Vitamins And Nutrients For Healthy Skin
Dry skin may just be a temporary effect of changing weather, but it can also indicate nutritional imbalance and point to a lack of enough healthy fats in the diet. Certain vitamins and minerals play a hand in keeping your skin hydrated, elastic, and full. Others have a direct hand in wound healing or protecting your skin from sun damage and photoaging. Changes in your skin or complexion may be a visual clue of an underlying vitamin deficiency.
There are, of course, skin conditions that need attention from experts such as dermatologists. But one of the foundations for healthy skin, just like other systems of your body, is a healthy diet. Getting all the essential vitamins is important since deficiencies can cause or exacerbate skin issues.
Its important to note, though, that just because you eat certain foods, that doesnt mean youll see the same results as participants in a particular study. A healthy diet is a great foundation, but if you suspect theres an underlying issue causing your skin issues, your healthcare provider can help you get to the root of what nutrients you may be lacking.
Collagen Supplements For Skin
Collagen is a type of protein found in the bones, connective tissues, and skin. As we age, collagen production naturally declines, resulting in visible skin aging. In fact, collagen in the skin declines by approximately one percent each year beginning in adulthood.
Ingesting collagen has been shown to increase skin elasticity and boost skin collagen production, resulting in a more youthful appearance. If youre noticing signs of skin aging, supplementing daily with collagen may be beneficial.
Supplemental collagen is available in powder, liquid, and capsule form, and is sourced from the skin and bones of animals, primarily chicken, beef, and fish. Collagen can also be found in some foods, including bone broth and gelatin.
Bone broth is an excellent source of natural collagen.
Which Vitamins Are Great For Your Skin
Its no secret that healthy skin starts from the inside out. As your bodys first layer of defense against the outside world, your skin needs the correct vitamins and nutrients to stay beautiful and proactive. These same elements can also keep your hair looking shiny and soft. With the right supplements, youll be at your best.
To help you nourish your skin and maintain your mane, well go over how you can obtain healthy skin and the best vitamins for radiant skin and hair. Its not always easy to work enough vitamins into your diet naturally, so well also tell you how to boost your vitamin intake with intravenous therapy.
Keep reading to learn all the beauty secrets you need for glowing skin and gorgeous locks.
Read Also: How To Know What Vitamins You Need
The Best Vitamins For Skin Elasticity
Your skin is tough but not invincible. As you age, it loses its natural elastic quality, but living a healthy lifestyle helps slow the natural aging process. Building basic healthy habits can help your skin. Don’t smoke, avoid the sun’s skin-damaging rays and take the right vitamins to maintain skin elasticity.
The most helpful vitamins for your skin are vitamin C and vitamin E.
What About Supplements
The ideal way to get the nutrients you need for a radiant complexion is eating a healthy, balanced diet.
But Bank suggests taking an over-the-counter daily multivitamin with minerals to boost your nutrient intake if you’re not eating a balanced diet. It’s also a good idea if you spend a lot of time outdoors or are exposed to high levels of air pollution and secondhand smoke.
You May Like: When Is The Best Time To Take Vitamin B Complex
Skin Health And Aging
As you age, your skin changes. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s website, MedlinePlus, thin, fragile skin is a natural part of aging. It occurs as your skin loses its protective fat layer.
Unfortunately, these changes mean that just rubbing, pulling or stretching your skin in any way can tear it. The blood vessels in your skin are also more likely to break. Aging also means that your body is slower to heal. Although such injuries may be minor, they can take up to four times longer to heal in older adults. This means that even small abrasions have the potential to become infected or turn into skin ulcers.
Skin aging is normal, but it can certainly be unpleasant. Fortunately, the foods you eat play a major role in how your skin is aging. There are also various lifestyle changes you can make and supplements you can take to reduce the fragility of your skin and improve overall skin health.
Best Vitamins And Nutrients For Healthy Skin
Its no surprise that a healthy diet is a good foundation for healthy skin, but certain vitamins and minerals may also help improve your skin quality. Some nutrients may even help protect your skin from damage from ultraviolet light. Vitamins and minerals that act as antioxidants in your body may help prevent wrinkles by combating inflammation and cellular damage.
Don’t Miss: What Type Of Vitamin C Is Best
What Makes Skin Elastic
Your skin is elastic. Push your finger into your arm and you can see how flexible it is without breaking. Elastin is a protein that gives skin the ability to stretch without being damaged.
As you age, your skin loses elasticity slowly. Wrinkles are a telltale sign that your skin is aging. The loss of elasticity is associated with a breakdown of the protein elastin, according to a study published in Biochimie in September-October 2016.
While the loss of elastin is part of the normal aging process, the study shows that too much sun can also lead to the breakdown of this all-important protein. As elastin production slows, your skin naturally loses elasticity.
Collagen is also important in maintaining the integrity of the skin. More than 70 percent of the dry layer of the dermis is composed of different types of collagen, according to Derm 101. Along with elastin, these two forms of protein keep your skin healthy and stretchy.
Other Supplements For Treating Dry Skin
In addition to the nutrients listed above, studies have shown that supplementing with several other compounds may be an effective way to improve skin moisture.
Some research suggests that the supplements listed above may help enhance skin moisture and treat dry skin.
However, more research is needed before these compounds can be recommended as effective ways to naturally relieve dry skin.
Summary
Supplementing with probiotics, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera extracts, and ceramides may improve dry skin, but more research is needed.
Recommended Reading: Do Gummy Vitamins Help Hair Growth
What Are Vitamin Cs Benefits For Skin
In short: everything. For one, vitamin C promotes collagen production, which has the potential to thicken the dermis, diminish fine lines, and is essential for firm, youthful skin, Wexler says. On top of that, vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it protects skin cells from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure.
It also inhibits melanin production in the skin, which helps to lighten hyperpigmentation and brown spots, even out skin tone, and enhance skin radiance. Finally, vitamin C helps to repair damage from sun exposure and collagen loss by encouraging healthy cell turnover and regeneration, says Wexler.
The Value Of Vitamins For Your Skin
No skincare routine is complete without a proper intake of certain nutrients. Vitamins A, B3, C, D, E, K can all work wonders for your skin in different ways. The experts at North Pacific Dermatology can help you learn more about what these valuable vitamins can do for your skin and overall health. Set up a consultation with our team today.
Read Also: Is Vitamin B12 Good For Psoriasis
Top 9 Best Vitamins For Skin Health You Should Never Miss
Health, Beauty and Skin Care Adviser | Independent Researcher
Good skincare starts with proper nutrition. Its true that sun protection is the number-one anti-aging strategy, but your skin also needs nutrients to stay healthy and youthful. The best sources of a great number of skin-loving nutrients are fruits and vegetables. If youre already eating plenty of your greens, chances are your skin is already well-nourished. But knowing which vitamin provides what benefits will help you understand what you should focus on more as far as your skin is concerned and maybe even look for these vitamins in skin care products for additional support. To get you started, here are 9 best vitamins you could be giving your skin.
1. Vitamin A
This vitamin that also functions as an antioxidant can be found abundantly in foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, and mangoes. A type of A vitamin called retinoid can be found in beef, eggs, and dairy. This vitamin is essential for skin health, and creams containing derivatives of vitamin A are efficient in treating wrinkles. However, most need to be obtained via prescription because they do cause skin irritation in some people. Other than that, eating plenty of foods rich in this vitamin will protect your vision and protect you from lung cancer.
2. Vitamin C
3. Vitamin E
4. Vitamin D
5. Vitamin K
6. Vitamin B3
7. Vitamin B5
8. Choline
9. Folic acid
Best Vitamins For The Skin
Your skins health and appearance are directly tied to your nutritional intake. As weve discussed in previous posts, ingesting large quantities of processed and high-glycemic foods can cause breakouts, hasten aging, and otherwise inflame the skin. Conversely, consuming a healthy variety of fruits and vegetables can keep your skin bright and youthful thanks to the abundance of vitamins and other nutrients found in these items. Indeed, certain vitamins are great for your skin, and they can be absorbed in a number of ways . Lets go over the best vitamins for your skin, their specific benefits, and where you can find them, in alphabetical order.
You May Like: What Vitamin Is Good For
How To Get The Best Vitamins For Skin Into Your Diet
Following a well-balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and protein foods can provide all of the vitamins for skin and hair that your body needs and can be even more effective than even the best supplements.
Try squeezing in a serving or two of fruits and veggies into each meal or swapping out your favorite salty snacks for a few nutrient-packed superfoods instead. To cram in even more vitamins for clear skin into your diet, start your morning with a power-packed smoothie, and fill it with your choice of greens and berries, plus a scoop of collagen or bone broth to bump up the benefits a bit.
If youre having difficulty meeting your daily needs for certain vitamins or minerals or if you follow a restrictive diet that makes it hard to get what you need, supplementation can be another good option. However, its important to remember that supplements can be used to complement a healthy diet, but the majority of your micronutrient intake should still come from nutritious food sources.
B Vitamins: Your Secret To Good Skin Health
When we look in the mirror as part of our daily skincare routine and spot a new blemish, wrinkle, or dull patch of skin, most of us reach for an appropriately marketed beauty product without much thought. We may know this product treats acne and that one smooths wrinkles, but we arent necessarily sure why, or how, they do it. And we would hardly ever think to eat or drink something to treat our skin problems.
Perhaps its time to rethink that approach. Our skin is the bodys largest organ, and its affected by everything we put on it, as well as everything we ingest. Remedying poor skin requires us to treat not only our symptoms but the root causes as well, and that begins with good nutrition.
B vitamins in particular support skin health in a multitude of ways, making their inclusion in your daily regimen whether through diet, supplements, personal care products, or a combination of the three an effective and safe way to treat skin issues.
Don’t Miss: Is Vitamin C Good For Dry Skin
What You Eat Matters
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants is good for your whole body, including your skin.
Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C, E, and A can curb the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. These molecules can harm skin cells and cause signs of aging.
One of the best ways to get more antioxidants is to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
“I recommend going for as much variety and color as possible in your diet,” Day says. “Try snacking on blueberries, strawberries, grapefruit, kale, spinach, and different kinds of peppers.” She also suggests adding a little tomato paste, which contains an antioxidant called lycopene, to stir-fried vegetables, brown rice, or quinoa.
Another good idea is to stock your grocery cart with foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, including wild salmon, sardines, fortified eggs, and walnuts.
“Omega-3 fatty acids help keep the top outer layer of the skin strong and intact so that external toxins and pollutants are kept out,” says dermatologist David E. Bank, MD, director of the Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, N.Y.
Where To Find Topical Vitamin C And What To Look For On The Label
Vitamin C can be found in serums or other skincare products. Different formulations of vitamin C can alter its strength and effects in the skin. Consider purchasing vitamin C products from your dermatologists office or a verified online retailer, with a clinical formulation that contains an active form of vitamin C , has a strength of 10% to 20%, and a pH lower than 3.5, as this combination has been studied in clinical trials. This information can be obtained from the manufacturers website under the ingredients section.
Read Also: What Are The Best Vitamins For Fibromyalgia
Vitamin Iv Therapy For Better Skin
IV therapy is perfect for producing healthy, glowing skin. It delivers essential vitamins and minerals directly to your bloodstream in a form thats easy to absorb. Therefore, your skin and hair can receive nutrients that are vital to their health almost instantaneously. If you have an important event on the horizon, like a wedding or anniversary, IV therapy can help you look your best in a flash.
How Does Vitamin B3 Benefit Your Body
This ingredient is a powerhouse in itself. Vitamin B3 in its niacinamide form helps the skin restore its moisture content, improving texture and smoothness. It contributes to glowing, healthy skin in many ways. Studies suggest that topical forms of Vitamin B3 can help reduce the appearance of signs of aging .
Vitamin B3 has also proved to be effective in reducing non-inflammatory acne symptoms .
When applied topically, it can improve skin barrier functions by repairing your skins protective layer and locking-in moisture. This allows your skin to stay hydrated, soft and supple .
Niacinamide is also a free radical scavenger, preventing these molecules from creating havoc and damaging your skin.
Also Check: Which Vitamin Is Good For Pregnancy
Best Supplements And Vitamins For Skin
1. Collagen
As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen plays a central role in skin health. As we get older, collagen stores start to decline, resulting in symptoms like wrinkles and sagging skin.
Collagen is one of the best supplements for skin anti-aging, helping keep skin supple and smooth. In fact, one study out of Germany even found that supplementing with collagen peptides helped increase skin elasticity and hydration over just eight weeks.
Another study published in the Journal of Medical Nutrition & Nutraceuticals reported that collagen was also able to reduce the depth of facial wrinkles in post-menopausal women.
2. Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an integral role in many aspects of health, and skin health is no exception. Emerging research shows that vitamin D may even provide benefits in the treatment of certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, thanks to its involvement in the growth and maturation of skin cells.
Unfortunately, the majority of us are lacking in this key vitamin, with some studies reporting that an estimated 41 percent of the U.S. population has a vitamin D deficiency. As one of the top vitamins for glowing skin, immune function, bone health and more, this is why its especially important to consider supplementation if youre not getting regular sun exposure or filling up on vitamin D foods like salmon, cod liver oil or tuna.
3. Fish Oil
4. Bone Broth
5. Biotin
6. Vitamin A
7. Multivitamin
8. Vitamin C
9. Curcumin
10. Vitamin E
How Does Vitamin K Benefit Your Skin
Some of the major benefits include fading of stretch marks, scars, dark spots, under eye circles and spider veins. Vitamin K also aids in the bodys healing process and is effective in treating wounds and bruises . Dermatologists may recommend topical creams containing this Vitamin to reduce skin issues or swelling and bruising.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Vitamin C To Use
Essential Vitamins For Skin Care
Heres a breakdown that covers how different vitamins play a role in skin health. For the most part, more research is required to understand the direct correlation between ingesting or topically applying these vitamins and skin health.
Remember, you can get all these vitamins via a healthy diet. Theyre readily available in many whole food sources.
