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Medicines and supplements

Can you take vitamin A with isotretinoin?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Ask your pharmacist or doctor before combining. The isotretinoin label says to avoid using it with supplements that contain vitamin A, because the two are closely related and the combination may bring on isotretinoin's side effects. MedlinePlus names two nonprescription products that may interact with isotretinoin: vitamin A supplements and St. John's wort.1,2

Key facts

  • Isotretinoin is 13-cis-retinoic acid, a compound related to both retinoic acid and retinol, which is vitamin A.1
  • The label lists an allergy to vitamin A among the reasons not to take isotretinoin, given how similar the two are chemically.1
  • Its medication guide names vitamin A supplements and tetracycline antibiotics as medicines not to take while on isotretinoin.1
  • NIH says retinoid medicines taken with vitamin A supplements can raise the chance of getting too much vitamin A.3

Avoid the combination unless your doctor advises it

The isotretinoin label says to avoid using it with supplements that contain vitamin A, because isotretinoin is closely related to vitamin A and the combination may lead to isotretinoin's adverse reactions. NIH says retinoid medicines taken with vitamin A supplements can raise the risk of vitamin A toxicity, and MedlinePlus lists vitamin A supplements among the products that may interact with isotretinoin.1,2,3

On the medicine's label

What is documented

Section 7.1 of the isotretinoin label, headed Vitamin A, says to avoid using isotretinoin with supplements containing vitamin A. The reason it gives is that isotretinoin is closely related to vitamin A, so taking both may lead to the adverse reactions associated with isotretinoin.1

MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's consumer drug information, lists vitamin A supplements among the nonprescription products that may interact with isotretinoin. It asks people not to start any of them during treatment without first talking to their healthcare provider.2

Why the two overlap

NIH's vitamin A fact sheet describes retinoid medicines as synthetic relatives of vitamin A and warns that taking them with vitamin A supplements can raise the risk of hypervitaminosis A, meaning too much vitamin A in the body.3

Signs of too much vitamin A include severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, aching muscles and trouble with coordination. Regular high intakes can also cause dry skin, painful joints, tiredness and abnormal liver tests.3

Which products contain vitamin A

Most multivitamins contain vitamin A, and some supplements contain nothing else, so read the Supplement Facts panel of every product you use, including your multivitamin.4

The label's warning covers supplements containing vitamin A and does not single out retinol or beta-carotene. If a label lists vitamin A in any form, show it to your pharmacist before you start isotretinoin.1

Pregnancy

Isotretinoin can cause life-threatening birth defects, so it is available only through a restricted program called iPLEDGE, which requires pregnancy tests before, during and after treatment for anyone who can get pregnant. Too much preformed vitamin A from supplements can also cause birth defects.1,3

What to ask your pharmacist

  • Do any of my supplements, including my multivitamin, contain vitamin A or beta-carotene?
  • Should I stop a supplement with vitamin A while I take isotretinoin, and when could I restart it?
  • Do any of my other medicines or supplements interact with isotretinoin?
  • Which side effects should make me call my doctor?

Take your supplement bottles, or photos of their labels, to the appointment, so nothing on the list is missed.

Questions people ask

Does beta-carotene count?

The label says to avoid supplements containing vitamin A and does not make an exception for beta-carotene. Ask your pharmacist about any product that lists vitamin A in any form.1

Do I need to avoid foods with vitamin A?

The label's warning is about supplements, and foods are not named in it. Liver is very high in preformed vitamin A, so ask your doctor or pharmacist about it while you take isotretinoin.1,3

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Sources

  1. Isotretinoin capsules: prescribing information and medication guide (Aurobindo Pharma). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Published October 2, 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Isotretinoin. Last revised August 15, 2018. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated March 10, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 10, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.