This post is meant for attempting to diminish/cure the side effects of accutane. Although I found a large amount of people suffering from accutane, there aren't many resources for healing from the effects. Please post anything you know about the pharmacodynamics of the drug, and any theories/experience you might have as to helping one deal with the side effects.

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Hypervitaminosis A: Accutane side effects mimic that of hypervitaminosis A (or an excess of vitamin a). Accutane is also known as isotretinoin or 13-cis retinoic acid. Retinoic acid is a metabilite of vitamin A that mediates the functions of vitamin A required for growth and development.

"Retinoic acid acts by binding to the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) which is bound to DNA as a heterodimer with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) in regions called retinoic acid response elements (RAREs). Binding of the retinoic acid ligand to RAR alters the conformation of the RAR which affects the binding of other proteins that either induce or repress transcription of a nearby gene (including Hox genes and several other target genes). Retinoic acid receptors mediate transcription of different sets of genes controlling differentiation of a variety of cell types, thus the target genes regulated depend upon the target cells. In some cells, one of the target genes is the gene for the retinoic acid receptor itself (RAR-beta in mammals), which amplifies the response.^[4]. Control of retinoic acid levels is maintained by a suite of proteins that control synthesis and degradation of retinoic acid.^[2][3]"

In conclusion, it would be logical to think the treatment of Accutane side effects would be the same as for hypervitaminosis A. However, there isn't much documentation on the subject, and sufferers are simply told to stop vitamin A dosage. Beta-carotene, and other carotenoids have shown to have little toxic effects when consumed in high doses. This is because of our body's ability to convert as much as needed. Unconverted beta-carotene can results in yellowing of the skin also known as jaundice. Many accutane sufferers report yellower skin. This is because their bodies already have ample amounts of vitA and thus precursors are not converted.

Vitamin D: The is a strange relation between vitamin A and D.

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/115/7/929.full.pdf

"The results of the present study are sug
gestive of an antagonistic interaction be
tween dietary vitamin A and vitamin D in
the turkey poult. Excessive levels of vitamin
A in the diet resulted in a rachitic condition
characterized by lower growth rate, greater
thickness of the proximal tibial epiphyseal
plates and marked reduction in bone mineral
mass compared to birds fed a diet contain
ing the estimated required level of vitamin A.
In addition, high dietary levels of vitamin A
were effective in preventing the renal tubu
lar mineralization and growth depression
associated with hypervitaminosis D.
The growth plate lesions seen in poults fed
the high vitamin A diet are in contrast to the
original description of hypervitaminosis A
in the growing chick where cartilage degen
eration, chondrolysis and increased metaphyseal
vascular penetration resulted in
marked reduction in the thickness of the
growth plate (16). Similar lesions have been
described in mammalian species (17, 18).
Vitamin A has also been shown to cause
chondrolysis in vitro (19, 20). These dis
parate findings may be due to variation in
dose response. In the original experiments
with hypervitaminosis A, chicks were given
50,000 IU vitamin A per day (16), whereas
in the current study, the estimated daily
dose in turkeys was 15,000 IU vitamin A. In
addition, one cannot rule out the possibility
of different inter- and intraspecies responses
to vitamin A.
There are several potential sites of vita
min A and vitamin D interaction. Excessive
administration of vitamin A interferes with
the intestinal absorption of vitamin E result
ing in rapid depletion of plasma tocopherol."

The above suggests that there could be a ratio/balance between vitamin A and D for optimal health. Supplementing with vitamin D could possibliy alleviate some of the symptoms of Accutane toxicity (mostly with bones). The article also notes lower intestinal tocopherol (vitamin E) with high conentrations of vitamin A. Thus supplementation with vitamin E might be needed to help alleviate some of the gastrointestinal effects of Accutane.

Reduced Circulating Methionine and Homocysteine Levels:

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/133/12/4090.full?sid=40cb4b4b-5956-44b4-b366-...

Zinc Pretreatment Inhibits Isotretinoin Teratogenicity:

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/128/7/1239.full?sid=40cb4b4b-5956-44b4-b366-2...

Research tips:

Key words: Accutane/Roaccutane, Isotretinoin, 13-cis retinoic acid

Sites:

http://jn.nutrition.org/ The Journal of Nutrition (MANY scientific studies, very good place to learn)

PLEASE , SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. THERE IS A NEED FOR TREATMENT OF ACCUTANE SIDE EFFECTS! LETS GET THIS BALL ROLLING!