Vitamin B12 linked to acne
Posted on: 18/Apr/2018 2:48:55 PM
According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles, a very common vitamin found in several meat and dairy products has been linked to higher risk of acne. The research was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
The study says that vitamin B12, which is required for better brain function and to keep anaemia at bay, can reportedly alter the genetic make-up of facial bacteria and lead to an inflammation. The research team studied B12 and concluded that people who take the vitamin might develop acne.
The researchers, initially, looked for the molecular pathway that produces vitamin B12 in the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes. After comparing it in people with good skin, and acne-prone skin, they concluded that vitamin B12 biosynthesis pathway in the bacteria was significantly down-regulated in the latter, reported Science Alert. The acne-causing bacteria switch to producing porphyrins, which in some people increases the inflammatory skin condition.
Speaking about this, the researchers said, We think the pathway we studied could potentially explain part of acne`s pathogenesis. The data and hypothesis are very intriguing, but much additional investigation is required to determine if this is a real cause-and-effect phenomenon. There are studies, which suggest that vitamin B12 has anti-inflammatory properties.
