Not all remedies for the ravages time leaves on the skin are cosmetic. And why should they be? Food supplements can boost the youthful qualities we desire in our skin just as well as creams can, if not better. There are nutrients and vitamins that have virtually immediate effects on skin elasticity and texture. Here are four of the best available on the market:
Everyone knows this is a crucial component of topical skin care products, with proven positive effects on the youthfulness of skin. However, Coenzyme Q10 has been shown to have great effects in pill form as well. A recent Japanese study has confirmed this, as participants said they noticed significant regeneration in only two weeks of treatment. Fewer, shallower and smaller wrinkles were reported, which only goes to show how important proper amounts of antioxidants can be for the youth of the human body.
Both these vitamins are powerful antioxidants which have particularly spectacular effects on skin. On a cellular level, oxidation processes lead to decay and loss of vigor. In a way, and grossly oversimplifying, cells “rust” too. Well, think of vitamins C and E as WD-40 for your skin. What’s more, vitamins are a separate class of nutrients which are special because the body cannot produce them on its own, so acquiring them via food (or food supplements) is the only way to get them working for you.
Vegetables such as bell peppers and broccoli, and fruit (oranges and lemons, sure, but also strawberries, kiwi and papaya), all bring masses of vitamin C into your body. Vitamin E is found mostly in more oily, nutty foods, like almonds, avocado, olive oil, and sunflower seeds. The other nutrients in these foods also help you absorb the vitamins efficiently, so maintaining a balanced diet that keeps track of all these is important.
But even with a healthy diet, the stresses put on our bodies (and our skin) by the polluted environment most of us live in definitely justify the need for an extra boost from food supplements.
PLE (Polypodium Leucotomos Extract)
The skin is under a constant barrage of stress factors, UV being chief among them. It is the main cause of skin aging, as prolonged exposure to intense sunlight leads to decreased elasticity and structural blemishes in the epidermal tissues. As cells try to regenerate, they sometimes get altered by this radiation and by other factors, which increases the risk of cancer.
The active compound in these supplements is extracted from a fern native to Central America (Polypodium Leucotomos), and it stimulates the production of collagen in skin cells. Scientists are studying the properties of this substance in an attempt to devise better protections against skin cancer, but another fortuitous effect of PLE is that it acts like a perfect skin tonic. It’s best to take these supplements before being exposed to sunlight – after all, PLE works by increasing resistance to the damaging effects of Ultra-Violet radiation.
Another well-known ingredient of topical skin care products, Glucosamine has been shown to have positive impact on the youthful aspect of skin for people who have taken it in food supplement form as well. In fact, according to one study, participants noticed a 34% reduction in wrinkles, on average, after ingesting Glucosamine supplements. It shouldn’t really be much of a surprise. After all, the famous hyaluronic acid is composed from molecules of Glucosamine. And everyone with any interest in skin care knows that hyaluronic acid is one of the best ingredients you could use to perk up your visage, and give it a youthful glow.
