Researchers have found that dietary changes and supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may improve acne severity in patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. The findings suggest that addressing omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies may be a valuable adjunct to conventional acne treatments.

In the recent 16-week prospective intervention study, published in Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, the researchers included 60 patients with acne—58 of whom were female and 2 of whom were male—with a mean age of 26.1 years and an average acne persistence of 8.9 years. The patients involved in the study were not using any prescription acne drugs and were encouraged to follow a plant-based Mediterranean diet. They were also given oral supplements containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived from algae, with dosages increasing from 600 mg of DHA and 300 mg of EPA daily for the first 8 weeks to 800 mg of DHA and 400 mg of EPA daily for the remaining 8 weeks.

At the end of the intervention, the mean HS-omega-3 Index, a measure of blood levels of EPA and DHA, had risen from 4.9% to 8.3%—reaching the target range (P < .001). This increase in omega-3 fatty acid levels corresponded with a significant reduction in both inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions (P < .001).

The researchers revealed that the patients who had acne comedonica had significantly higher HS-omega-3 Index values at the end of the study period compared with those who had acne papulopustulosa (P = .035), suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids may be particularly beneficial for reducing inflammation. Quality of life, assessed using the Dermatology Life Quality Index, also improved significantly from a mean score of 4.9 at baseline to 2.4 at the end of the study period (P < .001).

At baseline, 98.3% of the patients had an omega-3 fatty acid deficit: 67.8% of them had a deficit and 30.5% of them had a severe deficit. The researchers also evaluated the patients' dietary habits using food frequency questionnaires, revealing that refined sugar, alcohol, chocolate, cow's milk, and saturated fats were the most common self-reported acne triggers; whereas vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts were perceived as beneficial. The patients reported reduced consumption of cow's milk and dairy products by the end of the study period (P < .001).

Facial sebum levels, measured using a Sebumeter, did not correlate with the HS-omega-3 Index but did correlate with the number of comedones at baseline (P = .017).

Although the study did not include a control group and relied on self-reported dietary assessments, the results provided evidence that dietary changes and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may be an effective strategy to improve acne severity—especially in patients with deficiencies. The researchers suggested that this approach be considered as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, conventional acne treatments.

Further research, including randomized controlled trials, may be needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal dosage and duration of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with acne. However, this study highlighted the potential of nutrition-based interventions in the management of acne vulgaris and underscored the significance of addressing omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies in this patient population.

The authors declared having no competing interests.