Skip to content
Winnowleaf home

Supplements for Eczema in Adults: What Helps a Little, What Doesn't, and What Works Better

For adults with eczema, no supplement does much: vitamin D and some probiotic strains lowered severity scores a little in pooled trials (grade B); for probiotics, by less than most people notice. Evening primrose oil did no better than placebo across 13 pooled trials, and borage oil also failed (grade A). Daily moisturiser, which cut flares in trials, and prescription creams have far stronger backing. Chinese herbal mixtures taken by mouth have caused liver damage.

Published How we grade evidenceEditorial policy

The short version

Eczema (atopic dermatitis) causes dry, itchy, inflamed skin that flares and settles. This guide is for adults; for a child or baby with eczema, ask a clinician.

What is the best supplement for eczema?

No supplement has strong evidence. Vitamin D and certain probiotic strains have the best support, and both lowered severity scores only a little (grade B). Trials use SCORAD, a 0 to 103 score of how much skin is affected, how inflamed it is, itch and lost sleep; about 8.7 points is the smallest change patients notice (Makrgeorgou 2018).

SupplementWhat trials foundSize of effectGrade
Probiotics (adults)Lower scores in 7 to 9 small adult trials; strain mattersSCORAD 4.52 to 5.93 points lower (Yingying 2025; Husein-ElAhmed 2023)B
Vitamin DLower severity in 11 trials (686 children and adults); no overall effect in a pooling of 5Small to moderate (standardized difference 0.41) (Nielsen 2024; Park 2023)B
Evening primrose oilNo difference from placebo in 13 pooled trialsNone (Anheyer 2025)A
Borage oilNo improvement over placebo in 8 trialsNone (Bamford 2013)A
Fish oilPooled effect about zero in 3 trials; 2 small trials hinted at a modest benefitUnclear (van Gool 2004; Bath-Hextall 2012)C
ZincHelped children low in zinc in one small trial, not all comers in another (both trials in children)Not pooled (Gray 2019)C
Vitamin ELower scores in 2 small trialsSCORAD 11 points lower against 4 on placebo in one (Jaffary 2015)C
Chinese herbal medicine28 trials, mostly at high risk of biasNo conclusive effect (Gu 2013)C
MelatoninOne 4-week trial in 80 adults: severity, itch and sleep improvedNot reported (Heidari 2026)C

Do probiotics help eczema in adults?

Grade B. A little, and only some strains. Pooling 9 adult trials, SCORAD fell 5.93 points more with probiotics than without. Lactobacillus salivarius did best, L. acidophilus and L. plantarum less, and L. fermentum not at all. The drop was bigger in moderate to severe eczema, yet quality-of-life scores did not improve in a way that matters (Husein-ElAhmed 2023). Two other adult poolings agree: a 4.52-point drop across 7 trials (Yingying 2025) and lower severity across 9 trials in 402 adults (Li 2022).

Most of this research is in children: the Cochrane review covered 39 trials (2,599 people), only 6 in adults. Symptoms people rated themselves barely changed (13 trials, 754 people), and SCORAD fell 3.91 points (24 trials, 1,596 people), under the 8.7 points that patients notice. Courses ran 6 weeks to 3 months (Makrgeorgou 2018). In babies, probiotics given early in life may slightly lower the chance of eczema by age 2 (18 trials, 3,494 participants), but not in the 4 trials at low risk of bias (Wang 2025).

Does vitamin D help eczema?

Grade B. Probably a little. Pooling 11 randomized trials (686 children and adults), vitamin D lowered severity scores by a small to moderate amount, a standardized difference of 0.41 (Nielsen 2024). A pooling of 5 trials (304 people) found no overall effect, with benefit only above 2,000 IU a day (Park 2023). Across 3 earlier trials averaging 1,500 to 1,600 IU a day, SCORAD fell 11 points, enough for patients to notice (Hattangdi-Haridas 2019). Our database page grades this B too.

In a 60-person trial (ages not given in the abstract), 1,600 IU a day for 60 days improved SCORAD while placebo did not (Amestejani 2012); 4,000 IU a day for 21 days in 30 adults changed nothing (Hata 2014).

Who might benefit? People with eczema average about 14 nmol/L lower blood vitamin D than people without it (Hattangdi-Haridas 2019). Darker skin and a higher BMI (body mass index) went with lower levels (Hata 2014). In a 3-month trial of 65 people, those who ended at 20 ng/mL or more had milder eczema, supplement or not (Sánchez-Armendáriz 2018). A blood test tells you whether you are low.

Does evening primrose oil help eczema?

Grade A. No. Both oils contain gamma-linolenic acid, a fat once thought to help eczema. Pooling 13 trials of evening primrose oil by mouth, eczema severity was no different from placebo (standardized difference 0.14, 95% confidence interval -0.45 to 0.73) (Anheyer 2025). A Cochrane review of 27 studies (19 of evening primrose oil, 8 of borage oil) found neither beat placebo, whether patients or doctors rated the skin, and said more trials would be hard to justify (Bamford 2013).

Does fish oil help eczema?

Grade C. No clear benefit. Pooling 3 placebo-controlled trials, the effect of fish oil was about zero (-0.01), and gamma-linolenic acid oils showed no useful effect either (van Gool 2004). A Cochrane review of 11 supplement trials found two small fish oil studies hinting at a modest benefit, but no convincing evidence for any supplement (Bath-Hextall 2012).

In one 8-week pilot trial in 53 adults aged 18 to 40, DHA (an omega-3 fat) at 5.4 g a day lowered SCORAD from 37.0 to 28.5, against 35.4 to 33.4 on a control fat (Koch 2008). Upper limit for adults: the FDA considers up to 5 g a day of EPA plus DHA from supplements safe; take more only with blood tests or your clinician's advice (NIH ODS; upper-limit calculator).

Do zinc or vitamin E help eczema?

Grade C for both. People with eczema tend to have lower zinc levels. Of the two zinc trials, one helped people who were low in zinc and the other, in everyone with eczema, found no improvement (Gray 2019). Both trials were in children (Kim 2014; Ewing 1991). We found no zinc trial in adults with eczema.

For vitamin E, 400 IU a day for 4 months lowered SCORAD by 11 points, against 4 on placebo, in 70 people with mild to moderate eczema (Jaffary 2015). In a 60-day trial of 45 people, 600 IU of synthetic vitamin E cut SCORAD by 35.7%, and adding 1,600 IU of vitamin D cut it by 64.3% (Javanbakht 2011). When 18 antioxidant trials (763 people) were pooled, the benefit showed in children but not in adults (Yang 2022).

Can melatonin help you sleep with eczema?

Grade C. One trial so far. In 80 adults with mild to moderate eczema, 10 mg of melatonin daily for 4 weeks improved severity, itch, sleep and quality of life, with no side effects reported. How much better than placebo is not stated in the abstract (Heidari 2026).

Is Chinese herbal medicine safe for eczema?

Grade C. The benefit is unclear and the risks are real. A Cochrane review of 28 trials (2,306 people) of herbal mixtures, taken by mouth or put on the skin, found no conclusive evidence that they lessen eczema; most of those trials carried a high risk of bias (Gu 2013). From 1991 to 1993, one team received 11 reports of liver damage after Chinese herbal medicine for skin disease; in 2 people, hepatitis cleared on stopping and came back on restarting (Perharic 1995). LiverTox keeps an entry on these herbs.

What has stronger evidence than supplements for eczema?

Grade B for daily moisturiser. Against no moisturiser, regular use cut flares (2 trials, 87 people, risk ratio 0.40), stretched the median time to a flare from 30 to 180 days, and saved steroid cream (van Zuuren 2017). The American Academy of Dermatology strongly recommends nonprescription moisturisers for adults, along with several kinds of prescription cream (Sidbury 2023). A clinician can tell you which fits; this guide doesn't advise on medicines.

Grade B that cutting out foods helps little. Pooling 10 trials (599 people, mostly young children), 50% improved noticeably on an elimination diet against 41% without, on low-certainty evidence, and avoiding foods may raise the risk of a true food allergy (Oykhman 2022). An older Cochrane review found no benefit from dropping egg and milk in people not tested for allergy (Bath-Hextall 2008).

Why does eczema get worse in winter?

Cold weather and dry indoor air are the usual suspects. In Denmark, eczema visits and prescriptions peaked in winter and spring; each 1°C drop in monthly temperature brought 18 more steroid-cream prescriptions (Hamann 2018). Pooling 42 studies in adults, very cold and very hot weather were both linked with more eczema clinic visits (Park 2025). Low indoor humidity is tied to more eczema and dry skin (and, oddly, so is high outdoor humidity), though the research is mixed (Goad 2016). Regular moisturiser is the winter step with trial evidence. We found no trial of vitamin D for winter flares in adults.

What we'd skip

  • Evening primrose oil and borage oil. No better than placebo in two pooled analyses (Anheyer 2025; Bamford 2013).
  • Chinese herbal mixtures by mouth. No conclusive benefit, and liver damage has been reported (Gu 2013; Perharic 1995).
  • Hemp seed oil, sea buckthorn oil, selenium and pyridoxine. One trial each, and no convincing benefit (Bath-Hextall 2012).
  • Elimination diets without allergy testing. Small benefit at best, with a risk of new food allergy (Oykhman 2022).
  • Sea moss. We found no trial in eczema.

Safety and interactions

  • Vitamin D: adults should stay at or under 4,000 IU a day unless a clinician advises more; excess builds up and lifts calcium in the blood. Thiazide water pills, steroids, statins and orlistat interact with it (NIH ODS).
  • Probiotics: side effects in trials were mostly stomach upsets and no more common than without probiotics, but a separate safety search found a small risk (Makrgeorgou 2018). The risk is greater with a serious illness or a weakened immune system (NCCIH).
  • Evening primrose oil may increase bleeding in people on warfarin (Bamford 2013).
  • Fish oil: 2 to 15 g a day of EPA or DHA might lengthen bleeding time; tell your prescriber if you take a blood thinner (NIH ODS).
  • Vitamin E: keep supplements to 1,000 mg a day or less (1,100 IU synthetic, 1,500 IU natural). With warfarin or other anticlotting medicines, big doses make bleeding more likely (NIH ODS).
  • Zinc: 40 mg a day is the most adults should take, and high doses for weeks can drain copper. Zinc interacts with some antibiotics (quinolones, tetracyclines) and penicillamine (NIH ODS).
  • Chinese herbal medicine: if you take it, ask for liver tests, and stop if your skin or eyes turn yellow (Perharic 1995).
  • No interaction studies were found between these supplements and prescription eczema creams. Total what you take with the upper-limit calculator.

When to see a doctor

  • Right away: eczema that suddenly turns painful, spreads fast or forms sores, especially with a fever. A herpes infection on eczema (eczema herpeticum) affects about 3% of people with eczema and can be life-threatening (Damour 2020).
  • Soon: skin that weeps, crusts or feels hot (possible infection).
  • Yellow skin or eyes while taking a herbal mixture (Perharic 1995).
  • Eczema that keeps you awake or won't settle with moisturiser: prescription treatments exist (Sidbury 2023).
  • A new rash after starting a medicine or supplement.

Don't stop a prescribed medicine on your own; ask the prescriber or pharmacist. For a child or baby with eczema, ask a clinician. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor or midwife before taking any supplement.

FAQ

What is the best supplement for eczema? No supplement has strong evidence. Vitamin D and certain probiotic strains have the best support, and both lowered severity scores only a little (grade B). Daily moisturiser has far stronger backing.

Do probiotics help eczema in adults? A little, and only some strains. In pooled adult trials, SCORAD fell 4.52 to 5.93 points out of 103, less than the 8.7 points patients notice (grade B).

Does evening primrose oil help eczema? No. Pooling 13 trials, it did no better than placebo, and borage oil also failed (grade A).

Should I take vitamin D for eczema? It probably helps a little (grade B). People with eczema tend to have lower vitamin D, and a blood test tells you whether you are low. Adults should stay at or under 4,000 IU a day unless a clinician advises more.

Why does eczema get worse in winter? Cold weather is linked with more eczema visits, and dry indoor air may dry the skin. Regular moisturiser is the winter step with trial evidence.

Sources

  1. Makrgeorgou A, et al. Probiotics for treating eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018. PubMed 30480774 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006135.pub3
  2. Yingying C, et al. Probiotics for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Indian J Dermatol. 2025. PubMed 40740395 · doi:10.4103/ijd.ijd_117_24
  3. Husein-ElAhmed H, et al. Effects of probiotic supplementation in adult with atopic dermatitis: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2023. PubMed 37706436 · doi:10.1093/ced/llad318
  4. Li Y, et al. The efficacy of probiotics supplementation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022. PubMed 35670101 · doi:10.1080/09546634.2022.2080170
  5. Wang HZ, et al. Probiotics in infants for prevention of allergic disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025. PubMed 40511642 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006475.pub3
  6. Nielsen AY, et al. Vitamin D Supplementation for Treating Atopic Dermatitis in Children and Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2024. PubMed 39683522 · doi:10.3390/nu16234128
  7. Park JS, et al. Effect of Vitamin D on the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis With Consideration of Heterogeneities: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2023. PubMed 37021510 · doi:10.4168/aair.2023.15.2.262
  8. Hattangdi-Haridas SR, et al. Vitamin D Deficiency and Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Disease Severity in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Adults and Children. Nutrients. 2019. PubMed 31405041 · doi:10.3390/nu11081854
  9. Amestejani M, et al. Vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a clinical trial study. J Drugs Dermatol. 2012. PubMed 22395583
  10. Hata TR, et al. A randomized controlled double-blind investigation of the effects of vitamin D dietary supplementation in subjects with atopic dermatitis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2014. PubMed 23638978 · doi:10.1111/jdv.12176
  11. Sánchez-Armendáriz K, et al. Oral vitamin D3 5000 IU/day as an adjuvant in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a randomized control trial. Int J Dermatol. 2018. PubMed 30238557 · doi:10.1111/ijd.14220
  12. Anheyer M, et al. Herbal Medicine in Children and Adults With Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Dermatitis. 2025. PubMed 38963342 · doi:10.1089/derm.2024.0132
  13. Bamford JT, et al. Oral evening primrose oil and borage oil for eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013. PubMed 23633319 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004416.pub2
  14. van Gool CJ, et al. Oral essential fatty acid supplementation in atopic dermatitis-a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. Br J Dermatol. 2004. PubMed 15099370 · doi:10.1111/j.0007-0963.2004.05851.x
  15. Bath-Hextall FJ, et al. Dietary supplements for established atopic eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012. PubMed 22336810 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005205.pub3
  16. Koch C, et al. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in atopic eczema: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Br J Dermatol. 2008. PubMed 18241260 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2007.08430.x
  17. Gray NA, et al. Zinc and atopic dermatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019. PubMed 30801794 · doi:10.1111/jdv.15524
  18. Kim JE, et al. Hair zinc levels and the efficacy of oral zinc supplementation in patients with atopic dermatitis. Acta Derm Venereol. 2014. PubMed 24473704 · doi:10.2340/00015555-1772
  19. Ewing CI, et al. Failure of oral zinc supplementation in atopic eczema. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1991. PubMed 1782922
  20. Jaffary F, et al. Effects of oral vitamin E on treatment of atopic dermatitis: A randomized controlled trial. J Res Med Sci. 2015. PubMed 26941808 · doi:10.4103/1735-1995.172815
  21. Javanbakht MH, et al. Randomized controlled trial using vitamins E and D supplementation in atopic dermatitis. J Dermatolog Treat. 2011. PubMed 20653487 · doi:10.3109/09546630903578566
  22. Yang H, et al. Efficacy and safety profile of antioxidants in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Dermatol Ther. 2022. PubMed 35502578 · doi:10.1111/dth.15549
  23. Heidari Z, et al. Melatonin Supplementation in Adult Patients With Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pineal Res. 2026. PubMed 41787942 · doi:10.1111/jpi.70130
  24. Gu S, et al. Chinese herbal medicine for atopic eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013. PubMed 24018636 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008642.pub2
  25. Perharic L, et al. Possible association of liver damage with the use of Chinese herbal medicine for skin disease. Vet Hum Toxicol. 1995. PubMed 8588298
  26. van Zuuren EJ, et al. Emollients and moisturisers for eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017. PubMed 28166390 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012119.pub2
  27. Sidbury R, et al. Executive summary: American Academy of Dermatology guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis in adults with topical therapies. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2023. PubMed 36623556 · doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2022.08.068
  28. Oykhman P, et al. Dietary Elimination for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022. PubMed 35987995 · doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2022.06.044
  29. Bath-Hextall F, et al. Dietary exclusions for established atopic eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008. PubMed 18254073 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005203.pub2
  30. Hamann CR, et al. The effects of season and weather on healthcare utilization among patients with atopic dermatitis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018. PubMed 29706020 · doi:10.1111/jdv.15023
  31. Park M, et al. Climate Conditions, Weather Changes, and Air Pollutants and Atopic Dermatitis: A Meta-Analysis. JAMA Dermatol. 2025. PubMed 40560568 · doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.1790
  32. Goad N, et al. Ambient humidity and the skin: the impact of air humidity in healthy and diseased states. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2016. PubMed 27306376 · doi:10.1111/jdv.13707
  33. Damour A, et al. Eczema Herpeticum: Clinical and Pathophysiological Aspects. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2020. PubMed 31836943 · doi:10.1007/s12016-019-08768-3