What Are The Best Vitamins & Supplements To Ease Eczema

Finding true eczema relief can feel impossible - so many with this condition try everything to minimise constant, unbearable flare-ups yet still suffer inflamed, irritated skin daily. Know that adding some of the best vitamins for eczema to complement your doctor’s treatment plan can help provide real symptom reduction.

Research shows vitamins D, E, zinc and omegas tackle inflammation-inducing pathways and help repair sensitive skin when combined properly with standard eczema creams and guidelines. Figuring out safe, effective additions that seamlessly pair with your existing medications is complex, though.

Having an open dialogue with your dermatologist at your next visit is key - provide details on your regimen and lifestyle so they can guide you on introducing research-backed vitamins and supplements. You deserve relief solutions!

Are you ready to relieve your skin from eczema? Here are the best vitamins and supplements you need to know.

Key Takeaways:

• Getting enough vitamin D, E, zinc and other skin-supporting nutrients can complement standard treatments to ease frustrating eczema symptoms when levels are low.
• Omega-3 fatty acids found abundantly in fish oils powerfully combat inflammation, contributing to miserable eczema flares based on strong research evidence.
• Carefully selected probiotic supplements show promise for lessening eczema severity by regulating immune function and intestinal health, according to emerging studies.
• Always add new vitamins, minerals or supplements slowly into your routine under your doctor’s watchful guidance based on your medical history and lifestyle considerations for optimal eczema relief.

Essential Vitamins and Supplements for Eczema Relief

Vitamin D

Having healthy vitamin D levels is extremely important for helping ease eczema. This vitamin plays a crucial role in properly regulating the immune system, which defends the body against germs but sometimes mistakenly attacks healthy cells in people with eczema. Vitamin D also supports the skin barrier function, which acts like a protective shield, preventing moisture loss and blocking harm from irritants.

Studies find that some people with eczema have a vitamin D deficiency. One study found that vitamin D supplements improved eczema symptoms in 80% of the participants. Doctors typically recommend taking 1,000-4,000 international units (IU measures how much the vitamin is going to make a difference in your body) of vitamin D per day if you have eczema, especially during fall and winter months when less sun exposure leads to lower vitamin D production. Great food sources include salmon, tuna, eggs, and fortified milk and juices, but most people need supplements to reach ideal vitamin D doses.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids found abundantly in fish oil have remarkable anti-inflammatory properties that can calm inflamed skin conditions like eczema. These healthy fats help balance out other fats from vegetable oils that may worsen eczema-related inflammation. These healthy fats can counteract the effects of other fats that might make eczema worse. Human studies confirm taking a daily fish oil supplement can significantly improve redness, scaling, thickening, and itchiness in eczema patients.

Guidelines advise eczema sufferers to take fish oil capsules containing at least 500 milligrams daily of omega-3s. Quality brands derived from oily fish like anchovies and sardines provide high omega-3 content. Cold water fatty fish such as salmon and tuna also supply ample amounts.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect the body from cell damage. It also assists with skin repair and making collagen, which provides firmness and strength. These roles make vitamin C vital for maintaining healthy skin, especially for people prone to eczema flares.

Eczema often involves inflammation and oxidative stress, hurting the skin. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C combat these issues. Getting enough vitamin C is key since people with chronic skin conditions like eczema have lower levels.

Doctors often recommend 500mg of vitamin C daily for eczema sufferers since it can reduce inflammation and skin damage when low. But everybody's different - your needs vary based on your diet, sun time, and eczema specifics. So, talk to your doctor first before just taking their standard vitamin C suggestion. Get personalised guidance to pick the right supplement before making a belly ache whoopsie!

Probiotics: A Gut-Skin Connection

Probiotics refer to live, healthy bacteria and yeasts that provide benefits when consumed. Early research brings hope that adding probiotics to eczema care routines may offer gentle relief for frustrating symptoms. Studies suggest probiotics can help restore the balance between good and bad gut bacteria, which influence immune regulation. Calming inflammatory immune reactions tied to eczema flares may be possible with certain probiotic strains like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium that seem most promising so far.

While probiotic supplements require doctor guidance to ensure safety and efficacy due to variable individual reactions, simply consuming more daily probiotic-rich foods may support digestive and skin health for those struggling with eczema. Options like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha introduce more of the beneficial bacteria that evidence indicates could improve resiliency against common eczema triggers. Though dietary changes must be made cautiously with physician approval, adding nurturing probiotic foods holds the potential to aid one’s journey toward healthier skin prone to inflammation.

Supporting Skin Health with Minerals and Antioxidants

Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral needed for proper immune health and helping repair damaged skin. Some research shows people continually battling eczema often have lower zinc levels than folks with healthy skin. Experts believe having deficient zinc levels may slow down the healing of cracked, irritated skin from severe eczema flare-ups. It could also negatively impact the skin’s protective barrier.

Getting enough zinc from foods like oysters, nuts, whole grains, and legumes may potentially help dampen frustrating inflammation and irritation tied to eczema outbreaks. If a blood test shows you’re low on zinc, your doctor might suggest taking a zinc supplement to increase your levels. But additional research is still needed to fully confirm whether zinc supplements directly improve red, inflamed skin from eczema.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an essential nutrient that limits oxidative damage to cells and helps reduce inflammation levels. Research indicates that when vitamin E is applied directly to the skin, it assists with healing cracks and soothing irritation. Vitamin E also has exceptional moisturising properties that help seal in moisture. This protects vulnerable skin prone to eczema flare-ups and dryness.

Great dietary sources of vitamin E include plant-based foods like spinach, broccoli, almonds, chickpeas, hazelnut oil, and fortified breakfast cereals. Doctors may also recommend using skincare creams and lotions containing vitamin E. But most folks get sufficient vitamin E from food, so supplements are rarely needed.

Implementing Supplements into Your Eczema Care Routine

Safe Supplementation Practices

We know how sensitive skin with eczema can be, which is why it’s so important to carefully consider any new supplements, even those shown to soothe irritation and flare-ups. To start safely, have thorough conversations with your doctor before taking any new vitamins, probiotics or fish oils alongside your current treatment for eczema. Together, carefully consider potential benefits and risks given your medical history and current frustrating symptoms.

When first taking new oral supplements, begin with smaller doses that meet expert guidelines and closely observe effects daily for several weeks. Immediately inform your physician about any unusual reactions like upset stomach, headaches or skin changes. They can best advise if adjusting your supplement routine is necessary based on your individual body’s response. If your bothersome eczema unexpectedly worsens after starting dietary supplements, consider stopping products one by one under your doctor’s guidance to identify the potential trigger.

Make sure to buy vitamins and supplements only from trusted brands that clearly show what’s in them, how much to take, and any possible side effects or reactions with other medicines. Follow all package instructions and verify supplements do not conflict with other medications you depend on, especially blood thinners or hormonal treatments. Carefully listening to your body is crucial when adding supplements to an eczema management plan.

Consulting Healthcare Professionals

Have thorough, open conversations with your doctor or dermatologist before taking any vitamins, probiotics or fish oils to ease frustrating, inflammatory eczema. Doctors consider your unique health history, current medications, and lifestyle to best advise whether supplements are safe or could cause complications. Describe your bothersome eczema symptoms in as much detail as possible so physicians can tailor recommendations to your needs.

Stay in close contact with your healthcare providers when making changes to your eczema treatment routine involving new supplements. Keep your doctors updated on your frustrating symptoms and any side effects. Ongoing open communication enables physicians to provide expert guidance so you can effectively and safely manage inflammatory skin conditions like eczema.

When More Help Is Needed

While emerging research highlights key vitamins and supplements that may complement standard eczema treatment plans, these additions do not provide complete relief for every individual. If lifestyle measures and oral or topical options like Fucibet Cream, Betnovate Cream & Ointment, Hydrocortisone 1% Cream & Ointment, Aveeno Cream, E45 Eczema Repair Cream, and similar products only provide mild symptom reduction, stronger medicated interventions from your dermatologist may be required.

In the most severe refractory eczema cases, specially compounded creams featuring high-dose steroids, prescribed immunosuppressants, phototherapy, or injections targeting immune system pathways may be clinically advisable to halt acute inflammatory flares when they persist out of control. Discuss all options to combat frustrating inflammation, infection risks, and skin damage with your doctor if basic treatment combinations prove inadequate for your quality of life. Depending on your eczema severity and exact symptoms, advanced modalities could induce longer remissions.

Take the Next Step with The Independent Pharmacy

Taking charge by proactively seeking solutions is crucial when living with frustrating, inflammatory skin conditions like eczema. Trying to just tolerate agonising symptoms should never feel like your only option. Constructive, personalised treatment plans exist!

The Independent Pharmacy offers free online eczema self-assessments that can connect you to proper relief. Responding to questions about your particular symptoms provides our compassionate healthcare experts with valuable perspectives. We then suggest tailored ideas targeting likely root causes of your flare-ups, not just surface irritation.

We carefully consider your unique situation, history and past treatment experiences when crafting thoughtful recommendations involving gentle products, medications, supplements or alternative solutions.

Get in touch with us today and complete our free eczema self-assessment. Our knowledgeable team eagerly awaits to assist your journey towards reduced inflammation and more joyful days ahead. We know receiving personalised support makes all the difference in unlocking life-changing symptom relief.

FAQs

Is eczema a vitamin deficiency?

Eczema itself does not directly stem from lacking vitamins or nutrients. However, studies show people with eczema often have low blood levels of skin-supporting vitamins like D, and E. Boosting intake of these vital vitamins alongside standard treatments helps control frustrating eczema symptoms and discomfort.

Is vitamin B12 good for eczema?

No current research specifically links vitamin B12 supplements to improved eczema or reduced annoying symptoms. The strongest evidence remains focused on the benefits of skin-helping vitamins C, D, and E, minerals like zinc, and inflammation-calming probiotics for easing eczema woes.

What heals eczema the fastest?

To quickly ease swelling, redness, and unbearable itching from severe eczema flare-ups, powerful medicated creams applied on affected skin often work best when antihistamines fail. But extended use risks harmful side effects. For sustainable healing, thoughtfully combine such creams short-term with skin-soothing daily routines, stress management and immune-regulating vitamins/supplements, according to experts.

Resources:

R. Sidbury, A. F. Sullivan, Ri I. Thadhani, C. A. Camargo, Jr (2008) ‘Randomised controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation for winter-related atopic dermatitis in Boston: A pilot study’ - https://academic.oup.com/bjd/article/159/1/245/6641769

Yu Sawada, Natsuko Saito-Sasaki, Motonobu Nakamura (2020) ‘Omega 3 Fatty Acid and Skin Diseases’ - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7892455/

Kaiqin Wang, Hui Jiang, Wenshuang Li, Mingyue Qiang, Tianxiang Dong, Hongbin Li (2018) ‘Role of Vitamin C in Skin Diseases’ - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6040229/