Take a long, hard look at yourself. Not your face silly; your entire body. Every inch of skin you see provides some insight into the overall state of your health. Much like the eyes are considered a window to the soul, if you connect each wrinkle, pimple, pustule and scar…even those gross crusty scabs (yes, you haven’t done a good job of hiding them), you will find the visual cheat sheet of your body’s functions. But as much as you would like to believe that your internal body processes are seamless, there is a little more chaos going on inside you than you realize; I mean… think about your bowel movements. And with your skin being the punching bag for all your bodily functions, skin care vitamins and supplements are an absolute must-have.
Sure, you know a lot about the role food plays in the state of your skin; but nourishing your skin is the direct work of vitamins which can also be gotten in form of supplements. Knowing this, we’ve outlined a few skin care vitamins and supplements to get you started on your journey to perfect, glowing skin –
It’s okay; you can thank us later;
Vitamin A
When it comes to protecting your skin from UV damage, wrinkles, and infection, you probably know the drill; wear sunscreen – try anti-aging solutions – steer clear of bacteria. What you may not know, however, is that vitamin A alone can do all this and then some. Thanks to carotenoids and retinoic acids, your skin collagen can be barricaded by protective antioxidants and wrinkle-fighters; not to mention, it also makes skin less sensitive to the sun and acne free.
Vitamin A can be found in a variety of foods and fruits including beef, eggs, carrots, and mangoes. However, with a dietary allowance of between 300mcg daily to 3000 mcg daily, supplements might come in quite handy. And it sure won’t hurt your skin to consider retinol infused creams. These are our top supplement recommendations;
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant also known to further enhance the effectivity of sunscreens and reduce collagen depletion because of its role in collagen production. It is especially known as an anti-aging vitamin, which helps to reverse internal cell damage, thus lowering the potential for the appearance of scars or wrinkles; not to mention, the repair and/or prevention of particularly dry skin.
While vitamin C is quite popular for its functions, its role in cancer prevention is a little-known aspect of its capabilities. It is for this function that it is found in naturally high proportions in the outer and inner skin (also known as the epidermis and dermis). However, its high concentrations in citrus fruits (like orange, lemons, tangerine) and greens, ensures that its levels stay significantly high even if you aren’t making a concerted effort to ingest it. And while your 1000mg dietary requirement will likely be met effortlessly, any signs of scabs or scurvy might be an indication that it is time to go the supplement route.
Here are two you might want to consider;
Vitamin E
When it comes to protection from potentially hazardous sun exposure, Vitamin E is considered a top dog among skin care vitamins. Vitamin E is naturally synthesized by the secretion of sebum which helps in skin conditioning, prevents dryness and aids the reduction of swelling and related skin conditions. In totality, between protecting skin from sun damage, healing and moisturizing, the antioxidant can be considered an absolute skin necessity.
With a multitude of Vitamin E rich nuts (like almonds or sunflower seeds), fruits, vegetables and oils, its required dietary dosage of 15 mg daily shouldn’t be tough to meet. If perchance this is the case, a standard multivitamin should supplement the lack of vitamin E, and topical vitamin-E based products can also be effective in providing sun protection as well.
These two come highly recommended;
Vitamin D
If there is any vitamin you should have no trouble ingesting, then it should be vitamin D. Its most popular source is sunlight (particularly early morning exposure), and while vitamin D is relevant in overall evenness of skin tone, it is even more important for overall body functioning, with organs like the liver and kidneys, requiring it for optimum performance.
Vitamin D is effective against skin psoriasis, irritation, and inflammation. It is also linked to fighting infections, but with a daily requirement of up to 600IU or more, sunlight may be an insufficient source of the vitamin without fish-based foods like tuna and salmon or fortified foods like orange juice, yogurt, and cereal.
Here are our top picks:
Vitamin K
Vitamin D may be great with infections, but it is Vitamin K that tackles visible injuries and lesions. From blot aiding blood clots to tackling stretch marks, dark spots and those dark circles under your eyes (that’s right, there is a vitamin for that) Vitamin K proves to be one of the most versatile and important vitamins.
Vitamin K deficiencies are mostly rare. Even adults require only 90 to 120 ug daily, but you can’t afford to skimp on the veggies if you want to keep your vitamin K up. From lettuce to spinach, green beans and kale, toss a handful of vegetables in your diet to increase your Vitamin K intake. Otherwise, consider supplements like…
Choline
If you are wondering why Choline isn’t a popularly known skin care vitamin, then you’re like the rest of us. Choline is popular for its role in improving metabolism and liver functions, but it is also a member of the B vitamin family and plays a significant role in the production of elastin and collagen. These proteins are especially significant for preserving the elasticity of the skin and reducing the frequency of occurrence of nasolabial folds. With firm and silky smooth skin, even the likelihood of acne is reduced significantly. Not to mention, as an antioxidant, it protects your skin cells from free radical damage caused by overexposure to the sun.
Dietary requirements of choline are anything from 125mg to 550mg and sadly a significant percentage of choline available in food sources such as dairy and eggs cannot be absorbed by the body. So, you are going to rely on supplements to keep the levels up – can’t figure out if you need to up your choline levels? Well, symptoms of deficiency include; muscle aches, memory loss, nerve damage and those pesky mood swings.
Here’s a choline supplement to get you started: Standard Process Choline
Folic acid
We are well aware of the role of folic acid in a fetal development, but did you know that vitamin B9 is also an antioxidant with the potential to reverse free radical damage on the skin? That’s right, it also improves hydration and moisture-retention of the skin as well as reduces the oxidative stress of the skin eventually improving skin’s appearance and texture. Thanks to its role in collagen synthesis, folic acid also improves skin firmness and can be beneficial for reducing acne and dead skin cells, almost entirely reversing the adverse effects of time on your skin.
Folic acid seems to be in every food imaginable – from bananas and melons to citrus, poultry, and leafy greens. And a deficiency in B9 could mean everything from dry and pale skin to exhaustion, lethargy and peptic ulcers – so, let’s just say supplements are a great idea. Sundown Naturals Folic acid
Coenzyme Q10
We can only say so much about skin care without reference to CoQ10. The Coenzyme Q10 is more of an enzyme than a vitamin but is popular for a slew of vitamin-like functions including cell regeneration, protection from free radical damage and stress reduction. As a plus, it is also implicated in weight loss, so that while it reduces fat, it also ensures that your skin remains firm rather than become droopy.
It is a strong anti-oxidant, an important part of collagen and elastin synthesis and is known for being an accurate aging biomarker. And like a few medical professionals put it, without the Coenzyme Q10, our skin would decline at least twice faster than its current pace. Naturally, Coenzyme Q10 can be found everywhere from meat and fish to vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. Doctor’s Best High Absorption Q10
Alpha-lipoic acid
Medical professionals argue that healthy individuals have no reason to supplement ALA or alpha-lipoic acid because the body is quite capable of creating all that it needs, but given its functions, we figure it can’t hurt
(Actually, it can if you are abusing the supplement – but let’s not quibble)
In skin care, the alpha-lipoic acid is popular for its role as an antioxidant – by now you know that this has a lot to do with protecting the skin from free radical damage, but ALA takes things a tad further by also boosting the function of other antioxidants such as Vitamins E and C.
It is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and also capable of detoxing skin of damaging elements like heavy metal. And don’t get us started on its role in skin tightening and firming; between its stretch mark reducing abilities of the ALA and its role in collagen induction, the argument in favor of this acid abounds.
Its sources include flaxseeds, tofu, walnuts and soybeans and a variety of other vegetarian-friendly options; and of course, supplements like – Nutricost Alpha Lipoic acid
Conclusion
There is no argument as to whether or not we all want a glistening skin, what may be debatable is how much we are willing to give in exchange. Sometimes, all it requires is giving your diet a little vitamin boost to arrive at your skin care goals, but sometimes, even diets will prove insufficient, and supplements come into play. Whatever the case, however, the place of skin care vitamins and supplements cannot be understated; especially, if you want your skin to retain its youthful shine contrary to its actual age. So, I guess what we are trying to say is; what is good skin worth to you?