The Truth About Vitamin Patches

Watch this on YouTube.

Vitamin and supplement patches promise a simple, needle-free way to get essential nutrients—but do they actually work? The short answer: not really. While the idea of absorbing vitamins through the skin sounds convenient, research suggests that most vitamins and minerals don’t penetrate the skin barrier in meaningful amounts. Compared to traditional oral supplements, patches fall short in delivering nutrients effectively.

Take iron, for example. In a study on athletes with low iron levels, researchers compared oral iron supplements with iron patches. The results were clear—oral supplements significantly increased iron levels, while the patch had no measurable effect. Similarly, a study on gastric bypass patients tested a multivitamin patch against an oral version. Those relying on the patch were much more likely to develop nutrient deficiencies than those taking standard pills.

Magnesium absorption has also been studied using a specialized topical cream called IB1, originally developed to protect soldiers from chemical warfare. Even at high doses, the magnesium in the cream failed to reach the bloodstream. Pregnant women given vitamin A through oral or topical applications had similar results—oral supplements effectively raised vitamin A levels, while the topical version had little to no impact.

Some nutrients, like CoQ10 and vitamin B3, are frequently used in skincare and can penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. However, they don’t enter the bloodstream in significant amounts, meaning they mainly benefit skin health rather than overall nutrition.

There is one exception: microneedle patches. Unlike standard vitamin patches, these advanced patches contain tiny, dissolvable needles that painlessly pierce the skin’s outer layer, allowing nutrients like vitamin B12 and K to enter the bloodstream more effectively. Essentially, they work like very short needles rather than relying on passive absorption. However, these patches usually require a prescription and are not the same as the over-the-counter vitamin patches found online or in stores. Without microneedle technology, there’s no reliable evidence that vitamins such as B12, K, or most other nutrients can be absorbed through the skin in significant amounts.

What Nutrients Can Get Through the Skin?

That said, there are two notable exceptions: caffeine and vitamin D. Caffeine, a well-known stimulant, is a small, fat-soluble molecule that can be absorbed through the skin via gels, patches, or nasal sprays. However, research shows that skin absorption is much slower and less efficient than drinking coffee or taking a caffeine pill. Instead of a quick energy boost, transdermal caffeine provides a slow, sustained release with a milder effect.

Vitamin D is another case where topical absorption is possible. Studies have shown that vitamin D creams can raise levels in the body, but oral supplements are still more effective, faster-acting, and significantly cheaper.

Why Is It So Hard to Get Through the Skin?

Your skin’s main job is protection. It acts as a powerful barrier, keeping out bacteria, toxins, and even most nutrients. Unlike your digestive system, which is designed to absorb and process vitamins and minerals, your skin doesn’t differentiate between harmful microbes and beneficial compounds. It simply blocks nearly everything.

The outermost layer of your skin is made up of tightly packed dead skin cells and lipids, forming a water-repelling shield. This hydrophobic barrier prevents large or water-soluble molecules from passing through. Even when some substances make it to the deeper layers of the skin, they don’t always enter the bloodstream. Instead, they may get stored in skin tissue or broken down before they have any real effect on the body.

For a substance to successfully penetrate the skin, it needs to be small, fat-soluble, and chemically suited for absorption. Research shows that only molecules under 500 Daltons in weight—and with the right fat-solubility—can passively absorb through the skin. Even then, absorption happens in very small amounts. This is why transdermal medications like nicotine, estrogen, and testosterone work. They are small, fat-soluble, and require only low daily doses.

Most vitamins, amino acids, and minerals don’t meet these criteria. They’re often too large or too water-soluble to make it through the skin barrier in meaningful amounts. Herbal compounds face even greater challenges, as their active ingredients tend to be complex, oversized, or poorly suited for skin absorption.

How To Use Vitamin Patches

If you’re set on trying a vitamin patch, is there anything you can do to improve absorption? Assuming the nutrients in the patch can be absorbed at all, a few strategies might help.

First, prepping your skin can make a difference. Cleaning the area and gently scrubbing away dead skin cells can increase permeability. Applying 50% ethanol (or, alternatively, swabbing with 70% rubbing alcohol and letting it dry) may temporarily disrupt the skin’s outer layer, slightly boosting absorption.

Next, where you place the patch matters. Areas with thinner, more vascularized skin absorb better, while thicker, less vascularized areas make it harder for nutrients to pass through. Studies on caffeine patches found the highest absorption when applied to the forehead, followed by the arm, then behind the ear, with the abdomen showing the lowest absorption. That said, most people probably wouldn’t want to wear a vitamin patch on their forehead.

Finally, applying pressure might help—but only if the patch contains a high enough concentration of the nutrient. Research on caffeine patches found that pressing down on the patch improved absorption, but only when the caffeine dose was already high.

In the end, while small adjustments may improve a patch’s effectiveness slightly, they won’t change the fact that most vitamins and minerals struggle to pass through the skin. Oral supplements remain the most reliable way to get the nutrients your body needs.

Why Vitamin Patches Are a Waste of Money

The idea of absorbing vitamins and supplements through the skin isn’t new—skincare products have been doing it for centuries. While some ingredients can benefit the skin, the belief that they can enter the bloodstream in significant amounts and improve overall health is mostly a myth.

Take PatchMD, for example. Their multivitamin patch contains a mix of nutrients, but the only one with even a slight chance of making it into your bloodstream is vitamin D. At that point, you’d be better off just taking a supplement. Their B12 patch? Completely useless. B12 can’t be absorbed through the skin without microneedle technology, which their patches don’t have. And their iron patch? It was tested in a study and showed zero impact on iron levels.

It gets even more absurd with brands like Kind Patches. Their so-called “GLP-1 Patch” is loaded with berberine, pomegranate, cinnamon, B vitamins, glutamine, and chromium—none of which can pass through the skin. The only noticeable effect? A yellowish-red stain on your skin or clothes from the berberine and pomegranate extracts. Their “Focus Patch” is just as ineffective. It contains B vitamins, mushroom extracts, and ginseng, none of which will make it into your bloodstream. Even if they could, the doses are so small that they wouldn’t have any real effect.

Dr. Brian’s Review

So, should you avoid vitamin patches altogether? In most cases, yes. They won’t do much beyond potentially irritating or discoloring your skin, and they’re a complete waste of money. Even for nutrients like caffeine and vitamin D, which can be absorbed to some degree, oral supplements work far better.

Some people argue that patches are useful because they bypass the liver, which can sometimes break down certain nutrients. But that argument falls apart when you consider how inefficient transdermal absorption is in the first place.

There is a legitimate medical use for topical caffeine in premature infants with certain conditions, but for healthy adults? There’s no practical reason to use a vitamin patch instead of a pill, sublingual supplement, or injection—unless you absolutely refuse to take anything by mouth. At the end of the day, vitamin patches are little more than expensive stickers.

Learn more about

• • Supplement reviews

See also

• 
  The Truth About Vitamin Patches
  Vitamin patches don’t work well since most nutrients can’t pass through the skin. The main exceptions are Vitamin D and caffeine.
• 
  CoQ10: Benefits and Myths
  CoQ10 supports heart health, some muscle conditions, and PCOS, but doesn’t help with fertility, athletic performance, or weight loss.
• 
  Propolis Throat Sprays for Sore Throats
  Propolis throat sprays can provide some relief for sore throats and irritated mucous membranes, but they don’t work as well as honey.
• 
  Benefits of Niacinamide Serums
  Niacinamide, even at 10%, is safe, effective, and gentle, improving skin health with little risk of irritation.
• 
  Real Benefits of Lemon Balm
  Lemon balm may help with mental health issues like depression and stress and could also aid in treating cold sores.