Zinc for Acne and Mental Health

Do you get pimples every time you’re anxious? When this happens, it can be extra frustrating. Not only do you have to deal with anxiety but now you’re faced with blackheads, cystic acne and acne scars. For many of my patients, when they are experiencing depression or anxiety, that’s when their skin is at its worse.

There are so many reasons for why the skin misbehaves when we’re not feeling great emotionally. When you’re feeling down you may eat differently, you may change up your skin care and hygiene practices, you may exercise less. On top of all this, changes in hormones and other biological factors could increase your chances of breaking out during emotionally tense moments in life.

Zinc is an important nutrient for the skin and for mental health. It’s found in our diet in pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, poultry and many other foods. Some studies have been able to show a connection between zinc supplementation and reduced depression or anxiety symptoms. Other studies have found a connection between zinc and reduced acne.

In my practice, I have found that zinc supplementation alone is often not enough to treat acne, anxiety or depression but it has been useful in some cases when I add it on to other recommendations. Zinc could be an important part of your plan to mange anxiety, depression and acne. Working with your naturopathic doctor to figure out the right dose to maximize effectiveness while decreasing side effects is important (zinc is known for causing an upset stomach at higher doses).

Working in the area of stress and mental health, I often end up treating patients who are also struggling with acne. That’s because mental health and skin health go hand in hand. If you find that you can relate to this, reach out to me and we can talk about some options for getting you clear skin and a calmer mind. To contact me with questions, fill out the question form on my website by clicking HERE.