Every day, there’s a new skin cream or lotion that claims to give us flawless skin. But, with the effectiveness of many skincare products often debated, is there an alternative to achieving gorgeous skin?
How about giving yourself gorgeous skin from the inside? Nowadays, you can take a range of supplements to enhance your skin and give you a healthy glow. Check out which supplements could benefit the body’s largest organ here…
VITAMIN C
If we have smooth skin that’s free of wrinkles, it makes many of us feel good about our appearance. However, a major cause of loss of skin firmness is free radicals — which are especially harmful when exposed to strong sunlight. There are 25 types of collagen in the body, and along with elastin, they give skin texture and structure. Free radical damage causes collagen and elastin to break down, which leads to wrinkles and skin losing its firmness.
Free radicals can be obstacles to achieving beautiful skin, so what can we counter them? Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and coenzyme Q10, can protect cells from the damaging effects of these toxic chemicals. Similarly, incorporating plenty of fruit and vegetables into our diets can help us naturally improve our vitamin C levels. However, it’s best to ingest this raw, as the vitamin is damaged when cooked or processed.
Did you know that, although vitamin C is essential to human health, our lifestyles might reduce the amount our bodies absorb? For example, levels of vitamin C are lowered by factors such as smoking, alcohol, and certain drugs like antidepressants and oral contraceptives — which is why many people find it beneficial to get enough of this vital nutrient via supplements. For example, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 60mg/day or 120mg/day if you’re a smoker.
OMEGA 3
We’ve surely all heard about the benefits of omega 3 — it’s one of the most popular supplements for skin health. Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory, making it good for irritable, sore skin, and the richest nutrient source is oily fish (e.g., herring, salmon, tuna, and sardines). As a result, many people choose to take an omega-3 fish oil supplement. However, due to concerns about environmental pollution in fish, it is safest to choose a supplement that contains oil from the flesh of the fish rather than the liver.
But, if you fancy trying something different to boost skin health, have you considered omega 7? Omega 7 supplements can help with lubrication throughout the body, protecting the internal organs and the linings of the eyes, mouth, and skin. If you get a supplement featuring sea buckthorn oil, you can also benefit from one of the best natural oils for mature and wrinkled skin. This is due to its essential fatty acid and vitamin E, C, and A properties. In addition, omega 7 and sea buckthorn oil have nourishing, moisturizing, and refreshing abilities, promoting tissue regeneration and reducing age-induced skin wrinkling and signs of premature aging.
COENZYME Q10
It’s not only vitamin C that can fight free radicals — coenzyme Q10 is also an effective solution. Although we make coenzyme Q10 within our bodies, our ability to do this drops from our mid-twenties. So, a good solution is to take coenzyme Q10 supplements. Coenzyme Q10 is important in producing energy in our bodies and is also a powerful antioxidant. This means it protects the skin from free radical damage and promotes effective skin repair. In addition, Coenzyme Q10 has been proven to reduce the depth of fine lines and wrinkles over time.
PYCNOGENOL
Good blood circulation is essential if you want the above nutrients to find their way easily around your body to do their jobs. So, how can we improve our blood flow for healthier skin? Pycnogenol is a plant-based extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree. It can be taken as a supplement to improve blood circulation, helping with skin hydration and vitality. Pycnogenol can also help reduce wrinkles by binding collagen and elastin with skin proteins to protect from harmful enzymes. It also rebuilds elasticity, essential for smooth, youthful skin, and is believed to reduce over-pigmentation for a more even complexion.
These supplements could be just what your skin needs to look its best!
