Beta Carotene and Acne

Beta Carotene is thought to help reduce and prevent the appearance of acne because it is a form of Vitamin A. It's taken and broken down into Vitamin A in the body on an as needed basis and then stored in the liver which is what allows toxic levels to build in your body. Vitamin A and Beta Carotene are considered practically the same, except that Vitamin A can become toxic to the body if taken in high doses. Most experts agree a dosage over 50,000IU's a day is an overdose and can cause severe headaches, vomiting, joint pain, skin irritation, gastrointestinal problems and hair loss. In the case of pregnant and breast feeding women it's also possible to give your baby an overdose and cause severe birth defects.

Many claim that very high doses of Vitamin A must be used to combat bad acne. Unfortunately a lot of people will follow those recommendations without consulting their doctors and cause themselves a lot of grief. Some suggested dosages are as high as 300,000 to 500,000IU's a day for a couple of weeks. Remember the overdose amount is 50,000IU's a day. If you try a dosage this high you will experience overdose symptoms within six hours of taking your first dose, if you persist your symptoms can progress to seizures and enlarged spleen and liver, which may also include permanent damage just for taking something to get rid of your acne.

On the up side Beta Carotene is very hard to overdose on and if you do manage it the symptoms will be yellow-orange discoloration of the skin, most likely on the face, palms and soles of the feet. All you need to do is stop taking Beta Carotene and it will eventually leave your system. There is really no need to take high dosages of Beta Carotene because it's broken down into Vitamin A as its needed.

The recommended daily value for Vitamin A is 5,000IU's for adults and while there is no established daily value for Beta Carotene most experts suggest 5 to 20mg of it a day. Start your daily supplementation on the low side.

Vitamin A is thought to work to improve acne for a number of reasons. It's essential to the growth of new skin tissue and a diet rich in Vitamin A may help the lesions from acne to heal better and faster. Also it's an antioxidant and it helps to strengthen the immune system. Since acne is partly caused by bacteria trapped in the skin's pores Vitamin A may help to combat the growth of the bacteria which leads to the pustule on or just under the surface of the skin. This is done firstly by performing its antioxidant behavior in snatching up free radicals and secondly by giving the immune system that boost so it can send white blood cells to eat up the acne causing bacteria. It's easy to assume that higher dosages of Vitamin A will improve its effects, but there have been studies done that prove the idea false and even show it can be harmful, while the recommended dosages continue to aid the body.
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