How to Reduce Acne with Zinc

So, you have tried almost everything to get rid of acne: face lotions, juice fasting, bedtime yoga – the list goes on and on – but your acne still persists.

I used to be in the same boat, until I found the silver bullet: supplementary zinc.

On this page I'll tell you how much you should get zinc to cure acne, where you can get it, and when you should take it. I'll also give you nifty tips and tricks so you can effectively cure acne with zinc.

The picture is from Flickr by BlatantNews.com (with Creative Commons license).

If you start taking supplementary zinc, don't expect to see results in just a couple of days. Depending on your acne and the amount of zinc you take, it may take some months to see any effect.

Zinc is really effective for acne, but it's not magic either. I want you to be aware of this so that you don't give up too soon.

Also don't solely rely on zinc. Add these points to your zinc fighting plan:

• Don't stress
• Get enough sleep
• Move – be active!
• Be patient

Many foods contain zinc. However, you need more zinc than what you can get from everyday food to reduce acne. That's why you should take supplementary zinc. But how much?

I'd say that anything between 30 and 50mg per day is fine and effective.

The sad thing is that the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) for zinc in the USA is much lower than that – you can confirm it here:

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/

Now, I don't think you'll die if you take more than it's recommended, but you should be aware of it. Always conduct a doctor if you are unsure.

I personally take 100mg – and yes, that's quite a lot! (But it works really well.)

Because zinc weakens the absorption of copper (and vice versa), you need to take copper as well to avoid copper deficiency.

Taking copper might not be necessary if you take less than 50mg of zinc, but if you do take zinc at least 50mg a day, I suggest taking also 2mg copper (RDA for copper is 2mg).

I take 100mg zinc plus 2mg copper daily.

Don't take zinc and copper at the same time because they weaken the absorption of each other. You could, for example, take copper every morning and zinc every evening (that's what I do).

Because many foods contain fiber and calcium which weaken the absorption of zinc as well, don't take zinc with meals. It's good to take zinc in the late evenings when you haven't eaten anything in two hours or so.

The same goes for copper: take it on empty stomach, but only if you can: some people, including me, get nausea. Luckily, I have found drinking lots of water and eating chewing gum to help a bit.

Like stated above, many foods contain zinc, but not enough to be powerful against acne. That's when supplementary zinc steps into the game.

You can check your local supermarket or drugstore since they probably sell supplementary zinc. However, I recommend ordering zinc from Amazon as Amazon is trustworthy and affordable. Below are links to good zinc and copper supplements. I always order just the same products so I know the stuff is great.

Psst... If you find your skin to be too dry after taking supplementary zinc, you could (and should in any case) take vitamin D. I included a product link below if you are interested.

Please note that I'm not a medical professional, and all provided content here is for informational purposes only. Always double check the information you obtain from internet, and always conduct a doctor if you are unsure about certain things.

Done reading? Also read my other lenses How to Create Your First Website and Funny Dog Photos (and dozens more).