Top Supplements for Healthy Aging Skin
Beauty comes from the inside. Nutrition and lifestyle play a pivotal role in skin health. Without exception your diet plays a key influence on how your skin looks and feels. That includes how great it looks with age. Both internal and external factors are involved in skin aging and your diet and lifestyle play a key role in the aging process. Adding in the right supplements can also be beneficial. So if you are looking to supercharge your skin here are my favourite supplements to include.
Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant type of protein in your body. There are at least sixteen types of collagen in the body, but the kind found in your skin helps keep skin feeling plump and firm. As you age, collagen production naturally decreases, leading to changes in the skin’s texture, appearance, and elasticity.
Collagen supplementation may help the health of your skin by supporting improvements in wrinkles, elasticity, and hydration. Various studies have found benefits in reducing wrinkles and improvements in skin dryness and redness. In the studies collagen is also often combined with vitamin C (which supports collagen production) as well as antioxidants like vitamin E. Similar improvements in elasticity and appearance of eye wrinkles have been replicated in several other studies on collagen.
For Skin look for hydrolysed and undernatured collagen. The most abundant types of collagen in the skin are type I (80%) and type III (15%).
TOP PICKS: Bare Biology Skinful Collagen
CORREXIKO Premium Marine Collagen Powder
Essential fatty acids (EFA).
Essential fatty acids perform a number of vital roles in the body and are also critical for a healthy skin barrier. Research suggests that certain EFAs can support reductions in inflammation in the body that can contribute to ageing skin.
Omega-3 supplementation has been studied for its potential ability to protect against UV radiation, sunburn, and even photoaging. It may do this through its anti-inflammatory activity and protection against oxidative stress.
Several other studies have examined the effect of healthy fats in the diet, including flaxseed, and fish oil, and found several skin improvements, including improved hydration, skin texture, and improved measures of skin barrier function. Supplementation with fish oil or linoleic acid (found in many vegetable oils) may also support reductions in skin breakouts. In other skin conditions (e.g psoriasis) a combination of GLA (Gamma Linolenic acid) and Omega 3 (EPA, DHA) has been shown to be beneficial.
TOP PICKS: Advanced Nutrition Skin Omegas
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to combat free radical damage. It is also a cofactor for the production of the particular amino acids needed for collagen synthesis. Furthermore, it may also support the expression of genes for collagen synthesis.
Vitamin C works synergistically with other nutrients. For example, one study found that people who took a supplemental drink containing vitamin C, several other antioxidants and a fish oil supplement saw improvements in the depth of facial wrinkles and an increase of new collagen fibres in the skin. Vitamin C is an essential cofactor in the biosynthesis of collagen, an important process in the prevention of skin looking more mature. Choose a buffered form of vitamin C to avoid stomach and bowel upsets.
TOP PICKS: Pure Encapsulations Buffered vitamin C
Hyaluronic acid
Like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid (HA) helps your skin by supporting moisture retention and healthy collagen production. Also commonly added to beauty products, HA taken orally can also help with the appearance of your skin.
One study found that oral HA combined with several other nutrients, including collagen, improved signs of sun damage and hydration in women more than the placebo group after six weeks.
TOP PICKS: TONIQ Hyaluronic Acid
Probiotics
Supporting the health of your microbiome (the collection of healthy bacteria residing in and on your body) is important for your overall health and the appearance of your skin. There’s a close relationship between the type of healthy bacteria in your gut and the health of your skin.
Specifically, the bacteria living in your intestines and the metabolites they produce may support the health of your skin via an influence on your immune system and inflammatory response. Some evidence shows that gastrointestinal disorders that can disrupt the microbiome can also lead to the development of skin conditions. The presence or imbalance of certain types of bacteria on the skin is also associated with increases in breakouts and acne.
As a result, keeping your gut healthy may support the appearance of your skin, especially for inflammatory skin conditions. Including probiotic-rich foods in the diet, such a yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut, is a start, and supplemental probiotics can add a higher therapeutic dose.
TOP PICKS: Advanced Nutrition Programme Clear Skin Biome
Green Tea Extract
Green tea is a natural way to support an even and healthy complexion. Green tea’s potent antioxidant activity may help reduce free radical damage, while its anti-inflammatory properties may help with smoother skin texture.
Green tea contains phytochemicals that help protect your skin cells from oxidative stressors and support healthy inflammation response. Supplementation with green tea extract has produced beneficial results for skin health, including increases in collagen, elasticity, and improved texture when taking orally while reducing the appearance of wrinkles when applied topically. Research suggests that green tea polyphenols may stimulate autophagy, the self-cleaning tool (usually associated with fasting) that the body uses to remove old and damaged cellular molecules. This may help support the removal of pro-oxidants that can contribute to an aged appearance of skin.
TOP PICK: Life Extension Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract
Chlorella
I am a big fan of using green superfood powders particularly those rich in chlorophyll like Chlorella. Research has shown chlorella can be particularly useful as an antioxidant in protecting damage to the skin from UV rays. Foods and supplements rich in antioxidants help protect the cell membranes from oxidation which contributes to damage. Chlorella is also rich in vitamins A, B vitamins, and C.
Of particular interest is the Chlorella Growth Factor which contains nucleic acids, DNA and RNA. These nucleic acids are responsible for cellular regeneration and because chlorella contains nucleic acids, it can replicate very quickly. This means the nucleic acids found in Chlorella Growth Factor may help support skin cellular regeneration – great for skin healing and overall appearance.
TOP PICK: Sun Chlorella Tablets
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