Vitamins Play Important Role in Skin Care

Your skin is a reflection of the general health of your body.  To look your everyday fabulous requires internal health as well as skin health.  Skin care, nutrition, weight control, exercise, sleep, and avoidance of environmental toxins (cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse) play important roles in the health and beauty of our bodies.  Over the next several weeks, I will address many of these issues on an individual basis but remember in real life they work together creating healthy skin and body.

The American Academy of Dermatology noted vitamins, minerals, and amino acids whether taken orally or applied topically are essential for overall health and beauty.  It is important that vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are in a biologically available form and adequate amount in any oral or topical preparation.  Vitamin A, B complex, C, D, E, and K play a significant role in skin and body health.  It is important to focus on adequate amounts of these vitamins and not excess.  These vitamins play an important role neutralizing free radicals and cell damage.  In this role they are called “antioxidants” and provide one of our first defenses against the aging process.

Vitamin A is available in many vegetables and fruits or can be taken as a nutritional supplement (5,000-10,000 IU) daily.  It can also be applied to the skin in a topical preparation in the evening at a concentration of at least 0.2%.  Vitamin B represents a group of B vitamins called Vitamin B complex and are in many fruits and vegetables and can also be obtained in nutritional supplements.  Most oral nutritional supplements will list the B vitamins individually, such as, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folate, biotin, and others which can be taken daily.  Vitamin C is the most important water soluble antioxidant in our body.  It is available in citrus fruits and can be taken in an oral supplement in the range of 500-1000 mg per day.  Vitamin D is not only an antioxidant but its metabolism and production in the skin is critical.  It is available in fish and dairy products but can be taken in an oral supplement in the 200-400 IU range per day.  Vitamin E is the most important fat soluble antioxidant in the body.  Vitamin E is in vegetable oils, nuts, and some vegetables but can be taken as an oral supplement in the range of 200-400 IU per day.

In the coming weeks, I will address on an individual basis the importance of the chemical formulation and concentration of the individual vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.  The American Academy of Dermatology and others have cited the importance of chemical composition and concentration.  It has been demonstrated that an excess of oral supplements can be dangerous.  

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