Skin zinc levels were found to be low in patients with acne, psoriasis and
other skin diseases, suggesting that many of these patients have a zinc
deficiency. Michaelsson G et al: Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, acne,
psoriasis and Darier's disease have low epidermal zinc concentrations. Acta
Derm Venereol 70(4):304-8, 1990.
Compared with controls, advanced cases of acne had significantly lower zinc
levels. Amer M et al: Serum zinc in acne vulgaris. Int J Dermatol
21(8):481-4, 1982.
Premenstrual acne improved in 72% of 106 women given vitamin B6 supplements. Snider
BL et al. Pyridoxine therapy for premenstrual acne flare. Arch Dermatol 110:130-131, 1974.
Zinc intake is of borderline sufficiency in the French population. Zinc
supplementation has been shown to be beneficial against several conditions,
including acne, reduced immunity and infertility. Favier A: Current aspects
about the role of zinc in nutrition. Rev Prat 15(2):146-51, 1993.
Success or failure of zinc treatment of acne depends on whether a zinc
deficiency is present. Leyh F: Zinc - a new therapeutic principle in
dermatology? Z Hautkr 62(14):1064, 1069-71, 1075, 1987.
Zinc therapy results in significant improvement for many acne cases. Verma KC
et al: Oral zinc sulphate therapy in acne vulgaris: a double-blind trial.
Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 60(4):337-40, 1980.
Dreno B et al: Low doses of zinc gluconate for inflammatory acne. Acta Derm
Venereol (Stockh) 69(6):541-3,1989.
In a trial on 76 acne patients the efficacy of a vitamin B3 gel was found to
be comparable to the efficacy of an antibiotic gel (clindamycin). Shalita AR et
al: Topical nicotinamide compared with clindamycin gel in the treatment of
inflammatory acne vulgaris. Int J Dermatol 1995 34(6):434-7, 1995.
Studies have found low glutathione peroxidase levels in patients with acne
and other skin disorders. Clinical trials with selenium or selenium plus vitamin
E supplementation have given positive results. Bruce A: Swedish views on
selenium. Ann Clin Res 18(1):8-12, 1986.
Juhlin L et al: Blood glutathione peroxidase levels in skin diseases: effect of
selenium and vitamin E treatment. Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh)
62(3):211-4, 1982.
Michaelsson G et al: Erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity in acne
vulgaris and the effect of selenium and vitamin E treatment. Acta Derm
Venereol (Stockh) 64(1):9-14, 1984.
