Anti-Aging and Vitamins

You are what you eat. At least that is partly true. Genetics plays a large factor in how your body reacts to aging and the environment. Although you cannot choose your genes, you can choose what you ingest. There has been much debate over whether vitamin supplements are beneficial for those who live in countries where there is no shortage of nourishing food. Many studies to date have indeed shown that vitamins have little significant effect on health. However, most researchers will agree that more studies have to be done before you start discarding your stash. 

 

Despite the fact that the US Preventative Services Task Force neither recommends, nor discourages multivitamins due to insufficient studies, people still continue to take multivitamins, and doctors continue to prescribe them. Why? According to David Schardt, senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, vitamins are “an inexpensive insurance policy”. In other words, he says you can “hedge” your wellness with a multivitamin by betting that when you take one daily, you can offset the unlikely side effects with the possible benefits. You may. therefore, still come out ahead.  

 

Dr. Jeannette Graf, in an article in Practical Dermatology, Dec. 2010, says that some vitamins can have beneficial effects on the skin when taken in ideal amounts. These “ideal” dosages have a range, depending on the person, the symptoms, and the doctor. However, the disparity of information on vitamins should not discourage you from doing your due diligence in eating well, taking vitamin supplements, and avoiding the "bad stuff". Attempting to achieve the daily recommended dosage of any vitamin and mineral from the FDA by supplementing your diet is a step in the right direction. Paying attention to what and how much you eat is always good for your anti-aging regimen.

 

It is also, what we do not ingest which leads to certain physical deficiencies, and ultimately how well or badly we age. What are the right vitamins? According to Dr. Graf, Vitamin C, for example is not produced naturally in humans. We must get our Vitamin C from foods and supplements. Studies have shown that Vitamin C helps the body to maintain immunity, prevent cancer, and improve connective tissue health. It has also been shown Vitamin C is beneficial if applied topically. In addition, Dr. Graf also says that Vitamin D is “absolutely essential for skin repair”. Deficiencies in Vitamin D can lead to increased cancers and hypertension. Graf says we receive around 25% of our Vitamin D from foods. The rest must be made up by supplements. Other vitamins that may be helpful to skin health and anti-aging include vitamins E and A. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, is seen as an essential nutrient to anti-aging, as it protects the body from free radicals, helps the body produce red blood cells, and aids in the absorption of Vitamin K (which among other benefits, is involved in the binding of calcium for bones, and anti-aging of skin). Vitamin A, helpful for eye health, is also good for healing and maintaining skin integrity. Other antioxidants such as curcumin in the product Psoria-Gold ®, derived from the spice turmeric, may be helpful for anti-aging and photodamage repair when applied topically to the skin. 

 

Calcium and Zinc, in addition, are especially important in maintaining optimum skin barrier function. According to the National Cancer Research Institute, when calcium is applied topically, patients had increased cell turnover, and increased the ability remain hydrated and full in appearance. In contrast,  those with low calcium content in the skin were observed to be prematurely aging with higher incidences of skin cancer. This is good news for women who take it anyway to prevent loss of bone density. Zinc, one of the more important minerals in the human diet, is related to at least 60 different enzymatic activities, and similarly aids in collagen production in the skin and eliminates free radicals.

 

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and krill oils are believed to be important in maintaining the youthful appearance of skin, hair, and nails. It is also thought to reduce spider veins and possibly acne in adults as well. Flax seed oil, is also a good source, but do not contain some of the effective molecules found to be helpful in fish oils. Krill oil is gaining popularity because it is less likely to be contaminated compared to  fish oil by mercury and other industrial waste, and contains an additional antioxidant called astaxanthin. 

 

The list of beneficial vitamins and minerals is actually quite long, and some have yet to be studied, and its benefits identified. Most multivitamins are intended to supplement a balanced diet, not replace what you need. Multivitamins for skin health and anti-aging will not be effective unless used adjunctively with a good moderately portioned diet containing ample fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, fish, omega-3 oils, and lean meats.