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Eating a well balanced diet with a wide variety of whole foods is the best way to ensure you are getting all the nutrients that your body requires and to ensure your skin and hair have all the support they need to radiate good health.
However, we don’t always eat as well as we should and there are times when our bodies require more vitamins and minerals than other times, such as times of stress or illness. The following 5 daily supplements for healthy glowing skin will supply the necessary nutrients your skin and hair need to radiate and shine.
Supplementation to our diet can help add the nutrients we are lacking in order to boost our immunity, increase our energy, and help our skin and hair glow and radiate good health. Other natural anti-aging tips, can be found in this post.
Please note, certain supplements can interact with medications, so speak to your doctor before taking any of these recommendations.
My favourite brands of the following supplements can be purchased in my FullScript Dispensary at a 10% discount to you. Simply click on the link, and then click Catalogue at the top of the menu. Then select Jeanette’s Account Favourites to view and purchase my favourite supplements and brands.
1. Vitamin B Complex for Healthy Glowing Skin
There are 8 Vitamin Bs in the Vitamin B family, and together they are necessary for nearly every process that takes place within the body. The B Vitamins provide energy, relieve stress, transport nutrients, regulate brain and liver function, promote cell development, help cleanse the blood, among many other important roles.
You can see how some of these roles would be vital to skin and hair health, such as the transport of nutrients throughout the body, promotion of cell development, and the cleansing of blood.
The following list details a few of the roles Vitamin B plays in relation to skin and hair health. Instead of taking some of these B vitamins individually, taking all the B vitamins together in one supplemental Vitamin B Complex ensures you are getting all the support the B Vitamins offer.
B1 – Thiamin
Vitamin B1 aids in wound healing, as well as cell reproduction that stimulates clear and healthy skin. It is also a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals the can damage cells, including skin cells.
It is also worth noting that B1 boosts metabolism and breaks down fat cells.
B2 – Riboflavin
A key component of coenzymes involved with generating new cells and the growth of existing cells. B2 aids in cell turnover and collagen maintenance, which is the protein that provides the structure and support to skin.
B3 – Niacin
Helps create and repair DNA and is also an antioxidant that fights free radicals that cause damage to the body, including the skin. Niacin aids in cleansing the blood and transporting it through the body with all its vital nutrients.
Niacinamide is a form of B3 and it reduces inflammation, such as eczema, acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. It’s also known to increase keratin. Keratin is a protein that your body produces naturally, and it helps keep your hair, skin, and nails healthy and strong.
B5 – Pantothenic Acid
Vitamin B5 helps the skin and hair attract and retain moisture, which contributes to a more hydrated face and shiny hair. It also provides protection and enhances the natural repair process vital for anti-aging effects.
B6 – Pyridoxine
This B vitamin helps diminish the effects of hormonal imbalance, which can lead to acne breakouts. It also helps your skin and body heal quickly and smoothly (less scarring) by aiding in the synthesis of RNA and DNA. B6 also helps support healthy and shiny hair.
B7 – Biotin
B7 is known to support skin and nails and help prevent hair loss. Without adequate amounts, you may end up with dermatitis (an itchy, scaly skin reaction) or sometimes even hair loss.
B9 – Folate
Folic acid is primarily responsible for healthy cell growth. These cells include those found inside your skin tissues as well as in your hair and nails.
B12 – Cobalamin
A key player in the function and development of red blood cell formation, which helps with the development of new hair growth. With proper Vitamin B12 levels, the body can regenerate more blood cells, which circulate vital nutrients.
As a result hair follicles are properly nurtured and hair growth rate increases. Skin cells are also nourished, which aids in the prevention of wrinkles.
What Foods Contain Vitamin B?
Vitamin B can be found in dairy, eggs, chicken and red meat, tuna and salmon, dark leafy greens, beets, avocados, whole grains and cereals, black beans and chickpeas, nuts and seeds, bananas and watermelons to name some of the foods.
Although Vitamin B is easy to consume in whole foods, a supplement can give you that extra support at times when you need it, such as when you are eating on the run and making poor food choices, when you lack energy, when you need stress relief, and when you want to give your hair and skin an extra health boost.
How Much Vitamin B Complex Should you Take?
You’re unlikely to get too much Vitamin B Complex, because the B Vitamins are water soluble and aren’t stored in your body. Instead they are excreted in your urine daily.
With that being said, 1 or 2 Vitamin B Complex capsules per day is probably sufficient. Talk to your Doctor to determine if you need more or if Vitamin B may interact with your medications.
The recommended daily amounts of Vitamin Bs documented in Medical News Today are displayed below.
2. Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids for Healthy Glowing Skin
The second beauty supplement I recommend is Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFA). Our body does not manufacture Omega 3 EFA; and therefore, we must get them from our diet or supplementation.
These essential fatty acids form the structure of every cell wall in our body, and that includes our skin cells.
The benefits that Omega 3 EFA provides our skin is lengthy, and includes preventing skin dryness, decreasing the occurrence of clogged pores, reducing the body’s production of inflammatory agents that can lead to skin damage, reducing skin dryness and skin dryness related problems, such as eczema, improving skin’s elasticity, and strengthens healthy cell membranes.
Healthy cell membranes prevent harmful substances from entering the cells, and allow essential nutrients inside the cells. Because Omega 3 EFAs strengthen the cell membrane, they help maintain water in the cells. Hydrated cells result in plump and younger looking skin.
On top of the benefits to skin and hair health, Omega 3 EFAs improve brain health, cardiovascular health, and inflammation throughout the body, including the joints.
What Foods Contain Omega 3 EFAs?
There are two crucial forms of Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids – EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid)/DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid).
EPA/DHA are primarily found in fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, fresh tuna). ALA is found in plant sources, such as nuts and seeds, and some oils, such as walnut and flaxseed oil.
Try this Teriyaki Salmon for a delicious meal rich in Omega 3.
Why Should We Supplement?
Because many of us do not eat enough fish, it is wise to supplement with Omega 3 EFAs daily.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin in a family of compounds that includes Vitamins D1, D2, and D3. Our bodies produce Vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight. This production is stored in our fat cells and released when we don’t have sun exposure.
Vitamin D has important functions within the body, most notably the absorption of calcium and phosphorous for bone health and the crucial support of our immune system.
Needless to say, when our immune system is not functioning optimally, the poor health will show up on our largest organ – the skin.
Vitamin D prevents skin aging and calcitriol (the active form of vitamin D) helps in skin cell growth and repair.
What Foods Contain Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs, and fortified milk.
How Much Vitamin D Supplements Should We Take?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 13 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years.
4. Vitamin C for Healthy Glowing Skin
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights harmful molecules called free radicals. Free radicals damage cells in our body and cause disease, they also cause inflammation and damage collagen and elastin, causing wrinkles and other signs of aging. These free radicals are caused by such things as sunlight, smoke, pollution, and poor diet.
Vitamin C is known to boost immunity, and good health shows up on our skin. Vitamin C is also cofactor in your body’s ability to produce collagen, so getting it in your diet is important for many reasons.
How Much Vitamin C Should I Take?
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, meaning your body does not store it and you need to get it in your diet. Because it is water soluble, Vitamin C is excreted in your urine; therefore, replenishing it throughout the day is helpful.
The recommended dose of Vitamin C per day according to the National Institute of Healths is 75 mg for adult woman. More if you are a smoker or pregnant. Refer to the chart below for the RDA of Vitamin C.
What Foods Contain Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is most notably found in citrus fruit like oranges, grapefruits and lemons. It is also rich in many vegetables like broccoli, kale, and peppers.
5. Collagen for Healthy Glowing Skin
Collagen is a protein made up of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. Collagen is the most abundant structural protein in the body, the main component of the body’s connective tissue, and makes up a large portion of your skin, hair, nails, joints, bones, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Collagen works with another protein called elastin, and together they give skin elasticity, strength, and moisture.
Our body produces its own collagen; however, as we age, our existing collagen breaks down and our bodies produce less collagen.
Collagen production drops even faster due to smoking, excess sun exposure, lack of sleep, bad diet with too much sugar, and lack of exercise. Loss of collagen shows up in our skin in the form of wrinkles, sagging, and dryness.
Collagen helps hair health as well, because it is an important building block of the dermis, the layer of skin that holds and protects the roots of your hair and the beds of your nails. Healthy dermis can prevent thinning hair and weak nails and studies suggest that collagen may prompt hair and nail growth.
As well, hair is largely made up of the protein keratin and in order for the body to build keratin, it needs several types of amino acids that can be found in collagen.
Foods that Contain Collagen
Collagen can be found in bone broth, which is made by simmering animal bones in water. Because the bone broth is made of bones and connective tissue, the broth contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, collagen, and many other nutrients.
However, as is the case when selecting meat, the quality of the bone is an important factor when making and eating broth.
Chicken contains ample connective tissue and is a good source of collagen. Fish also has connective tissue and bones that contain collagen.
Some nutrients help with collagen production, such as Vitamin C, zinc, copper and amino acids proline and glycine. So ensure you get plenty of foods that contain these nutrients in your diet.
Why Take Supplements?
The body produces its own collagen supply naturally; however, it starts to slow down with age. Sadly collagen loss in the body starts anywhere from 18–29 years of age, depending on the individual. From this point on, the body’s ability to replenish its own collagen starts to decrease by about 1% every year.
Collagen production decreases significantly around the age of 50 and visible aging accelerates, especially around menopause.
Although obtaining nutrients in your diet is always a preferred method, supplementation may be necessary to give your body that extra boost.
Why not give your body extra help in fighting the aging process? While there are some critics of how effective supplemental collagen is for aging, research shows that oral collagen supplements are effective in increasing skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density.
There are so many brands of collagen on the market and come in many forms of pills, powders, and liquids, so it can be confusing on which form and brand to pick. You need to select a quality collagen to get the best results.
The two most common types of collagen on the market are bovine (from cows) and marine (from fish). Look for grass-fed bovine, and fresh water (non farmed) fish for marine.
Conclusion
Eating a well balanced diet of whole foods will ensure you are getting the nutrients your body needs for healthy glowing skin. However, sometimes we need a little more support and supplements can give us those extra nutrients we lack.
