B12 and acne. Will reducing dose help?

[Sarahlouise1980]

Hi,

I’m supplementing with Jarrows b12 sublingual 1000mcg lozenges, one a day. I have low b12 but the only symptom I appear to have is hairloss. Since I’ve started taking these 3 weeks ago now I’ve broken out in acne on my face, chest and the tops of my arms and shoulders. Could I try taking one every other day to see if the acne clears any?

Any advice most welcome!!

[fbirder]

You could try it. But most people find the acne disappears within a few weeks.

See a pharmacist for treatment advice.

[Nackapan]

I still get sore big spots. Far fewer but they still appear on my neck and chin sometimes after injections.

If your regime keeps other symptoms at bay I wouldn't reduce it or change . The spots will lessen.

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to Nackapan]

I don’t have any symptoms Nackapan. Just the hairloss. The acne only started once I started on the b12 😢

[Nackapan in reply to Sarahlouise1980]

Oh try reducing to a lower dose then. Have your ferritin levels been checked? That causes hair loss too.so you just trying to rise b12 levels. Good no symptoms!!

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to Nackapan]

I’ve taken ferrous gluconate for years so ferritin levels are good at 139 last check. Could I take a lower dose b12? 50mcg daily was suggested in a previous thread and I found a b complex with 50mcg in x

[pvanderaa]

Like most of the counterintuitive symptoms from B12 medication, the acne means that you probably need more B12, most likely injections.

When your body becomes deficient in B12, some metabolic processes slow down. Then, when they get any B12, they crank into high gear and process off the backlog. Hormones are just another process and you get a spike just like you hit puberty again.

Once you get sufficient B12 medication, the deficiency goes away, the metabolic processes stabilize and the spikes go away.

The acne settles down once the spikes stop.

Do you keep a logbook and assess the severity of all your symptoms as they change after you take B12? Once you start looking, you will find lots of others- gut, mood, focus, anxiety that all fluctuate.

Provide a written/ printed list to your GP to give the “evidence” they need. Ask for it to be included in your medical record. Somehow holding a piece of paper can change their minds and allow them to prescribe injections. It may not happen the first visit and you will at some point be treated like a total hypochondriac. Stick with it and get B12 injections if you need them.

Are you vegan or vegetarian? Supplements may be enough. Use the logbook to monitor your progress which ever way you decide to go.

[lownskater52]

I get acne when I go heavy on the b12. I cut it back until the acne went away.

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to lownskater52]

By cutting it back do you mean reduced the dosage or stopped taking it?

[lownskater52 in reply to Sarahlouise1980]

Reduced dosage. I am vegan and became deficient over ten years. I was taking 1000 mcgs a day and getting injections 2 times a week. It was fine for loading doses but I just dont need that much. I take 50 or 100 mcg per day now orally.

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to lownskater52]

Did you get more acne on the 1000mcg supplement than on the 50mcg? I’m thinking of taking 50mcg a day and seeing how that goes x

[Akou86 in reply to lownskater52]

Hi Lownskater52,

For the lower dose of B12, do you take methylcobalanin or cyanocobalamin supplement? Does the lower dose effectively bring your plasma B12 levels to normal range? And do you experience any breakouts/bumpiness/inflammation on your face with the lower dose?

Thank you!

[Foxtrot89]

I get spotty when I up my dose of B12 but after a while on the same dose it clears up. I’d stick with it if I were you.

[Ritchie1268]

I had bad acne before I was diagnosed with PA, but put it down to hormone Injections after zero Testosterone levels. Since starting injections in March 2018 & self Injecting every other day since Xmas, nothing has changed. Still all over my back, chest, stomach, under my arm pits, & back of neck.

See a Dermatologist for 3rd time in November who seems at a loss.

[palmier]

You only absorb around 1 % of 1000 mcg tablets, so they're not as strong as they seem.

Do you know the cause of you low b12?

[JoVH]

I got acne breakout with the first three or four injections. After that it was minor and has now disappeared.

[Akou86]

Hi Sarahlouise1980,

I have been breaking out with B12 sublingual pills (2500 mcg). In early 2017, my PCP prescribed once a week nasal spray (Nascobal). It did nothing to my B12-levels. So, I started taking sublingual pills in addition (once a week) and slowly moved to taking it every day. As I have increased my dosage, I started noticing acne/inflammation/redness on my face. I have gone from having zero zits on my face to very inflamed skin with white pustules on cheeks and forehead.

I am going to stop the B12 supplements for now till I can figure out a good regimen with my doctor. Do you have any updates on your progress? And has your skin cleared up? Any tips and tricks are welcome!

Also could you tell me if you decided to go with a low dose of B12? And has it been working for you?

Thanks!