17 replies to this topic

[Dan]

Hi. A while back somebody posted that he was using zinc and chromium and it was helping with his skin. I did a little research and there has been at least 1 study showing that zinc supplementation can help with acne. So, as usual when I find something like this I try it myself. I've been supplementing with 50mg zinc and 200mcg chromium picolinate for about 2 months now. While my skin was already clear from the regimen, every once in a while I would get a small zit that I'd zap with AHA and usually get it to go away quickly. But with the zinc/chromium and the regimen I have perfect skin, like totally perfect day after day.

I am not at all saying the regimen can't get you totally clear. But whereas I would sometimes break out in a place where I forgot to apply the regimen, I no longer do. Perhaps I'm just growing out of acne, which would be awesome. But it also might be the zinc/chromium.

So, can I get a few volunteers? From what I've read, and I can't quote my source on this (perhaps someone else can?), zinc at levels above 100mg per day can be too much and can impede the absorbtion of copper, so levels should be kept below 100mg. I decided to go half of what the guy who saw results used and I've been using 50mg of the zinc and 200mcg of the chromium, split into 2 daily dosages of 25mg zinc and 100mcg chromium. Since cashews have lots of copper I've been snackin' on those from time to time too.

I'd be interested in people's results on this who are both on the regimen and using nothing else aside from the zinc and chromium as well. Thanks.

[confessions]

hey dan,

A while back i posted a recommendation for everybody to try zinc and chromium, although i don't know if it's my post in particular your thinking of (my tag line: I beg all of you to try zinc and chromium/ or something like that). I'm very happy you're seeming some results with this combination. Personally I've continued to have brilliant success with the chromium and zinc.

The only time i seem to break out is when I'm bulking and eating a ridiculous amount of weight gainer and carbs, most of which have tons of sugar / high glycemic index. So i guess the zinc and chromium help with blood sugar regulation only to a point. As of now I am completely clear without BP gel, although when I do try to gain mass i use BP, and even then I still have occasional acne. It seems to be a good strategy for me right now when I don't go crazy with my sugar intake.

Well I hope you incorporate the zinc + chromium supplementation into your clear skin regimen because I personally believe this more holistic approach can help many more people than you already have.

back to the party and happy new year!

[bobbyG]

Well ive been supplementing with 60mg zinc/day for the past 9
weeks and have had very good results. I still get an occasional
breakout of 1-3 pimples so i'll look into adding chromiun to see
how it goes...

[elfgirl]

I do 100mg's of zinc a day, my acne is mild but have never tried the chromium with it. The only things that really make me break out bad and on my neck is nuts and pork products, no where else but on the neck that take weeks to heal, so maybe there is something to the chromium with it.Couldn't hurt to try it.

[hitch]

I started taking 50mg Zinc tablets daily when I found out I had a zinc defficiency about a year ago. I also just oredered some chromium pills yesterday after reading some stuff on this site as well as other health sites about its effects. So I will start taking both of them as soon as I get back to college in a week. The zinc alone has had a minimal affect on my skin so we'll see if adding a chromium supplement does anything.

[hitch]

While my skin was already clear from the regimen, every once in a while I would get a small zit that I'd zap with AHA and usually get it to go away quickly. But with the zinc/chromium and the regimen I have perfect skin, like totally perfect day after day.

Are you still on your regimen or have you stopped now?

I have been on your regimen for about a year... but have been drastically reducing the amount of bp I use and have been trying more natural routes becasue bp is simply not a long term solution for me. Anyways... I have actually gave up bp gel for this year (haha we'll see how long I can go) because I really think diet, vitamins, and other natural things can cure my acne. Since I'm not using bp anymore this will be a pretty good indicator of whether zinc & chromium is beneficial to me.

[Daz!]

I'd also suggest magnesium supplementation. Make sure the zinc is in the form of zinc gluconate, (zinc oxide doesn't work) and that you are getting copper as well. In trials zinc gluconate was 30% effective compared to minocycline which was 60%, so whilst it isn't a cure it does help.
http://www.ncbi.nlm....t_uids=11586012

[Nabs]

the other day i was reading sumwhere on here that zinc and chromium were good for acne and i jus happened to find sum in the cabinet!

lol then a couple of dayz ago, i looked at the expiration dates and they were both expired since 2003! lol, that sux!

[DanMan1]

I'd also suggest magnesium supplementation. Make sure the zinc is in the form of zinc gluconate, (zinc oxide doesn't work) and that you are getting copper as well. In trials zinc gluconate was 30% effective compared to minocycline which was 60%, so whilst it isn't a cure it does help.
http://www.ncbi.nlm....t_uids=11586012

i Have Zinc Sulfate... is that the wrong one??? that one wont work

[IFeelBroken]

Hi. A while back somebody posted that he was using zinc and chromium and it was helping with his skin. I did a little research and there has been at least 1 study showing that zinc supplementation can help with acne. So, as usual when I find something like this I try it myself. I've been supplementing with 50mg zinc and 200mcg chromium picolinate for about 2 months now. While my skin was already clear from the regimen, every once in a while I would get a small zit that I'd zap with AHA and usually get it to go away quickly. But with the zinc/chromium and the regimen I have perfect skin, like totally perfect day after day.

I am not at all saying the regimen can't get you totally clear. But whereas I would sometimes break out in a place where I forgot to apply the regimen, I no longer do. Perhaps I'm just growing out of acne, which would be awesome. But it also might be the zinc/chromium.

So, can I get a few volunteers? From what I've read, and I can't quote my source on this (perhaps someone else can?), zinc at levels above 100mg per day can be too much and can impede the absorbtion of copper, so levels should be kept below 100mg. I decided to go half of what the guy who saw results used and I've been using 50mg of the zinc and 200mcg of the chromium, split into 2 daily dosages of 25mg zinc and 100mcg chromium. Since cashews have lots of copper I've been snackin' on those from time to time too.

I'd be interested in people's results on this who are both on the regimen and using nothing else aside from the zinc and chromium as well. Thanks.

Chromium has helped me so much with my acne, now I only get acne with I eat bread or high sugar foods; candy, donuts, etc......


I love it. I have been taking Mega-T GREEN TEA Dietary Supplements.....Has 250 mcg of chromium, and lots of good green tea extracts..... I love it....Well people should try it, it really helps....

[Daz!]

I'd also suggest magnesium supplementation. Make sure the zinc is in the form of zinc gluconate, (zinc oxide doesn't work) and that you are getting copper as well. In trials zinc gluconate was 30% effective compared to minocycline which was 60%, so whilst it isn't a cure it does help.
http://www.ncbi.nlm....t_uids=11586012

i Have Zinc Sulfate... is that the wrong one??? that one wont work

Zinc sulfate worked as well in the early 1970's trials before they used gluconate. In the zinc oxide trials they had no results.

[Gurra]

It is no secret that Zinc is good for acne.

This is also a fact for selenium.

[Daz!]

Do you have Pyroluria?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroluria
This recently found condition is common and can be detected in urine samples.
Skin disorders are associated with this.
Zinc & B6 supplementation is used to treat pyroluria.

[hitch]

Well I've been using zinc and chromium together for a few weeks now and I can honestly say that my skin is doing better. There are so many other variables though so it is hard to say whether it is the pills or something else that I am doing or not doing. For instance, I switched to the Neutrogena on the spot bp gel because it agrees so much better with my skin. I hardly have to use any of it.

Any others that are taking this combination??

[AliasJaneDoe]

What is chromium? I've never heard of it. And can you become imune to it and/or zinc?

[Believe]

I came across zinc and chromium gtf long ago and love both of them. I take 50mg zinc picolinate daily, half an hour before I go to bed and 200mcg chromium gtf in the mornings and sometimes I pop another pills throughout the day.

Regarding copper: I love cashews, but would always break out within few hours after eating just a few of them, I knew they contained a lot of copper and not surprisingly after getting tested I have excess copper in my body, so taking zinc without additional supplementation of copper does not hurt me at all, quite the contrary it helps my body decrease copper levels. My doctor even had me do chelation to bring down copper levels, but then said zinc supplementation might do the trick, so lets see what happens.

[lllhhk]

So has it worked for anyone? Btw, does it help 100%? or is it like Bp... helps a little?