Prevent hair loss and reclaim your identity and self-confidence with advanced quality formulations that contain a blend of proven herbal ingredients that revitalize hair follicles and control further hair fallout. Read the labels on products carefully and look for these hair vitamins that promise re-growth of healthy, strong and thick hair:

• Vitamins B12 and D
• Biotin
• Calcium
• Copper Peptides
• Folate or Folic Acid
• Green Tea
• He Shou Wu herbs
• Iron
• Pantothenic Acid
• Procyanidin (B2 & C-1)
• Saw Palmetto
• Silica
• Zinc

These hair loss treatments can be taken as oral medicines in the form of pills and as creams and shampoos for a more powerful effect and faster delivery. They give new hope to men who have long suffered from the embarrassment of baldness. Even more visibly, they open up doors of opportunities in the personal, social and professional milieus. Job placements or promotions, relationships and social standing become more accessible to men with hair on their heads than to the bald ones.

Sexual capability and a full head of hair – both boost a man’s self-esteem and body image. Having great hair makes a man confident and confidence can have a positive effect on sexual performance, although not vice versa. If you have one or both of these problems, act now. Don’t be a passive onlooker, watching your hairline recede day by day or imagining yourself as the next Hollywood actor who can get any woman. Sexual enhancement and hair loss treatment products are readily available and the best male multivitamins are just w

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Vitamins and Children: Boost Brain Power with Vitamins

By Marcelina Hardy, Staff Writer on Friday, August 19, 2011

Studies show that giving children daily vitamins increases their brain capacity. Find out what supplements you should be giving your little ones right here.

Vitamins can boost a kid’s brain power? Yes, that’s right. Supplying your children with adequate nutrition and supplementing with vitamins can greatly enhance their memory, alertness and clarity. In fact, according to Dr. Ray Sahelian^[1], author of Mind Boosters, “Nutrition plays a significant and crucial role over the long run and the short run in brain health.”

Take your child’s learning power to a completely new level by supplementing with vitamins to help them reach their full potential.

Vitamins to Boost Brain Power
Vitamin C
Not only is vitamin C essential to the immune system to help your children stay healthy, it’s also has a special benefit to the brain. The brain actually has a mechanism that draws any excess vitamin C out of the blood for use in the brain. The vitamin C is a roadblock to free radicals before they cause any damage to the brain. Vitamin C also makes neurotransmitters in the brain, which is what processes stimuli (such as, information learned in school).

Vitamin B12
A deficiency in B12 can lead to memory loss and mental slowness, so it’s important to brain health that the body receives enough of this vitamin to prevent this from happening. Vitamin B12 is found in meat or by supplementing with B complex or a standalone B12 supplement.

Vitamin B6
Without enough vitamin B6, you’ll feel irritable and fatigued. If you have enough, your brain is able to make enough dopamine (another type of neurotransmitter). An increase in dopamine can help increase alertness so that children can pay more attention to lessons taught in school.

Iron
Iron is also important in the production of dopamine. It’s been found in a study^[2] that 84 percent of ADD/ADHD children had low levels of iron, which correlated with their level of low attention levels.

Zinc
Zinc also has to do with dopamine but not like how vitamin B6 and iron do – zinc makes sure that the brain uses the dopamine efficiently. Low levels of zinc means that the brain doesn’t respond as well to the dopamine and low level of inattention result.

HelpGuide.org^[3] recommends that children receive 20 mg of zinc, five days a week to help with academic performance.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help the brain function properly and keep toxins away, according to Your Family Clinic^[4]. It helps many bodily functions by protecting cells from damage. Its main role is keeping red blood cells healthy so that they can carry oxygen to the brain, according to KidsHealth.org^[5].

Fish Oil
Omega 3s are essential to brain functioning and can enhance memory. According to Your Family Clinic, children who don’t get enough omega 3s early in life may have lower IQ scores later in life.

Selenium
Selenium isn’t a vitamin but it has beneficial brain effects so it’s worth mentioning. It’s actually a mineral and usually found in healthy grains, garlic, meat, seafood and Brazilian nuts. In a research study mentioned on the Your Family Clinic Web site, participants felt more clearheaded, confident, euphoric and had more energy after taking it for three months.

How to Choose What to Give
This is a big list of supplements to give a child and it’s not meant to be a grocery list of pills. It’s a guide of what your child should be getting in his nutrition to boost brain power. If your child’s diet doesn’t include one or more of these vitamins, then supplementation may be a sound idea and investment.

Discuss Vitamin Supplementation with Your Doctor
Before you begin giving your child anything new, speak to your doctor. Vitamins do carry risks, can interact with other drugs and overdose is possible. Advise your doctor of any medications, supplements and medical concerns you have so that he can give proper guidance on how and if you should supplement your child’s nutrition with these vitamins.
 

Sources

1. ^[1] - The top 5 vitamins and minerals to boost your brainpower, Nourishing Your Noggin, MedicineNet.com
2. ^[2] - Brain Tip: Vitamins and ADD/ADHD Brain Power, ATalentedMind.com
3. ^[3] - Healthy Eating for Kids and Teens, Education.com
4. ^[4] - Foods and Vitamins that Help Brain Development and Repair Damage, YourFamilyClinic.com
5. ^[5] - Vitamins, KidsHealth.org

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Teens and Vitamins: Fight the Acne Battle

By Marcelina Hardy, Staff Writer on Thursday, August 18, 2011

Acne treatments don't have to be prescription drugs. See what vitamins help teens fight acne naturally.

Zits are a common occurrence for adolescents everywhere. In fact, 85 percent^[1] of teens deal with acne. But just because almost everyone has at least one pimple on their face, doesn’t mean you have to deal with the embarrassment of it. There is hope, even if you’ve tried everything.

Getting to the Last Resort with Acne Treatment
You're probably like most teens who've rushed off to the store to buy every product on the shelf that promises to banish acne forever, when you first started developing pimples. The letdown happened when you brought it home and it didn’t work as well as it said it would on the box.

The next step you might have made was going in to see your doctor. This is when the prescription drug round started. You may have tried one drug, then another one and then another one. One may have worked better than another but not quite good enough. After a while, with a red irritated face, you may have thought, “Forget it, I’ll just deal with it.”

Research on Vitamins for Acne
The good news is that you don’t have to deal with it – you still have hope in fighting your skin problems – vitamins! Yes, it may sound like it will never work, but consider these findings:

• The Australia’s RMIT University and Royal Melbourne Hospital Department of Dermatology conducted a study that found a direct link between diet and acne development.
• A study by Dr. Lit-Hung Leung published in 1995 found that high doses of vitamin B5 decreased pore size and solved acne problems.
• Zinc has been effective in the treatment of acne and recognized by The National Library of Science.
• The Department of Dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York finds that vitamin A, tea tree oil and zinc are effective acne treatments.
• The Lasky Skin Clinic in 2008 found that Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-acne properties.

The Vitamins for Teens with Acne
Vitamin B
As you read above, Dr. Lit-Hung Leung stumbled upon the finding of how vitamin B5 works in attacking acne and many sufferers have found it to be effective. Vitamin B5 helps create coenzyme-A, which helps metabolize fat in the body. Since a buildup of fat in the body from eating a fatty diet is one of the causes of acne, this helps slow down outbreaks.

According to The Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institute of Health^[2], vitamin B6 can also help settle down some of the inflammation you may experience with your acne. If you face is inflamed, it may be because you are deficient in this vitamin.

Vitamin A 
Vitamin A is one of the most popular vitamins for acne. It’s also known as retinol and is an antioxidant, which has great effects on the skin. It protects skin cells from damage and can even slow down the aging process (once you’re down worrying about the acne!).

Skin that's rough and dry looking is usually showing signs of vitamin A deficiency. Take vitamin A supplements with vitamin E because the fat from the E vitamin helps the body better digest the nutrients of the A vitamin.

Vitamin E
This antioxidant fights acne, but it also promotes healing. Scars from past blemishes can slowly disappear by rubbing the liquid of an opened vitamin E softgel on the skin. Of course, liquid vitamin E is also available, which can save you the messy process of opening softgels. Different strengths and dosages exist too, so a little trial and error may be necessary.

Niacin
Like vitamin E, either you can ingest this or you can break open the pill and use it as a mask on the skin. Niacin helps open blood vessels to improve circulation, which helps the skin breathe, preventing toxins from building up under the skin causing acne outbreaks.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C isn’t just good for improving your immune system to ward off colds, it can also attack acne. Collagen is an important skin protein and supports body tissue. Vitamin C helps the production of collagen and detoxifies the body to eliminate toxic substances, which could lead to build up and acne development.

Zinc
Hormones…teens have them and they can be a major cause of acne. Zinc plays an important role in regulating hormones and can work wonders on hormonal-based acne.

Fish Oil
Fish oil is also an anti-inflammatory and can help simmer down those pimples that seem to have flashing, bright red light bulbs on top of them.

Chromium
This isn’t a vitamin but chromium is a helpful mineral. It helps with regulating blood sugar. Some acne sufferers seem to have flare ups when they experience blood sugar level fluctuations and this may help counteract this effect.

Talk to Your Doctor
Before you jump into vitamin treatment of your acne, give your doctor a quick call. In most cases, it’ll be okay to supplement your diet with these vitamins, but you need to make sure. Sometimes, taking too much of a vitamin can make you sick, especially if you are taking other supplements or prescription drugs. It’s best to check with the medical experts whenever you start a new treatment for any medical problem.

Sources

1. ^[1] - Don’t let acne ruin those important teenage years, UC Davis Health System, UCDMD.UCDavis.edu
2. ^[2] - Vitamins and Minerals for Healthy Blemish-Free Skin, Holistic Healing, About.com

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