Natural Supplements For Healthier Skin

Although the best way to care for your skin and your body in general is to eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet, it can be difficult to ensure you’re getting enough of the right vitamins and minerals.

Supplements are an easy, accessible, and effective way to help your body’s natural processes keep your skin nourished and healthy.

Today, we’re going to look into six of the best supplements you can take to support the health of your skin.

Acne, hyper-pigmentation, scarring, and dryness are just a few ways your skin tells you it’s not doing as well as it could be.

You can give it a boost from the inside by incorporating some of these all-natural supplements.

If you’re looking to improve your visage from the inside out, keep reading for our natural solutions for healthier skin.

What’s Important When It Comes To Skin Care?

There are many factors that affect the condition of your skin.

Genetics and products can certainly play a role, but the true key to beautiful skin is internal health.

You may have noticed in the past that you break out after eating certain foods, or your skin feels and looks great after a period of clean eating.

Vitamin deficiencies are known to affect the health of your skin.

Although washing and moisturizing your face regularly and wearing SPF sunscreen every day can also be necessary for your skin’s wellbeing, ultimately the best thing you can do is make sure you’re getting plenty of key vitamins and minerals.

There are two crucial elements in your quest for great skin: knowledge of how your gut health plays a role, and what raw materials are necessary for your body to work its magic.

1. The Intestinal Microbiome

With the growing popularity of probiotics, more and more people are learning about why it’s important to encourage and support the good bacteria in your digestive system.

Your intestinal microbiome is responsible for the absorption of nutrients, which your body needs to function properly.

Not only is it vital for your overall health, but it really affects the appearance and underlying health of your skin.

Tuddenham and Sears published an article in 2015 that outlined their study of the gut microbiome. In it, they talk about its complexity – it includes 500-1000 species of gut flora, which work to digest food, extract nutrients, protect against infection, regulate your metabolism, and so much more.

Without proper gut health, your body won’t be as capable of absorbing the nutrients your skin needs.

Plus, you need to supply your intestinal microbiome with the right raw materials — vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients — so it can do its job.

2. The Raw Materials

Diet is your body’s number one source of nutrients, which are then absorbed by your intestinal microbiome and work to replenish and support your skin.

But which nutrients are most necessary for skin health?

Natural Supplements For Healthier Skin

Even when making a direct effort to get enough vitamins and minerals in your diet, sometimes we all fall short.

Some deficiencies are more common in countries with particular weather; for example, Canadians are disproportionately deficient in vitamin D due to the lack of sun.

Supplementation can be a great way to support your organs and gut health, ultimately providing you with glowing skin.

Let’s look at the top six supplements for naturally beautiful skin,

1. Vitamin C

Nowadays, vitamin C is one of the most popular skincare product ingredients — but it’s even more effective when it’s working from the inside out.

If you’re dealing with hyper-pigmentation, redness, rosacea, scarring, or acne, vitamin C may help brighten your skin and eliminate dullness and inflammation.

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, protects your cells from damage and toxins.

Free radicals are toxic compounds formed as a byproduct inside your body, and you’re also exposed to them by environmental factors such as pollution, the sun’s UV rays, and cigarette smoke.

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant that boosts collagen production, helps repair sun damage, hydrates your skin, and helps with healing.

It can also help with scarring and discolouration.

Although it’s found in many topical products, vitamin C can often be harsh on the skin & cause unwanted reactions.

Additionally, this vitamin is often easily lost in your urine, so it can be difficult to make sure your body is actually absorbing enough.

This is why supplementation is a great way to provide your skin with vitamin C.

2. Calcium

Calcium isn’t just great for your bones and teeth.

It’s also critical for the health of your skin.

Calcium is typically found in the top layer of your skin, and if it’s lacking your skin will appear dry, thin, and easily damaged.

It’s necessary for skin growth to and encourages cell turnover.

Many calcium supplements also contain vitamin D because the latter vitamin helps your body absorb calcium.

3. Vitamin E

When it comes to hydration and protection from free radicals, vitamin E is one of the most powerful tools you can include in your routine.

Not only does it lessen the effects of skin damage by improving skin durability and repairing damage such as sunburns, but it also supports your immune system — and we know a healthy immune system is the key foundation to healthy skin.

Vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble compounds with properties similar to antioxidants.

Similar to vitamin C, you can find vitamin E in both supplement form and in skincare products.

However, it’s more effective when taken as a supplement because of how it boosts your body’s internal systems to support healthy skin.

4. Vitamin D

The more time that passes, the more research we have on how vitamin D affects the wellbeing of your skin.

We know vitamin D plays a big role in healing and repairing discolouration, especially after sun damage.

Vitamin D also regulates your gut bacteria, which is crucial for the health of your skin.

However, if you have a vitamin D deficiency it may be triggering your acne break-outs.

Especially for us Canadians, in this vitamin, supplementation is important to ensure your body has sufficient vitamin D.

This is because we get our vitamin D by absorbing it through the Sun’s rays. And during the winter months, we don’t get enough Sun.

A vitamin D deficiency is also associated with an “increased incidence and worse prognosis of various types of cancer including melanoma”, as noted in this 2017 study.

5. Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body with the majority found in your dermis, or the second layer of skin beneath your epidermis.

It holds your body together by providing support and structure to your muscles and skeletal system.

However, that’s not all — it’s also important for the elasticity and hydration of your skin.

As you age, the amount of collagen your body produces becomes much lower.

This is why in older skin we see more wrinkles, sagging, and overall skin dullness.

Collagen supplements serve to not only provide your skin with more collagen, but also to encourage your body to produce more collagen.

You can find collagen in many different forms, from naturally flavoured powders to easy compressed capsules.

6. Probiotics

The health of your intestinal microbiome directly affects your body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals and send them to the right places.

Probiotics populate your gut with beneficial bacteria, and they also encourage your immune system to engage in anti-inflammatory responses.

This is why probiotics are a helpful supplement for anyone with a chronic inflammatory condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome, acne, eczema, or premature aging.

For more information on which probiotic is right for you, ask your naturopathic doctor.

Book An Appointment With Annex Naturopathic

Everyone wants glowing, beautiful skin, and the secret to achieving it is ensuring your body has abundant vitamins, minerals, and proteins.

Supplements are an excellent way to ensure the health of your skin.

If you want to create a natural skincare plan but don’t know which supplements to choose, contact us at Annex Naturopathic.

We would love to work with you to determine the best treatment options for you and your lifestyle.

Providing your body with the right compounds can make an astounding difference in the health and appearance of your skin.

Book an appointment with Annex Naturopathic today — we can help.

If you’re curious to learn more about this subject or would like to consult with one of our NDs feel free to book a visit or contact us.

Yours in Health,

Annex Naturopathic Clinic

572 Bloor St W #201, Toronto, ON M6G 1K1

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Annex Naturopathic Clinic is a clinic in Toronto that offers integrative healthcare solutions from Drs. Marnie Luck, ND, and Tanya Lee, ND