So about vitamin A/retinol: is my face molting because I’m “detoxing,” or because I angered a lipid-soluble deity?
Serious question wrapped in sarcasm: there’s a weird paradox in alt health land. One camp says we’re all silently marinating in vitamin A toxicity; dermatology swears aging skin is basically vitamin-A-starved; nutrition folks say many are suboptimal, unless you’re the person who snacks on liver like it’s popcorn. Meanwhile, topical retinol turns some of us into flaky croissants. Can we untangle this without sacrificing our epidermis?
Things I’d love the hive mind (and anyone with actual data) to weigh in on:
Status testing that isn’t useless: Serum retinol is famously homeostatically controlled, which feels like checking your bank balance by counting loyalty points. Has anyone used markers like RBP4, retinol:RBP ratio, or fasting retinyl esters to assess status? Any labs that are actually helpful in real life?
Beta-carotene converters vs non-converters: BCMO1 variants can make some folks turn carrots into retinol like champs and others… not so much. If you discovered you’re a “poor converter,” did fixing zinc, thyroid, or overall protein change anything, or did you just move to Team Preformed A (cautiously)?
Topical vs systemic: If your systemic vitamin A or zinc status is low, does that make topical retinoids more irritating or less effective? Conversely, can topical retinoids nudge systemic levels in any meaningful way, or is that myth territory?
Light shenanigans: Anyone combining red light therapy with retinoids without turning their face into artisanal jerky? Timing strategies that don’t fry the barrier? Also, since retinoids are literally part of phototransduction biology, any credible evidence that circadian/light exposure patterns change how skin tolerates retinoids?
Gut, bile, and the “my emulsification is on strike” problem: Since A needs fat and bile, have people with low bile flow, gallbladder drama, or SIBO noticed different responses to oral A or even topical tolerance? Any experience with spacing A away from fiber, pairing with certain fats, or is that over-optimizing our way into madness?
“Retinol purge” vs plain barrier damage: How do you tell the difference between a legit adjustment period and “you sandblasted your face, congrats”? Patch testing, buffering, or cycling strategies that didn’t require entering the witness protection program? Bonus points for what actually calmed it down besides “stop using it.”
Food vs capsules: Liver, cod liver oil, or retinyl palmitate/acetate-any practical differences you’ve noticed? How do you avoid accidental stacking with multis/fortified foods? Did balancing D/K2/zinc actually change how you felt or how your skin behaved, or was that just supplement Jenga?
Special populations: For anyone avoiding retinoids during pregnancy/trying to conceive, what’s actually worked as a skin routine stand-in that doesn’t gaslight your barrier?
Also, what do we think of the “vitamin A is poison, remove it all” movement? Anyone got high-quality evidence either way beyond n=1 and philosophical flourishes? I’m all for simple answers, but my liver hoarding retinyl esters like a doomsday prepper seems… evolutionarily intentional?
Not asking for dosing; just trying to separate biochemistry from influencer fan fiction. Share data, your experiments, or what you wish you’d known before your face filed an HR complaint.