Biotin & B12: Acne's Unsung Heroes (or Villains)?

2 weeks ago one of my clients had shared with me her doctor had recommended her take some multi-vitamins. She is acne prone and had completed our Clear Skin Program last year and has been able to stay pretty clear now. But she remembered that as part of the program we limit the consumption of any Vitamin B12 and Biotin.

She spent hours comparing different multi-vitamins. B12 and Biotin were in every single one she looked at. She came to me concerned because although she wanted to improve her health and energy levels with a multi-vitamin she also did not want to trigger any breakouts. Which I totally get, once you're clear the last thing you want to do is make changes that are going to cause breakouts again. But we also know that B12 and Biotin are essential vitamins that the body needs, quite the dilemma.

One of the brands she was looking at had over 500mcg of Biotin which accounted for 20,000+% of the daily value and others that had about 150mcg which accounted for 500% of the daily value. That is way to much and over time it would compound and eventually cause acne.

She mentioned she was going to go back to her doctor for some blood work. I recommended she talk to the doctor and see if she even was deficient in these vitamins, and if so, how deficient? Because for someone that is very deficient then 500mcg would make sense...

The recommended dosage for B12 is 2.4mcg which represents 100% of the daily value. For Biotin the recommended dosage is 30mcg which would also represent the 100% of the daily value. This is where knowing what vitamin deficiencies you have is crucial. I always recommend to get your supplements separate, but I know it can get expensive.

I know what you're probably thinking, but Kenia what in the world does Biotin and B12 have anything to do with acne. Vitamin B5 is crucial for skin health, particularly for regulating the production of sebum (oil on your skin). Both Biotin and B5 compete for the same receptors in your body. So when there is too much Biotin it will block the absorption of B5 leading to an increase in oil production which can clog the pores and cause acne. Now high levels of B12 can alter the gene expression in your DNA for the acne bacteria (P. Acne), and also trigger an inflammatory response.

I am a huge advocate for functional medicine. Let's stop the guesswork and really get down to the data and facts about what is going on in your body. Before starting any vitamins or supplements make sure you know how deficient you really are so your dose can match that. And one of the most important things is to come to terms that your health comes first and acne can always be treated.

Don't neglect your health because you don't want to trigger breakouts, I know it's easier said than done trust me. But the important thing is to stay proactive with your skin and treatments that can support you just in case those breakouts surface.