Six Beauty-Boosting Supplements
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Medicinal benefits of foods have been studied for thousands of years. The more modern take on the concept, nutraceuticals, refers to a food or food product that has health and medical benefits.
Can ingesting vitamins, minerals and other natural ingredients really help change the way we look?
Friends – and Enemies
Free radicals are the nemesis of skin: Those unstable molecules that form from sun exposure, pollution or sometimes food, are busy on a search-and-destroy mission to damage your collagen.
And collagen is our friend: Its function is to support the top layer of your skin; its job to give our skin its smooth, supple and unwrinkled texture. But as we age, those collagen levels begin to steadily decline.
But Can’t Cosmetics Help?
They can—as a temporary fix. And they can be considered one potential weapon in your healthy skin arsenal. But my preference is to use cosmetics sparingly and to fight the fight for good skin from the inside out.
Did You Know? 75 percent of dermatologists personally use dietary supplements
Beauty from the inside
How many times have you heard about people who are beautiful on the inside? Of course, that credo refers to the type of person they are - the kind of heart and soul they have - not their physical beauty.
But taken literally, here’s a question: Is it possible to swallow some supplements and get that coveted outer glow from the inside out?
Although there’s no solid consensus on whether taking them can have a direct impact on your skin, there is enough to show that supplements can be beneficial, providing you don’t take too much (for example, pure Vitamin A, as it’s not readily excreted by your body, can cause acute or chronic toxicity if taken in excess doses). The logic on this is that a healthy body helps create healthy skin.
Don’t take the supplements expecting miracles. The findings are far from definitive and he jury’s still out on how much you’d need to take—but there appears to be some interesting information to share on how it’s possible for beauty to come from the inside.
Read More: Facts about Supplements
Vitamins C, E and Selenium. By speeding up the skin’s natural repair system and inhibiting further damage, these can help protect against sun damage and possibly even skin cancer. They may even reverse some of the discoloration and wrinkles associated with sun exposure and aging. And we all know that formula: too much sun equals premature aging of the skin.
Fern Extract (or Fernblock). Emerging research shows that it can reduce or prevent DNA damage – that leads to wrinkling and brown spots – from the UVA rays of the sun.
Biotin. This water-soluble B-complex vitamin could help strengthen weak hair and brittle nails.
Primrose & Black Currant Oil. Since GLA (gamma-linoleic acid), a fat that helps promote healthy skin, hair and nails is difficult to stumble upon in your everyday diet, some practitioners suggest supplementing with evening primrose oil and black currant oil, the best sources of GLA.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Important for nail and scalp health; if you don’t get enough in your foods (good sources include flaxseed, walnuts and oily cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines), then you might want to consider taking a daily supplement.
Iron. If you have thinning hair, the culprit could be anemia, a condition that causes iron deficiency and lower levels of red blood cells, which are crucial to the health of hair follicles. Note: Since Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron; you might consider adding some C to your arsenal. Iron is one of those supplements you can take too much of—so check with your healthcare practitioner about what you need.
If you do wish to consider the cosmetic route, it may be as easy as ABC! Here’s a quick rundown of some common vitamins and their beauty benefits that are also found in products:
Vitamin A – Referred to as “retinol.” Reduces wrinkles and skin discolorations, helps manage acne and eczema.
Vitamin B3 – Referred to as “niacinamide.” Hydrates skin, reduces redness, controls skin oils, increases skin elasticity.
Vitamin C – For overall aging, beauty formulas should contain a minimum of 5 percent to have benefits. Reduces inflammation, promotes collagen production, improves appearance of sun-damaged skin.
Tagged with: beauty • iron • supplements • vitamin A • vitamin B3 • vitamin C
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The Supplemental is a blog for "Life...supplemented", a forum for discussion around healthy diet, supplements and exercise. Our panel of experts who share a variety of fresh and innovative perspectives, will provide ways to live a healthier life and inspire you to make smart choices.
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