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Hey I just wanted to see if anyone else has had any long term success from this? I haven't been tested for Vitamin D levels but logic is telling me it's low since my acne pretty much clears when I'm on holiday (although as someone's mentioned it might be the UV rays helping) and the weather has been pretty poor in the UK so I haven't had much sun...since I haven't been tested I'm going to go for 1000IU every other day and see if there's any difference. It's brilliant that it's helped some people but I'm not getting my hopes up - on the plus side Holland and Barrett are doing D3 in the penny sale at the minute for anyone else in the UK!
I received my vitamin D results yesterday and my serum level came back at 35 ng/mL...
I'm going to start supplementing with vitamin D 10000 IU/day and getting 20 min of sun on my chest/back on the weekends. I'll be monitoring my acne/sebum levels and get retested in 4-6 weeks to check if I hit my target serum level of 50 ng/mL.
After 4 weeks of supplementing with vitamin D 10000 IU/day and getting about 90 minutes of sun on my body on the weekends, my serum level is now 61 ng/mL. There hasn't been any change to my sebum levels or my acne severity, though maybe it'll take some more time to see results.
I do feel like I have more energy as of late, though it's tough to say if Vitamin D is responsible.
Thanks for reminding me to go take my vitamin D
How long would one have to stay in the sun to get an adequate amount of vitamin d, if that person is light brown skin?
I stayed in the sun for 30 minutes every day all last summer and I have light white skin and my serum went from 10 to 23 which is still deficient and I live in a very sunny area. In my opinion the only way to maintain proper vitamin D levels in today's world due to our style of livin is to take at least 5000 iu vitamin d a day and probably more if you want the optimum levels which effects your immune system, acne, and testosterone levels, etc mood.
Well geez I have a bottle of vitamin-D3 and it's only 400ui:p I didn't take them because I take Centrum multi-vitamins, but it seems I could add it too. That would be 1200ui, which is little but I can start with that.
We've had nothing but rain for over a week, and more rain to come. No sunlight for me:(
This is for Sebumsucks,
First, thank you so much for posting about your experience, I am so very grateful. I started reading an ebook by Jeff T Bowles about a week ago on taking high levels of D3 to cure all sorts of things, and I've been taking a higher dose for about a week, and I think my skin is less oily, but I'm still breaking out very badly around my hairline.
The odd thing is that in the last few months I have gotten rid of all chemical products - shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent - you name it - and I've been using either castile soap mixed with water or J.R. Ligett's shampoo soap, one of the types without any essential oils or fragrances. According to "The Real Guide to Flawless Skin", this should have cleared up my hairline acne. I thought the castile soap mixed with water was really helping, but the last few days it has been as bad as ever.
As far as D3 goes, I read in a testimonial on iherb that only Now D3 and Life Extension D3 worked to bring vitamin D levels. This person determined that from getting her levels tested after taking several brands, so I figured I would stick with Now. I also assumed from my own logic that the oil or oil in gelcap form would be better than tablets. However, from reading some of the posts on this thread, it sounds like I may be wrong and that the tablet form is better.
Would you mind posting exactly which brand and type worked for you please? I am so desperate to find something that works.
I'm also taking K2, vitamin A and calcium that Bowles writes about (as well as other supplements including zinc). Do you take any of these as well? Apparently K2 and possibly A and calcium are important to take while supplementing with D3.
Sebumsucks,
I just made this account, so I can reply to you. I am delightful that you found a way to help us (acne's people) find a cure.
Man, I am going to get my hand on that Vitamin D3 Pills, but they are quite pricey I might say.
Say, what happen if you rub the acnes on your face and back for few years when your first acne started and spread like a wildfire. I assume it might leave a scar, right?
Will having a lot of Vitamin D cure the acne's scar or the scar will remain but the rest of our acnes is gone forever?
Hi everyone.
First and foremost, I want to start by thanking everyone, especially the OP for this post. I have been on two rounds of accutane which were successful but now my acne is back. I've gone on clindamycin, minocycline and doxy all of which only worked for a short time. My wants to cycle through these antibiotics again but I wanted to find an alternative.
So I've just start taken Viatmin D3 about 2,000 IU's a day. My question to those who have had success with this is that, did anyone break out a little more than usual when first supplementing the vitamin d3? I just started on Thursday and it seems like I've been getting a little bit more breakouts than usual but its similar to what happened when I was on accutane for the first week. The reason Im asking is because I don't know if i should contnue taking the vitamin d supplement if this is the case (breaking out more initially not being normal).
My derm scheduled me another appointment last month for Aug 23, and said if my acne hadn't gotten better, he'd like to put me back on accutane, which it hasn't. But I really would like to avoid accutane but at the same time its so difficult to deal with looking the way I do with pimples at 27 going on 28 years old.
Appreciate any feedback guys/gals,
VERY interesting thread. Especially the theory that there may be a faulty mechanism for producing vitamin D in the skin in those with excessively oily skin. I too have extremely oily skin that has improved after vit D use.
I have been using up to 8,000 ius during the winter and 4,000 in the summer ( I stay out of the sun). I have been using this for a couple of years now. D3 is a secosteroid hormone that is involved in too many processes in the body to name. It is vital. Deficiency has been linked to cancer, diabetes, arthritis, as well as countless other diseases.
At the first sign of a cold or flu I take 40,000 - 50,000 IUs for 3 days, then drop down to 20,000 - 30,000 until symptoms have gone. So far it's worked like a charm. It usually gets rid of the bug by day 4.
Taking 5,000 IUs per day is a safe dose.....unless you are getting lots of sun exposure, but even then it is still probably safe. Studies show that toxicity occurs when greater than 40,000 IUs per day is taken for over 2 years. And even then, toxicity subsides when the dosage is eliminated.
Hi everyone.
First and foremost, I want to start by thanking everyone, especially the OP for this post. I have been on two rounds of accutane which were successful but now my acne is back. I've gone on clindamycin, minocycline and doxy all of which only worked for a short time. My wants to cycle through these antibiotics again but I wanted to find an alternative.
So I've just start taken Viatmin D3 about 2,000 IU's a day. My question to those who have had success with this is that, did anyone break out a little more than usual when first supplementing the vitamin d3? I just started on Thursday and it seems like I've been getting a little bit more breakouts than usual but its similar to what happened when I was on accutane for the first week. The reason Im asking is because I don't know if i should contnue taking the vitamin d supplement if this is the case (breaking out more initially not being normal).
My derm scheduled me another appointment last month for Aug 23, and said if my acne hadn't gotten better, he'd like to put me back on accutane, which it hasn't. But I really would like to avoid accutane but at the same time its so difficult to deal with looking the way I do with pimples at 27 going on 28 years old.
Appreciate any feedback guys/gals,
I would strongly urge you to take a multi-pronged approach. If you have been on many courses of antibiotics, then you will most likely have severely disrupted intestinal flora. In my experience, this ultimately makes acne worse. In addition to D3 (NOT D2), eliminate all sugar and simple carbohydrate from your diet and start on high quality probiotics. Go on the MEVY diet for a good month to see where you are at. MEVY stands for Meat Eggs Vegetables and Yogurt. That is all you eat. No grains, no fruit, the goal is to eliminate all sugars so that you starve the candida yeast that has most likely taken over your normal gut bacteria as a result of the antibiotics.
Simple going on more antibiotics will just give you more long term problems. I don't think D3 alone will be enough in a case of severely disrupted intestinal flora.
Most people got clear from D3 supplements....how many of you actually got clear from prescription D2??? I seem to be one of the few unlucky ones who can't tolerate D3 in supplement form, but D2 seems to be ok apart from some stomach issues from the high dose.
Have you tried it in other forms like chocolate or gummy supplements? Check out this article *Moderator edit, URL removed - read the board rules*
I use both and think they're a better solution than the typical capsules.
Hi everyone.
First and foremost, I want to start by thanking everyone, especially the OP for this post. I have been on two rounds of accutane which were successful but now my acne is back. I've gone on clindamycin, minocycline and doxy all of which only worked for a short time. My wants to cycle through these antibiotics again but I wanted to find an alternative.
So I've just start taken Viatmin D3 about 2,000 IU's a day. My question to those who have had success with this is that, did anyone break out a little more than usual when first supplementing the vitamin d3? I just started on Thursday and it seems like I've been getting a little bit more breakouts than usual but its similar to what happened when I was on accutane for the first week. The reason Im asking is because I don't know if i should contnue taking the vitamin d supplement if this is the case (breaking out more initially not being normal).
My derm scheduled me another appointment last month for Aug 23, and said if my acne hadn't gotten better, he'd like to put me back on accutane, which it hasn't. But I really would like to avoid accutane but at the same time its so difficult to deal with looking the way I do with pimples at 27 going on 28 years old.
Appreciate any feedback guys/gals,
I would strongly urge you to take a multi-pronged approach. If you have been on many courses of antibiotics, then you will most likely have severely disrupted intestinal flora. In my experience, this ultimately makes acne worse. In addition to D3 (NOT D2), eliminate all sugar and simple carbohydrate from your diet and start on high quality probiotics. Go on the MEVY diet for a good month to see where you are at. MEVY stands for Meat Eggs Vegetables and Yogurt. That is all you eat. No grains, no fruit, the goal is to eliminate all sugars so that you starve the candida yeast that has most likely taken over your normal gut bacteria as a result of the antibiotics.
Simple going on more antibiotics will just give you more long term problems. I don't think D3 alone will be enough in a case of severely disrupted intestinal flora.
Thanks for the reply.
The semi good thing I guess is that when I started the cycle of Minocycline/Doxycycline, I actually had a very weird reaction that most don't experience; I would get dandruff beyond belief and its never been a problem up until I started taking those meds. So I wouldn't take the required prescription at first, maybe once every few days or so and then stopped completely. I have been off antibiotics for quite some time now.
But I am curious if I should continue with the D3 as I am breaking out more since going on it. I read in the original post that it is similar to accutane in how it has the retnoid stuff or something and so I remember when on accutane, I would break out worse for the first two weeks. But if everyone who has taken D3 and seen results and their acne did not worsen at first, then its making me believe I'm screwed and might have to look for an alternative. But I really pray this works.
It's also very important when supplementing with D3 to also take adequate co-factors. Magnesium and K2 are D3 co-factors and are very important to include. Also calcium absorption is increased with increased D3 , so reduce or illuminate calcium supplements.....just eat calcium rich foods and you should get the calcium you need.
Just got word today from my doctor that I have a vitamin d deficiency. I was given the same results from a blood test last year, but I don't think I took the supplements long enough to notice or recognize a difference in oil production or breakouts. Plus, it was a prescription so I don't know if that was the reason why since it was probably d2, not d3.
I'm a 27 year old woman and I've had acne since I was about 13/14 years old. It usually bounces back and forth from extremely moderate to moderate, but within the last two months, it's gotten precipitously worse with constant widespread breakouts on my forehead, chin, jawline, hairline and a lot of white head and blackhead congestion around my nose that spreads down to the sides of my chin. It literally hurts and is very uncomfortable to even apply apply lotions and gels to my face, it's that bad!
These recent flairups have really been bothering me because I have never had such bad acne. The last few years, I've had maybe 1 or 2 pimples on my forehead at any one time and now it's covered with bumps. My cheeks are the only places where the acne doesn't flare up. Thank God there's one spot that's been untouched!
Throughout the years I've tried so many products even though my acne has been pretty moderate. I received a referral to a derm, but I'm so over being put on more antibiotics or retinoids that never seem to work. BP gel used to help, but my skin no longer reacts to it like it used to. Plus, BP was never a 100% solution. I'd still have at least 2-5 pimples on any one day plus extreme flakies from the irritation it was causing.
Anyhow, I'm going to start taking the D3 supplement today or tomorrow since I do have a deficiency with the hope that it helps reduce sebum and acne breakouts. My doctor didn't say what my vitamin d level currently is, but she did say I need about 2,000 iu per day. I'm going to keep a diary and photo log of what happens as I take it.
I really hope it works as I don't want to resort to going back to a derm that's gonna prescribe me more stuff that doesn't work. Would also love if it helps my extreme fatigue. I'll post again in a few days.
Hi Everyone,
I read this post months ago in May and decides to try Vitamin D3. I began taking 5000iu daily and after a number of days my acne (I'm 24, and have had it since I was 14) has severely reduced. My skin (I'm Asian, and living in Canada) immediately became less red/inflamed and the white heads shrank considerably. Like many other posters the oil production on my face reduced dramatically and I wake up with barely any oil now. I barely have any pimples now, my face is clear.
The results are so staggering that I honestly look like my true self, after years of being embarrassed with my face. I've been sharing my story with close friends and family and have even up my dose to 10,000iu daily after doing research.
Hi Everyone,
I read this post months ago in May and decides to try Vitamin D3. I began taking 5000iu daily and after a number of days my acne (I'm 24, and have had it since I was 14) has severely reduced. My skin (I'm Asian, and living in Canada) immediately became less red/inflamed and the white heads shrank considerably. Like many other posters the oil production on my face reduced dramatically and I wake up with barely any oil now. I barely have any pimples now, my face is clear.
The results are so staggering that I honestly look like my true self, after years of being embarrassed with my face. I've been sharing my story with close friends and family and have even up my dose to 10,000iu daily after doing research.
Hi, may I ask you a few questions?
Are you male or female?
Have you ever had your D3 levels clinically tested? If yes, were you low?
What is the brand name of the D3 you used?
Do you take any other OTC supplements with the D3?
Would you say the oil reduction was a gradual change or more abrupt?
Have you made any significant lifestyle changes that could have contributed? (Lost weight, turned vegan, new medications, sleep changes, etc...)
Thanks 
I'm happy to hear you are doing well. I'm just trying to figure out why this makes such a dramatic difference for some and does nothing for others.
It seems like the D3 works by reducing the oil your skin produces; and so when this happens your acne inevitably reduces as well. The theory is that a contributing factor to how much sebum your skin produces is your vitamin D levels; it's believed the oil is used in an attempt to "ready" your skin (it gets complicated, this is the best way to think about it) to absorb more vitamin D from the sun. And so when your body has a surplus of vitamin D your skin produces less sebum in response.
Hi Everyone,
I read this post months ago in May and decides to try Vitamin D3. I began taking 5000iu daily and after a number of days my acne (I'm 24, and have had it since I was 14) has severely reduced. My skin (I'm Asian, and living in Canada) immediately became less red/inflamed and the white heads shrank considerably. Like many other posters the oil production on my face reduced dramatically and I wake up with barely any oil now. I barely have any pimples now, my face is clear.
The results are so staggering that I honestly look like my true self, after years of being embarrassed with my face. I've been sharing my story with close friends and family and have even up my dose to 10,000iu daily after doing research.
Hi, may I ask you a few questions?
Are you male or female?
Have you ever had your D3 levels clinically tested? If yes, were you low?
What is the brand name of the D3 you used?
Do you take any other OTC supplements with the D3?
Would you say the oil reduction was a gradual change or more abrupt?
Have you made any significant lifestyle changes that could have contributed? (Lost weight, turned vegan, new medications, sleep changes, etc...)
Thanks
I'm happy to hear you are doing well. I'm just trying to figure out why this makes such a dramatic difference for some and does nothing for others.
It seems like the D3 works by reducing the oil your skin produces; and so when this happens your acne inevitably reduces as well. The theory is that a contributing factor to how much sebum your skin produces is your vitamin D levels; it's believed the oil is used in an attempt to "ready" your skin (it gets complicated, this is the best way to think about it) to absorb more vitamin D from the sun. And so when your body has a surplus of vitamin D your skin produces less sebum in response.
I'm male.
Never took a test,
I did my own research for a couple hours and determined that living in Ontario in an office environment 5 days a week with BARELY any sun (gamer as well) that 5000iu wouldn't kill me.
The oil reduced by one week, I stopped feel the sensitivity on my face from the redness.
The D3 I've been taking is in the oil version, currently I'm taking the 10,000iu pills ( http://www.iherb.com/Healthy-Origins-Vitamin-D3-10-000-IU-360-Softgels/21298 ), but the 5,000iu version was very similar but at a lower dosage.
No change in lifestyle, even more stressed at work but now I can bank on my face not going crazy.
Hi Everyone,
I read this post months ago in May and decides to try Vitamin D3. I began taking 5000iu daily and after a number of days my acne (I'm 24, and have had it since I was 14) has severely reduced. My skin (I'm Asian, and living in Canada) immediately became less red/inflamed and the white heads shrank considerably. Like many other posters the oil production on my face reduced dramatically and I wake up with barely any oil now. I barely have any pimples now, my face is clear.
The results are so staggering that I honestly look like my true self, after years of being embarrassed with my face. I've been sharing my story with close friends and family and have even up my dose to 10,000iu daily after doing research.
Hi, may I ask you a few questions?
Are you male or female?
Have you ever had your D3 levels clinically tested? If yes, were you low?
What is the brand name of the D3 you used?
Do you take any other OTC supplements with the D3?
Would you say the oil reduction was a gradual change or more abrupt?
Have you made any significant lifestyle changes that could have contributed? (Lost weight, turned vegan, new medications, sleep changes, etc...)
Thanks
I'm happy to hear you are doing well. I'm just trying to figure out why this makes such a dramatic difference for some and does nothing for others.
It seems like the D3 works by reducing the oil your skin produces; and so when this happens your acne inevitably reduces as well. The theory is that a contributing factor to how much sebum your skin produces is your vitamin D levels; it's believed the oil is used in an attempt to "ready" your skin (it gets complicated, this is the best way to think about it) to absorb more vitamin D from the sun. And so when your body has a surplus of vitamin D your skin produces less sebum in response.
I'm male.
Never took a test,
I did my own research for a couple hours and determined that living in Ontario in an office environment 5 days a week with BARELY any sun (gamer as well) that 5000iu wouldn't kill me.
The oil reduced by one week, I stopped feel the sensitivity on my face from the redness.
The D3 I've been taking is in the oil version, currently I'm taking the 10,000iu pills ( http://www.iherb.com/Healthy-Origins-Vitamin-D3-10-000-IU-360-Softgels/21298 ), but the 5,000iu version was very similar but at a lower dosage.
No change in lifestyle, even more stressed at work but now I can bank on my face not going crazy.
Okay, great thanks for the info. It's interesting you had success with the oil caplets, I haven't head that too much.. Most people tend to try the dry tablets first.
Day 4 on D3
Hi guys,
This is my fourth day on D3. I am taking 3,000 (dry tabs) iu per day with a meal. I've not noticed any difference in the breakouts yet (still really early), but I think there has been a slight difference in the production of sebum. My skin is usually severe with oil and gets slick within one to two hours every morning after washing my face, but the last couple of days the oil doesn't appear until the afternoon. I'm hopeful it's a result of the D3, although, I live in Phoenix, AZ and it might also be that the weather isn't as humid...
I might try upping my dose to 5,000 iu in a few days to see if there's any difference in the breakouts. Still getting newly formed pimples all over, but I'm hopeful that my body just needs to adjust to the new supplements and purge the all the bad congestion in my pores.
Will update again in the next few days.
Just started taking these:
Link removed no links allowed acne.org moderator
They are 25ug (1000 ui)
I have very oily skin that has led lots of blackheads and large pores on my face. My complexion is also poor.
I have been reading this thread and seen that some people are taking up to 6000 ui a day.
I've read from some that this could lead to toxicity since they say it's a very high amount.
I also read that you can get around 10,000 ui from the sun within 15-30 minutes but the intake won't lead to toxicity since it is absorbed in a different way to supplements.
Could someone expand on any of this as I'm not sure of all the information.
Thank you.
I accidentally stumbled upon this thread some time ago and decided to give it a try. Because why not, over the years I've tried things that seemed even less plausible.
I've been taking 5000-7000 IU a day, today is day 9. I take one dry capsule after each meal, sometimes I don't really count the pills and possibly end up taking more, but I guess it's no big deal since there's virtually no risk of toxicity.
Over the past year I managed to clear like 80% of my acne by using 5% BP and staying away from wheat and dairy, nevertheless, my skin was still ridiculously oily. Normally I'd blot my face like every 30 minutes.
The D3 has been the only recent change in my diet/lifestyle, and while it's still early, I can definitely say there's actually quite a noticeable improvement in terms of the amount of oil my skin produces. I was definitely surprised to see the sebum reduction was so fast. I'm still oily and get 1-2 new pimples every couple of days though, especially around my lips, nose and in the scalp - those seem to be the most stubborn ones 
I wouldn't call it a major success (yet) but I can definitely say it's doing something.
I'll report back let's say in a month or two. I don't wanna jinx it but it looks promising.
Just wondering... should I ramp up the dosage even more or is there a chance too much vitamin D3 would cause a breakout? Any experiences?
Also, I did some research on D3 and it looks like it's also used as a treatment for psoriasis. My mother has suffered from psoriasis pretty ever since she can remember. I've never had a single spot but it leads me to think that the problem might be some sort of genetic issue, our skin not producing enough D3 naturally, which is then externally demonstrated as acne or psoriasis.
Hi everyone! So ive been on 2course of accutane and it didnt cured my acne. I am 29, asian, male and had acne since my teens. My face now is very oily (im blotting every 15minutes, no kidding!) and have moderate (that is 2-3 acne) cystic/big pus acnes. I have read this post and decided to make an account here so i can reply.
I am on my 2nd day takin 10,000 iu of vitD. Before hand i am taking Zinc at 100mg dosage for 2weeks. The zinc indeed reduced my acne from 5cysts altogether in a week to now just 3cysts, but my face is super super oily, reason why im trying to add vitD.
I am VERY, very, very desperate!! T_T