The Use Of Zinc In Acne
Zinc + Skin Healing
If you're struggling with breakouts and trying to heal your skin naturally, you'll know doubt have come across recommendations for the mineral zinc. Zinc is prescribed in naturopathic and nutritional acne treatment as it plays an important role in skin healing and reducing infection [1], and two major pathways are:
- Boosting the skin’s own natural antimicrobial peptide (AMP) production - essentially helping the skin to make its own antibiotics. One AMP in particular (human b-defensin-2) is also anti-inflammatory, making it extra soothing and healing to the skin. [2]
- Via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-α (PPARs-α). These receptors, when stimulated by zinc, provide an anti-inflammatory effect[3] - making zinc an important element in the management of the chronic skin inflammation you get with acne.
Zinc + Acne
In order for you skin to heal, it's likely going to need more zinc than you're currently getting. Researchers have found that at least 54.1% of acne patients are deficient in zinc[4]; serum zinc levels are, on average, 28.3% lower than those without acne[5]. And even when blood levels have appeared normal, the skin has still been deficient[6].
Zinc was first discovered as a potentially useful mineral for the treatment of acne in the late 70’s[7] and it was later utilised in another trial[8] that also demonstrated a useful effect on healing breakouts.
Taking a good quality zinc supplement is useful in the treatment of acne with studies[9] showing:
- a significant decrease in the number of papules, pustules, and infiltrates (within 4 weeks)
- zinc in combination with antioxidants or vitamin A is particularly effective*
- zinc is required to release vitamin A from the liver* (one study found that zinc supplementation resulted in a statistically significant increase in serum vitamin A levels!)
Supplementation can increase zinc levels in as little as 2 weeks which is also when the first clinical improvement tends to occur[10], with mean serum measurements levelling out at about 4 weeks. This means you may start to notice a difference after just a fortnight of takin zinc. And, after 12 weeks, around two-thirds of acne patients will see a significant improvement - so if you're going to try it, give it a good 3 months.
Zinc Application + Safety
Early use of zinc centred around zinc sulphate and, no doubt due to its rather ordinary bioavailability, some rather high doses (135mg/day-600mg/day) [11,12]. It's preferable to use a more up-to-date and bioavailable form (amino acid chelate) so that great results can be produced at much lower doses.
Using zinc in high doses and/or for extend periods of time should only be done under the supervision and instruction of a functional medicine practitioner as - like with many minerals - mono therapy can throw out the balance of other minerals in the body and result in harmful side effects[13].
Zinc Sources
Shellfish, beef and other red meats (especially liver) are the richest and most bioavailable sources of zinc. You can also obtain zinc from nuts and seeds (i.e. pumpkin seeds), legumes and egg yolk. Zinc is also found in vegetables and wholegrain however it is far less bioavailable than animal sources due to their relatively high phytic acid content.
References:
1. Lansdown AB, Mirastschijski U, Stubbs N, et al. Zinc in wound healing: theoretical, experimental, and clinical aspects. Wound Repair Regen. 2007;15(1):2-16.
2. Poiraud C, Quereux G, Knol AC, et al. Human β-defensin-2 and psoriasin, two new innate immunity targets of zinc gluconate. Eur J Dermatol. 2012;22(5):634- 9.
3. Poiraud C1 Quereux G, Knol AC, et al. Zinc gluconate is an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in the epidermis. Exp Dermatol. 2012;21(5):347-51.
4. Kamak Y, Adisen E, Erhan M, et al. Zinc Levels in Patients with Acne Vulgaris. J Turk Acad Dermatol 2007; 1 (3): 71302a.
5. Pohit J, et al. Zinc status of acne vulgaris patients. J App Nutr 1985;37(1):18-25
6. 131. Michaëlsson G, Ljunghall K. Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, acne, psoriasis and Darier's disease have low epidermal zinc concentrations. Acta Derm Venereol. 1990;70(4):304-8.
7. Michaelsson G, Juhlin L, Valqhuist A. Archives of Dermatology 1977;113:31.
8. Michaelsson G, Valqhuist A, Juhlin L. Archives of Dermatology 1977;96:283.
9. Verma KC , Saini AS , Dhamija SK. Oral zinc sulphate therapy in acne vulgaris: a double-blind trial. Acta Dermato-venereologica. 1980, 60(4):337-340.
10. Vahlquist A , Michaëlsson G , Juhlin L. Acne treatment with oral zinc and vitamin A: effects on the serum levels of zinc and retinol binding protein (RBP). Acta Dermato-venereologica. 1978, 58(5):437-442.
11. Michaëlsson G, Juhlin L, Vahlquist A. Effects of oral zinc and vitamin A in acne. Arch Dermatol. 1977 Jan;113(1):31-6.
12. Verma KC, Saini AS, Dhamija SK. Oral zinc sulphate therapy in acne vulgaris: a double-blind trial. Acta Derm Venereol. 1980;60(4):337-40.
13. Salzman MB, Smith EM, Koo C. Excessive oral zinc supplementation. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2002;24(7):582-4.
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