Though multivitamins are commonly used to fill in nutritional gaps and prevent deficiencies, some people may encounter acne breakouts as a supplementation side effect. This effect tends to be particularly potent when the multi packs high doses of vitamin B12 and iodine.
It's possible that supplements, including vitamin C or ginkgo biloba, could trigger allergic reactions or skin sensitivities in some people. However, rashes can have many causes, including heat, friction, or even fungal infections, especially in areas like the groin, chest, neck, and armpits.
Any supplements can cause acne if your body is particularly sensitive to one of the ingredients. But, vitamins like B6, B12, and iodine, and muscle-building supplements, like testosterone, whey, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), are the biggest culprits.
(Vitamin A Toxicity)
Consuming too much vitamin A causes hair loss, cracked lips, dry skin, weakened bones, headaches, elevations of blood calcium levels, and an uncommon disorder characterized by increased pressure within the skull called idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
But routinely getting an overload of vitamins and minerals can hurt you. Too much vitamin C or zinc could cause nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Too much selenium could lead to hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue, and mild nerve damage.
Some water-soluble vitamins, if taken in very large doses, consistently can cause problems. The following can happen if you take three to 10 times above the recommended limit: Vitamin C - nausea, diarrhea, vomiting or headaches. Vitamin B3 - stomach pain, high blood pressure, vision problems and liver damage.
Fat-soluble vitamins (like A, D, E, and K) don't get flushed out in the urine, so they're the most likely to cause vitamin toxicity. Vitamins A and E may pose the greatest risk of toxicity, since they are so commonly taken and readily available.
Acute systemic vitamin A toxicity typically arises when an individual consumes over 100,000 RAE within a short period, often from supplements or high-dose medications. The toxicity symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, irritability, blurred vision, and muscular incoordination.
There is evidence that vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, biotin, and the minerals chromium, iron, selenium, and zinc play important roles in maintaining skin heath. Additional supplementation may be helpful for specific skin conditions.
Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine. High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache. Nausea and vomiting.
As mentioned, the main ingredients that can lead to skin purging are those that speed up cell turnover. These include chemical exfoliants such as alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids and popular anti-ageing active, retinol (Vitamin A).
In general, water-soluble vitamins such as vitamins B1 to B9, B12, and C are more likely to cause an immediate reaction, said Ehrlich. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, are more likely to cause a delayed reaction of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD).
Dr. Li and her team found that taking vitamin B12 increases the amount of that vitamin on facial skin. This, in turn, causes a certain facial bacteria (propionibacterium acnes) to produce more of something called porphyrins, which results in inflammation. And this could lead to acne.
The allergy can be triggered by taking vitamin B12 supplements because B12 contains cobalt atoms. Cobalt allergies most often develop in people exposed to it in eye makeup, tattoos, or industrial products, causing an itchy, red, scaly rash.
Regular consumption of multivitamins can lead to ingestion of too much iodine, a common ingredient in multivitamins, causing an influx of whiteheads and inflammatory acne on the face, as well as on the chest and back due to inflammation of the oil glands and a change in the chemistry of the oil caused by iodine.
Hypervitaminosis A is a condition that occurs when a person has too much vitamin A in their body. This can happen if a person takes too many supplements or uses certain creams for acne over a prolonged period. Symptoms of hypervitaminosis A include vision problems, changes in the skin, and bone pain.
The deficiency of vitamin B12 can cause specific skin manifestations, such as hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, angular stomatitis, and hair and nail changes [1].
Vitamins and minerals can help rebalance hormone levels, fight acne, and lead to clearer skin. Topical and oral medications have shown to be highly effective in the fight against acne. 4 of the most popular acne-fighting vitamins and minerals include vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin E.
“You should seek medical attention if you have taken mega doses of vitamins — whether that's early on or if you have been taking them for several months and experience seizures, changes in mood, including irritability or confusion, increase in headaches or fatigue, or onset of GI [gastrointestinal] symptoms like ...
Chronic hypervitaminosis A usually arises several months to many years after taking high levels of vitamin A (generally 10 times the RDA) and is marked by dry skin, dermatitis, cheilitis, gingivitis, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, mental dullness, headaches, depression, and liver test abnormalities.
Combining multiple supplements or taking more than the recommended dose might raise the risk that they can cause harm, said Kitchin. To lower your risk of an overdose, try looking for a multivitamin with no more than 100% of the daily value for any one nutrient to avoid an overdose, said Kitchin.
High doses of vitamin supplements are unsafe
Such as: Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble, which means they are stored in the body and if taken in high doses can be toxic. High doses of some water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin B6, can also become toxic. Large folate intakes can hide vitamin B12 deficiencies.
It is more important that people do not experience any breaks in their daily supplementation of a vitamin, especially if they are taking it to manage a deficiency.
Nonspecific symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash, are common with any acute or chronic vitamin overdose. Vitamin-related symptoms may be secondary to those associated with additives (eg, mannitol), colorings, or binders; these symptoms usually are not severe.