# Can vitamins be absorbed transdermally? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467 "2004-10-04T15:18:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/1 "2004-10-04T15:18:24Z")
My thread was inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5313317). Are vitamins absorbed via the skin? If so, does the amount in over-the-counter creams and moisturizers really make a difference to the skin? What about hair? Is Pantene, which touts a pro-viatmin formula, better for my hair than a non-pro-vitamin formula. What the hell does pro-viatmin even mean? While I’m at it, can hair really be repaired? Do hair treaments really do anything. To answer this quesion, I guess we’ll have to define what damaged hair is. I can’t stress enough that I’m _not_ looking for anecdotal evidence. I really want to know if scientific studies have been conducted and what, if anything, was concluded. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/2 "2004-10-05T13:46:30Z")
No one? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/3 "2004-10-05T13:51:53Z")
HELL NO! Vitamins can only be absorbed by the digestive tract, which is _why we have_ a digestive tract.It is a specialized series of organs for processing food. You can no more absorb vitamins through your skin than you can feed yourself by smearing peanut butter on your noggin. And hair is dead tissue, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/4 "2004-10-05T13:57:13Z")
What about the whole absorbing vitamin d from sunlight? ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/5 "2004-10-05T14:03:09Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > HELL NO! > > Vitamins can only be absorbed by the digestive tract, which is _why we have_ a digestive tract.It is a specialized series of organs for processing food. > > You can no more absorb vitamins through your skin than you can feed yourself by smearing peanut butter on your noggin. > > And hair is dead tissue, anyway. The digestive tract notwithstanding, we are capable of absorbing many drugs transdermally (like nicotine - that’s why “the patch” works), including some vitamins. Vitamin E is often included in various transdermal drug delivery systems. They’re not putting it in there just for the hell of it. > [@The\_Llama](#): > > What about the whole absorbing vitamin d from sunlight? We don’t absorb vitamin D from sunlight - exposure to sunlight causes our own skin to produce vitamin D. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/6 "2004-10-05T14:03:16Z")
> [@The\_Llama](#): > > What about the whole absorbing vitamin d from sunlight? Nah. we use sunlight to _manufacture_ Vitamin D in our bodies, like a plant uses sunlighjt to photosynthesize sugars. There’s no _actual_ Vitamin D in light, it’s just a power source. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/7 "2004-10-05T14:06:37Z")
OK, I never fully understood how that worked. I was always baffled how a vitamin could come _from_ the sun. That makes more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/8 "2004-10-05T14:07:20Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > The digestive tract notwithstanding, we are capable of absorbing many drugs transdermally (like nicotine - that’s why “the patch” works), including some vitamins. Vitamin E is often included in various transdermal drug delivery systems. They’re not putting it in there just for the hell of it. **Early Out** --the Patch works because extra chemicals have been added to render the skin permiable. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/9 "2004-10-05T14:08:32Z")
> [@The\_Llama](#): > > OK, I never fully understood how that worked. I was always baffled how a vitamin could come _from_ the sun. That makes more sense. “The New, Improved Solar Wind - Now with 100% of the RDA of Vitamins and Minerals!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dowhalc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dowhalc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dowhalc)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/10 "2015-03-24T23:59:24Z")
Trans Dermal vitamin c and e study! It works differently and perhaps more slowly at first, and perhaps not as effective. But it does happen and in the case of vitamin e can be cumulative building up over time. Which of course can be quite beneficial for those dealing with skin problems. You get the internal and external (direct application) benefits of vitamin e. Curiously the radioactive chemical tracers used to mark and track the samples expedited the transdermal process, but the samples without the radioactive markers showed up trans dermal none the less. These radioactive markers are similar to the process of people drinking barium before a GI tract examination and are NOT required for taking vitamins trans dermal. [http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1989/cc040n02/p00119-p00125.pdf](http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1989/cc040n02/p00119-p00125.pdf) I am doing my own study now. If you are interested I will post the results. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/11 "2015-03-26T03:49:00Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > You can no more absorb vitamins through your skin than you can feed yourself by smearing peanut butter on your noggin. I never tried smearing peanut butter on my scalp, but I’m confused by all those shampoos that are full of vitamins. Am I supposed to smear that on my scalp, or take two teaspoons daily? ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/12 "2015-03-26T03:53:36Z")
> [@dowhalc](#): > > Trans Dermal vitamin c and e study! > > It works differently and perhaps more slowly at first, and perhaps not as effective. But it does happen and in the case of vitamin e can be cumulative building up over time. Which of course can be quite beneficial for those dealing with skin problems. You get the internal and external (direct application) benefits of vitamin e. > > Curiously the radioactive chemical tracers used to mark and track the samples expedited the transdermal process, but the samples without the radioactive markers showed up trans dermal none the less. > > These radioactive markers are similar to the process of people drinking barium before a GI tract examination and are NOT required for taking vitamins trans dermal. > > [http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1989/cc040n02/p00119-p00125.pdf](http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1989/cc040n02/p00119-p00125.pdf) > > I am doing my own study now. If you are interested I will post the results. Wasn’t there a study that showed an increase in all-cause mortality from vitamin E supplementation? I’m not against vitamin supplements, but E would be my literal last choice among the major fat-soluble ones. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/13 "2015-03-26T10:48:14Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I never tried smearing peanut butter on my scalp, but I’m confused by all those shampoos that are full of vitamins. Am I supposed to smear that on my scalp, or take two teaspoons daily? In your case, [del]a peanut butter suppository[/del] I have no idea… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/14 "2015-03-26T10:54:21Z")
I have a topical ointment called Daivobet which contains a steroid Betamethasone and Calcipotriol which is vitamin D. So yes, you can absorb vitamins through the skin. I also have narrow-band UVB treatment which stimulates the immune system as well as creating Vitamin D. Again this is via the skin. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/15 "2015-03-26T10:59:09Z")
Not through the epidermis, but vitamin B types can be absorbed through a mucous membrane. Per physician’s directive, I’ve been taking liquid vitamin B complex for several years; you put a 1 cc dropperful under your tongue and hold it for a minute before swallowing. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/16 "2015-03-26T11:11:43Z")
> [@dowhalc](#): > > Trans Dermal vitamin c and e study! > > It works differently and perhaps more slowly at first, and perhaps not as effective. But it does happen and in the case of vitamin e can be cumulative building up over time. Which of course can be quite beneficial for those dealing with skin problems. You get the internal and external (direct application) benefits of vitamin e. > > Curiously the radioactive chemical tracers used to mark and track the samples expedited the transdermal process, but the samples without the radioactive markers showed up trans dermal none the less. > > These radioactive markers are similar to the process of people drinking barium before a GI tract examination and are NOT required for taking vitamins trans dermal. > > [http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1989/cc040n02/p00119-p00125.pdf](http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc1989/cc040n02/p00119-p00125.pdf) > > I am doing my own study now. If you are interested I will post the results. Is your study more applicable to human conditions than this _in vitro_ mouse skin study? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/17 "2015-03-26T14:08:28Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Not through the epidermis, but vitamin B types can be absorbed through a mucous membrane. Per physician’s directive, I’ve been taking liquid vitamin B complex for several years; you put a 1 cc dropperful under your tongue and hold it for a minute before swallowing. My doc prescribed this (sublingual (lit. “under the tongue”) too. When I pointed out that I take a multivitamin pill, she told me that the B complexes are poorly absorbed through the digestive tract, esp. in pill form, and that sublinguals tend to lead to better blood levels of B-12 and the others. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/18 "2015-03-26T14:23:50Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > My doc prescribed this (sublingual (lit. “under the tongue”) too. When I pointed out that I take a multivitamin pill, she told me that the B complexes are poorly absorbed through the digestive tract, esp. in pill form, and that sublinguals tend to lead to better blood levels of B-12 and the others. Exactly. I had a gastric bypass several years ago, and the shortened small intestine pretty much dictates liquid B use. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-vitamins-be-absorbed-transdermally/267467/19 "2015-03-26T18:36:14Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I never tried smearing peanut butter **on my scalp**. . . Oh . . . I’ve been smearing it on the wrong noggin! (not crunchy)