Zinc is one of the most commonly self-prescribed supplements for acne. But how does it work? Is it safe to take for a long time? How do you know what dose to take to actually impact your skin, especially if you have chronic acne?
Let’s start this off by saying that the absolute most common nutrient deficiency I find in my acne patients at the start of treatment is zinc.
This is not an unexpected result, as zinc is used in greater amounts by the body (especially the skin and the immune system) when there is chronic infection, like acne.
Now, just one thing before I continue… I do not recommend self-prescribing supplements to fix your skin, as there are too many unknowns when there hasn’t been adequate testing. And, as a general rule, supplements available in a retail environment aren’t always the greatest quality. Many people who I treat for acne are already taking zinc, and have been for quite some time, yet when we do blood testing they are still deficient. This is because we need to supplement at a dose that meets your needs, and we don’t understand your needs until we do testing and take a thorough case history, assessing dietary availability of zinc + any issues with absorption or increased utilisation by the body.
If you are deficient in zinc and start taking a dose that actually starts to fill that gap, then the effects seen in the skin are wonderful. We may witness faster healing, reduced inflammation, and reduction in breakouts. Zinc is an essential nutrient for skin healing, wound healing, and infection control - so it ticks many of the boxes for treating acne naturally.
Here are a few of the ways zinc helps acne:
Acne can be driven by hormone imbalance, specifically increased testosterone or androgens. Testosterone is metabolised into a much more potent androgen called DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is often not tested when assessing hormone imbalance, but it’s something I always assess when looking to understand why acne is present. Testosterone is turned into DHT by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. Zinc inhibits the function of this enzyme, reducing the metabolism of testosterone into more potent androgens.
Another factor in acne presentation can be insulin resistance or sensitivity, which is a common factor in certain forms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome ( PCOS). Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, which helps sugar get from the blood into the cells to create energy. Many people assume their insulin levels are fine based on their blood glucose levels… though this is not the way to assess insulin sensitivity. More on that another time. If you have insulin issues driving your acne, (which can be assessed properly via glucose tolerance testing or fasting serum insulin) then zinc can be helpful as it supports the action of insulin.
Zinc increases innate immune function, which is vital in improving the immune response to infections - of which, acne is one.
Zinc reduces wound healing time, by increasing levels of hydroxyproline in wounds. Hydroxyproline is an amino acid that is a major component of collagen, required for skin healing.
But, before you start to think this is the answer to all your skin problems, we need to ask these questions:
Why are you zinc deficient to start with? Has your body been using it at a rapid rate, creating deficiency? Are there issues with absorption and utilisation of zinc, creating deficiency? One of the most common things I see in association with zinc deficiency is a history of being on the oral contraceptive pill and the antibiotic doxycycline. These are the two first-line approaches in treating acne, and both are shown to decreased zinc absorption. Zinc absorption is also compromised with increased sugar intake, gut and digestive problems, and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. It’s important to identify any additional reasons to zinc deficiency outside of acne, otherwise the deficiency can not be rectified.
Do you have toxicity that is stopping zinc absorption? This is often an underlying factor when there is deficiency that continues once zinc supplementation is stopped. Common elements that compete for binding sites in the body where zinc should be taken up are heavy metals (lead, mercury, nickel) and copper.
Is your intake of zinc putting you at an increased risk of displacing other nutrients? Zinc is a powerful nutrient, and when taken at high enough doses to rectify a deficiency, it can be dangerous when used long-term. Zinc can displace other nutrients in the body, like iron and copper, so it’s important to cycle your supplementation of zinc, especially if being used at a high dose. Generally, I cycle zinc every 2 to 3 months to ensure we aren’t creating any further problems. Things like abdominal pain, anaemia (iron deficiency), electrolyte imbalance, nausea, and suppressed immune function can be due to chronic use of high-dose zinc.
Even something as simple as the wonderful nutrient zinc needs consideration in how it applies to your presentation of acne.
Not everyone who has acne has zinc deficiency.
And, although zinc is a very helpful skin nutrient, the dose required to help the skin is very different from person to person. Without the right dose, we either don’t see results or we create further problems.
My favourite way to increase zinc naturally is through the diet. Generally, working with food poses far less risks to future problems than supplementation, especially if you aren’t working with a professional to supervise your treatment.
My top tip to increase zinc in your food is to grind up 1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds and consume daily. It’s a great addition to smoothies, soups and even sprinkled over salad with a nice splash of Apple Cider Vinegar and lemon juice!
Other great sources of zinc are egg yolks, blueberries, oysters and beef.
Remember, when you are relying on food as your main supplemental support for vitamins like zinc, you need to definitely ask yourself question 1 above! Is there any issue with your gut function that could compromise your absorption of zinc? If so, this needs to be healed before you are able to rely on your diet.
I hope this helps you to consider some things that aren’t often spoken about when it comes to supplementation, and what in your medical history and symptom picture might be contributing to problems with zinc.
Remember, healing problem skin starts from within.
Much love,
Emily Banks (Naturopath, Skin-Lover)
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