A study appearing in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology (2006; 31(3): 430–433) compared 100 subjects who were recently diagnosed with acne to 100 healthy controls. Average plasma vitamin A levels in the acne group were significantly lower (336.5 µg/L) than in the control group (418 µg/L). The researchers also found a strong correlation between lower vitamin A levels and greater acne severity.
Vitamin E levels were likewise lower in the acne group compared to controls (5.4 vs. 5.9 mg/L). The authors concluded that low plasma levels of vitamins A and E may play an important role in the pathogenesis of acne.
