Fish Oil Supplement Added to Isotretinoin Noninferior for Treating Acne

WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For treating moderate-to-severe acne, fish oil supplementation, combined with low-dose isotretinoin, is no less effective than isotretinoin alone, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.Parnpetch Sungkhasunya, M.D., from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, and colleagues conducted a randomized, double-masked, controlled, noninferiority trial involving participants aged 18 to 25 years with an acne Investigator's Global Assessment score ≥3. Participants received 10 mg isotretinoin with 1 g fish oil or placebo (40 each) once a day for three months.The researchers found that for reducing total acne counts from baseline, the fish oil group was noninferior to the placebo group (between-group mean difference, −6.0; 95 percent confidence interval, −16.5 to 4.5). Small reductions in corneometer values and smaller increases in triglyceride levels were seen in association with fish oil."Fish oil appeared to mitigate common isotretinoin-related side effects, including high triglycerides and mucocutaneous dryness," the authors write. "These findings support the potential of fish oil as a safe and well tolerated add-on therapy, especially for patients at risk of lipid disorders or mucocutaneous issues."Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Fish Oil Supplement Added to Isotretinoin Noninferior for Treating Acne

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