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Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:24 am  |
Something interesting I found about what supplements can make your skin look better..credit to http://www.wholehealthmd.com/hc/resourceareas_learn/1,1441,575,00.html#top_9
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How Supplements Can Help
A good nutritional supplement program should include all the nutrients that you may be find difficult incorporating into your daily diet, as well as a few other specialty items geared to skin health.
Just a reminder: If you have a serious medical condition, it's always a wise idea to talk to your doctor before you begin a supplement program.
An increasing number of clinical studies are showing that topically applied antioxidants can actually slow down and even reverse the skin's aging process, presumably by deactivating the free oxygen radicals that can cause so much cell damage. However, antioxidants are inherently fragile compounds, and incorporating them into a stable formulation that will actually penetrate the skin effectively remains a problem. Popular new antiaging antioxidants that can be applied to the skin as part of a cream, ointment, or lotion (and that may or may not help your skin) include vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, and alpha hydroxy acids (see "Medications," above).
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps the body to repair and maintain itself by reinforcing cell walls and strengthening the tiny blood vessels called capillaries. There's evidence that it helps boost skin health when used orally or topically. Another antioxidant, vitamin E, works well when it's applied topically to reduce the length and depth of fine wrinkle lines on the face.
Known as a "universal antioxidant" because it is soluble in both fat and water, alpha lipoic acid is a powerhouse of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant might. It helps protect collagen from enzymes that can damage skin fibers and keeps the skin surface smooth.
To get the essential fatty acids (EFAs) that help keep your skin smooth and moist, incorporate nutrients rich in omega-3s every day. Fish oils are good as is flaxseed oil, which can added to salad dressings or mixed into juice. Flaxseed oil also contains omega-6s. There's evidence that EFAs reduce skin inflammation and thus revitalize its appearance.
Amino acids (and antioxidants!) such as L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 keep skin healthy by helping to prevent free-radical damage. The form of carnitine naturally produced in the brain is acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), and it's a good choice for a skin supplement. Coenzyme Q10 levels drop with age, which is part of why it makes sense to boost your levels of this potent antioxidant with supplements.
Levels of the skin-protective amino acid L-glutamine plummet with age as well. Dietary supplements can help to keep the concentrations needed for healthy collagen at beneficial levels.
DMAE, or dimethylaminoethanol, is a chemical that can be applied topically to counter age-related loss of skin tone. Researchers are hoping that upcoming studies will shed light on just how this compound, which is found in anchovies and sardines, as well as naturally produced in the human brain, manages to have this anti-sagging effect. Although available in oral form for other uses, DMAE is best used topically for skin-care purposes. |
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