Vitamin E and Isotretinoin Side Effects for Acne
Title: Vitamin E does not reduce the side-effects
of isotretinoin in the treatment of acne vulgaris
Authors: Kus S, et al.
Publication: Int J Dermatol. 2005 Mar;44(3):248-51.
The side-effects of isotretinoin is dry skin as well as increased
lipid (cholesterol and triglycerides) and liver enzymes levels.
Since vitamin E has been shown to decrease the toxicity of some
high-dose retinoids, the authors conducted an experiment whether
vitamin E would reduce isotretinoin’s side effects.
In this test, 82 patients were treated either with 1 mg/kg/day
isotretinoin alone or combined with 800 IU vitamin E per day.
After 15 weeks, side effects such as dry skin, redness, inflammation
of the lips, and lipid and liver enzyme levels were checked. The
result? No difference in frequency and severity of these side
effects between the two groups.
