Large doses of vitamin A have been found to be effective for the treatment of acne vulgaris. We have found it to be effective in patients who are nonresponsive to other natural treatments.
DOSAGE
Under a doctor
Several small double-blind clinical trials have shown that zinc supplements are effective for acne. Zinc is involved in skin healing and improved immunity. Zinc also reduces the skin levels of the testosterone metabolite dihydrotestosterone, which can aggravate acne. Studies show that people with acne tend to have lower serum and skin levels of zinc. We have observed zinc supplementation to be effective for numerous patients. A study published in Dermatology compared the effectiveness and safety of zinc versus antibiotic therapy (minocycline) in the treatment of acne vulgaris. In this multicenter randomized, double-blind trial, 332 patients received either 30 mg of elemental zinc or 100 mg of minocycline over 3 months. The clinical success rate was 31,2 percent for zinc and 63,4 percent for minocycline. The zinc group had 5 dropouts; the minocycline group, 4 dropouts. Most of the adverse effects were related to gastrointestinal upset. The conclusion of this study was that both zinc and minocycline were effective in the treatment of acne,with minocycline having a better effect.However, it should be noted the zinc dosage was quite low compared to what nutrition- oriented doctors typically use to treat acne. (more…)
For some people with acne, a healthy diet can do wonders to clear up their complexion. Conventional medicine has traditionally held to the notion that acne is not related to diet. Nutrition-oriented doctors such as ourselves have found that diet plays a major role in acne for some but not all individuals. An emerging body of scientific evidence is demonstrating that diet does indeed have an impact on acne. For example, researcher Loren Cordain, professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, teamed up with five scientists from around the country to look at the more than 1,300 Kitivan Islanders of Papua New Guinea and Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. They could not find a single case of active acne in either Kitivan Islanders or Ache hunter-gatherers. According to Cordain, the perfect skin of the two unrelated groups in the study was not due to genetics, but likely was the result of different environmental factors, especially diet.
Unlike the high simple sugar content of U.S. foods, the diet of the Kitivans in Papua,New Guinea, consists mainly of fruit, fish, and tubers. The diet of the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay includes wild and foraged foods, locally cultivated food, and a small percentage of Western foods obtained from external sources.
A Western diet boosts the hormone insulin, which promotes inflammation of the skin as well as the overproduction of oil and skin cells in pores that lead to bacteria overgrowth on the skin and acne formation. In addition, the Western diet increases growth factors and other hormones such as testosterone that contribute to acne. (more…)
I found that many people have been helped by having access to concise, effective information on natural medicine for a variety of health conditions. From our discussions with patients, the public, and doctors,we saw a great need for a book comparing commonly used pharmaceutical medications and effective natural alternatives. With the explosion in scientific validation of natural therapies, combined with public concern over potential side effects of pharmaceutical drugs, the current medical climate has created an unprecedented demand for natural alternatives to pharmaceutical medications. This book provides a resource for patients and doctors alike to bridge the gap between these two fields of medicine.
Chances are that you or someone you know takes one or more medications. Many of these come with a long list of potential side effects, some of which can be life-threatening. The question we are often asked is,