Key Takeaways
- There’s little evidence that vitamin patches work.
- Neither vitamins nor vitamin patches are regulated by the FDA for safety or effectiveness.
- The adhesive used may cause skin irritation for some users.
Vitamin innovation over the years has taken many forms, from the Flintstones to gummies and chocolates, and now there’s a new player in the vitamin space: vitamin patches.
Vitamin patches (also called transdermal patches) are widely available from online sources such as PatchMD, PatchAid, NutriPatch, and countless other sources available on Amazon and holistic wellness-focused sites. All of these sources claim that their vitamin formulas, which are not regulated or tested by the FDA, are absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Most companies claim that patches are ideal because they overcome ingestion-based issues such as food allergies.
There’s just one problem: There’s little evidence that these patches work.
Vitamin combination is important
While transdermal patches may be effective for delivering certain medications, such as nicotine or birth control pills, there’s little evidence that vitamins are suitable for this method, Geeta Yadav, MD, founder and medical director of FACET Dermatology in Toronto, Ontario, told Verywell.
Skin is only permeable up to a point—it has seven layers, and most topical products, like skin care products, only penetrate the stratum corneum (the outermost layer)—but particle size and solubility matter, says Yadav.
“The smaller the molecule of a substance, the deeper it can penetrate,” Yadav says. “Another factor is whether it’s lipophilic, which means it dissolves in fat but not in water. Drugs that dissolve in fat are absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly.”
Other substances, such as the anti-nausea drug scopolamine, nicotine, fentanyl, or certain chemicals used in birth control, are small and fat-soluble enough that they can penetrate deeper through the patch and enter the bloodstream.
Yadav is a vitamin did it Vitamins can only be administered transdermally if they are formulated as nanoparticles and enveloped in a lipophilic (fat-soluble) substance. Because vitamins are not regulated by the FDA, there is little way to know if these formulations contain the vitamins injected into the patch.
“There’s currently very little evidence that transdermal vitamin patches are effective,” Yadav says.
Clinical Study Raises More Questions about Vitamin Patches
The concept of transdermal vitamin patches is interesting, and several small studies have been conducted to see if they may be effective in obese patients after surgery. These patients have limited stomach capacity, so being able to supplement with vitamins transdermally would be of great advantage. However, one study tested serum nutrient levels in patients after 3, 6, and 12 months of using a multivitamin patch. At the end of the study, 19% of participants were found to have deficiencies in vitamin D and B6. Other patients were found to have deficiencies in vitamin B1, folate, and zinc.
Another study showed similar results, revealing vitamin D deficiency in obese patients after one year of taking a multivitamin patch. So far, the only ray of hope is a small pilot study in 30 healthy adults, which showed that vitamin D3 could be effectively delivered via a patch, improving the vitamin D status of all participants.
When we contacted PatchAid to ask for clinical evidence that its products are effective, VeryWell told us that there are no clinical studies to back up its claims. Despite claiming to be “doctor recommended,” the company did not respond to requests for contact information for medical professionals who endorse its products.
Potential for Harm
While Yadav warns that some vitamins can be toxic if taken in excess, overdosing on a vitamin patch doesn’t seem like a realistic fear, as functional medicine specialist Sam Tejada of Liquida Wellness Centers attests. When a vitamin patch company approached him about stocking their product in his wellness center, he decided to try the patch himself first.
“My own experience has been nothing short of a nightmare. Micronutrient tests before and after using the patch showed no change,” Tejada said. “The patch has an adhesive that is very toxic to the skin, which can absorb the toxins. I had a severe reaction and had to be treated by a local dermatologist, and ended up with a condition called contact dermatitis.”
Tejada said he tried to contact the company to find out about his reaction to the adhesive, but was ignored.
“Right now, there is a lack of research behind it. I think this is a fad that needs to be evaluated and studied first and consumers should be aware and stay away,” Tejada said.
What this means for you
Vitamin patches may seem like a good idea, but they currently have little effect other than a placebo effect and may cause skin irritation in some people. If you have a vitamin deficiency, talk to your doctor to determine how to supplement your diet.
