Are there medications and nutritional supplements that may cause acne?

Yes. Supplements and medications that have androgen effects and can cause acne may not appear in the patient’s list of medications. New-onset acne in a recreational weightlifter, either male or female, may result from the abuse of androgens. New-onset acne in a young woman may be from birth control pills that are low in estrogen. The progesterone-like hormone in many birth control pills and in all long-acting depository forms may have androgen effects. New onset acne in a perimenopausal woman may result from small amounts of testosterone added to some estrogen supplements. High-dose glucocorticoid therapy can also cause acne. The acne that occurs from changing hormone levels takes 4 to 6 weeks to appear.

Hartgens F, Kuipers H: Effects of androgenic-anabolic steroids in athletes, Sports Med 34:513–554, 2004.