B12 shots and acne?
 

Hi all:
I'm currently receiving B12 shots to address a diagnosed deficiency. Since I began the shots a few months ago, I noticed my skin breaking out like a teenager. Has anyone else had this happen or heard of it?
By the way, I haven't eaten any chocolate or changed my diet in any way.
Thanks!
Sara

Rare thing and should be easily taken care of
 

by taking vitamin E. I would make sure it is the better type with gamma and others. Apparently it was found a long time ago that some who lacked sufficient E would get acne when their body started to work with the B12 it needs.

Taking other nutrients in reasonable amounts is important, because if something is lacking, the body can't do its best. In addition, the body draws more heavily on some nutrients when it is repairing.

Best wishes,

rose

Thanks, Rose. I will look into Vit. E supplemetation. I also wonder about the best diet to aid nerve regeneration, since my B12 (and B6) deficiency caused my peripheral neuropathy. I want to do all I can to get better.

B12 and acne...
 

Sorry to be late to this thread, but I have been working alot more than usual, and just not on line long enough to research this for you.

Here is a common list of drugs/agents that have shown acne potential:
There are anecdotal reports, many of them old, of cyanocobalamin reactions that look like acne, but are a specific type of lesion:
This paper is interesting, because it does not say what megadoses were
required:
Most vitamin supplements do not have megadoses of B12 in them. But they typically do have cyano version.
Here is another:

B6 is capable of causing a skin reaction with sun exposure:
Here is an example of acne caused by inhalers containing steroids:
All of these reports involve low numbers of patients, and a wide span of time.

Some people just cannot tolerate cyano version of B12. You know, this is a man-made product and not natural to the body.

If you suspect your acne is triggered by cyano version, you could switch to
hydroxy injection, or try the oral methyl form.

Other situations can lead to acne "attacks". Low zinc is one. Low intake of Vit A, C, E, and Selenium, also impact the skin.

Also notice in the list at the beginning of this post, that HORMONES are typically triggers. Many women today have PCOS, and the attendant elevated androgen levels, and if this is a possibility, then acne can be caused by this, or triggered by it. You can have blood tests drawn for androgens, and this will tell you if you are experiencing this effect. PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is more common today than ever and being diagnosed more accurately.

Normal dosing of methylcobalamin has not appeared in the literature as causing acne, that I have found.

Lack of omega-3 in the diet, also leads to acne. My son's acne resolved with flax oil, evening primrose and fish oil daily (one capsule of each). A diet high in damaging transfats will also show up in the skin, so eliminating these harmful fats (most restaurants still use them) is important.

Since medical resources now list daily 1,000 mcg (1mg) doses of methylcobalamin as equivalent to the shots, it might be worth a trial of switching to the oral form. It only costs .09 a day.

MrsD, Thank you!
I had a strong feeling my skin problems were related to the B12 shots and possible also the high B6 oral doses. I may try to tolerate the chin breakouts since I want to heal so deperately. Or maybe I will try the oral B12 and see if it helps. I appreciate the research you provided. Very thorough and so helpful.
Have a great holiday!
OnTheRoadBack

I sure missed the boat on that one.
 

I should have mentioned the type of B12.

Certainly, anyone who can use methylcobalamin (or even has access only to hydroxocobalamin and cyanocobalamin) would not to be relying on cyanocobalamin. Cyanocobalamin has saved countless lives, but better forms have been available for many years and the form is extremely important to some.

rose

At the beginning of September, I also had a horrible acne like breakout on my face. I'm still trying to figure out the cause of it. It was very itchy, but it's not so bad anymore.

My nearly doctor doubled my Methyl-B12 shot dosage.
mrsd-the methyl form wouldn't cause the acne to happen?

Ever heard of cadmium causing acne by any chance? I'm doing chelation therapy and my cadmium level is off the chart right now. The reference range is .50 and below. I'm at 1.29!

I'm taking Vitamin C, E, Selenium, but no Vitamin A. What form of Vitamin A is the best? I'll mention it to my doctor next week.

PCOS is something my acupuncturist and I have talked about because I brought it up. Next week I will be pushing for my doctor to test hormones. However, I still have some questions. I will be pushing for testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), and FSH/LH Ratio levels to be checked. Are there any that I'm missing here? Is saliva the best or is blood testing on the 3rd day of the cycle sufficient? If blood testing is sufficient is using Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics okay?

I take Flaxseed/Evening Primrose Oil.

Carolyn

how much primrose, Carolyn?
 

I found over the years that too much primrose leads to side effects. In my case
they were GI...mostly diarrhea. But primrose can be rather stimulating.

I never went above 500mg after that, (containing about 60mg GLA).
While some is good for dry skin, too much might stimulate oil production.
That is just a thought.

I don't know how much evening primrose oil is in the supplement I take. I take the Barlean's Essential Woman and it lists evening primrose oil in the ingredients. Is it important for evening primrose to be in the refrigerator at the store. I know it's important for flaxseed oil, but wasn't for sure on the evening primrose oil.

However, I haven't been taking this supplement that long so I don't think it's the cause of the acne.

Carolyn

The chelation you are doing does remove minerals like zinc. Zinc would be the obvious cause, I think.

I don't know how much zinc you take on your "off" days but you might talk to your doctor about adjusting that dose, if this problem continues. My nails get weak when my zinc levels fall. White spots on your fingernails can be another sign of a zinc deficiency.

there is usually
 

not that much primrose in a mixture. So you are probably ok there.

Do you have more acne with your periods? This is fairly common, and would
indicate a hormone trigger.

Itching is usually not a sign of acne. If your breakout, itches, I would consider
some trigger --like the soap you use, etc.
Itching/tingling can be a prodromal (before) symptom of a herpes breakout...and
herpes can be on face anywhere.

Excess cadmium can certainly be a factor, as all heavy metals can cause
acne/skin eruptions. But you know it is hard to say for you on the net.

Vitamin A has always been a treatment for acne. Really high doses have been dropped however. Using betacarotene is safer, and very available, so you might add that to your C, E, and S. There is a product for example called,
ACES with zinc...made just for the skin.

orthomolecular,

My doctor did tell me to increase zinc today up to 120 mg on off chelation days (For those reading this, *don't use this amount without doctor guidance!* My amounts are closely montiored by a doctor and I'm also chelating so I have to take extra.)


MrsD,

No, I don't have more acne with my periods. The itchiness is pretty much gone now, and my face is getting better slowly. I'm not forsure at this point if coconuts or olive oil were was the problem or not.

Last night I got a red rash on my neck that's still there and my skin started peeling. I tried putting lotion on it, but it stung like crazy so I washed it off. My doctor was concerned with omega 3's being low because the lab test showed they were. However, fish oil makes my tics really bad, and I'm not a big fan of eating fish.

My doctor gave me a hormone testing kit to check hormones. It will probably be March or April before we discuss results though.

My doctor is having me start taking Vitamin A & D by the NOW brand 3-4 times a week. We'll see how that goes and hopefully I'll know whether it's the coconuts or olive oil soon.

Carolyn

Spots from B12 Injections
 

I too broke out in spots when I was given B12 injections. The spots were initially mis-diagnosed as folliculitis and I was on antibiotics for months - which had absolutely no effect on the spots The spots were mainly on my face, scalp, neck, chest and seemed only to appear on my upper body. They appeared at first to be little itchy spots which then turned red and pustular (like acne) after a few days - taking a long time to go away. New spots kept appearing months after I had had the initial shots. I have since had similar outbreaks each time I have the injections but I have reduced the dosage and the spots are not as bad and I still get quite itchy. Not sure what the solution is other than maybe trying the other forms of B12 which can be taken orally?

Methylcbalamin Caused Acne
 

Hi,
After nine years of severe facial neuropathy, a new doctor tried Methylcobalamin 10,000 mcg/ml injected twice weekly. Within a month, the neuropathy was gone. Considering I had tried everything from neurontin, enbral, methotrexate, you name it, nothing did anything. The only problem is that my skin is now loaded with cystic acne. I have never in my life had acne, let alone cysts. Every day, a new one appears. They are deep and painful. I now know that other people have had the same thing occur with methylocobalamin, even though my doctor claims that the two are unrelated. I know he is wrong. I worry that if I discontinue B12 shots, the neuropathy will return. I also worry that my face will be scarred if I continue. Is there another form of B12 the cures neuropathy that doesn't cause acne? Is there anything I can do now to heal the cysts on my face.
Also, the cysts have spread to the upper back region as well.

Best

If it is due to the B12, it is probably because another nutrient is lacking. And if that is the case, the body is attempted to repair but doesn't have all of the tools. One possibility is vitamin E. I would make sure all nutrients are covered sensibly, multi, B complex, good E with gamma type, etc.

And of course anyone who is getting shots is likely to be getting cyanocobalamin. Since almost everyone, even with severe malabsorption of B12, does as well or better on daily doses of at least 1000 mcg, I would go with the oral methylcobalamin.

rose

essential fatty acids...
 

May help this. Flax oil, evening primrose and fish oil.

Other nutrients that help acne are folic acid and zinc.

b12 and acne
 

i started b12 shots and got a rash type acne on my face too!

the itchy spots u may have could be called lytchen plantus
 

If you have red spots that get darker in color as they heal it could be a rash called litcem plantus (spelling) either way ask the doc for a dose of predizone will help your acne too if u have it.