Is Acne a Symptom of Vitamin D Deficiency?

“Vitamin D” is actually a pre-hormone, not a vitamin. Given that a widely accepted cause of acne is hormone imbalance, it is very easy to see how adequate, steady levels of Vitamin D3 would lend itself to a “cure.”

In the October 2008 issue of the Vitamin D Council’s newsletter, there was a connection made between vitamin D3 and acne. Although the mention in the newsletter was brief, they linked to a very thorough and detailed study done by AIERLIN T.-R. MAYNARD, M.D. in 1938.

Here is the segment from the Vitamin D Council’s October 2008 Newsletter:

Dear Dr. Cannell:

My teenage son has type 2 diabetes. I started him on 5,000 IU of vitamin D a day about 6 months ago. Three things have happened so far, he started losing weight, his blood sugars improved, and his acne went away. I know you have written about diabetes and weight loss with vitamin D but I can’t remember anything about acne?

Mary, North Dakota

Dear Mary:

I have had some reports that vitamin D cured acne but frankly, I didn’t believe them. Then I ran across this 1938 paper. You can read the entire paper yourself and see what 5,000 to 14,000 IU per day did for these patients with severe acne. When I was a kid, I always wondered why my pimples got better in the summer and worse in the winter.

Here’s the link to the 1938 study:

Maynard MT. Vitamin D in Acne: A Comparison with X-Ray Treatment. Cal West Med. 1938 Aug;49(2):127-32.

Of the 132 acne patients he studied, 28% were “much better” at three months. 47% were “healed at three months.”

Here is the doctor’s summary:

“I believe I may say that at no time in my dermatological experience have I felt such complete satisfaction with a treatment as I have with the cases of this series. I know that vitamin D is an imperfect weapon to slay this disfiguring disease, but it undoubtedly gives one a feeling of being well defended. From the patients’ viewpoint, it has left little to be desired, as they find themselves improving, both in appearance and in general well-being. Many have expressed the sentiment, “Never felt better.”

I’d love to sell you a blue light for natural acne treatment, but I’d much rather if you did not need acne treatment at all. Vitamin D3 is safe for all ages in the proper dosage, easy to get, and cheap.