Nutrients for Healthy Skin: Inside and Out

Vitamins Good for Skin Nutrition continued...

Vitamin C and E help by reducing the damage caused by free radicals, a harmful byproduct of sunlight, smoke, and pollution. Free radicals gobble up collagen and elastin, the fibers that support skin structure, causing wrinkles and other signs of aging. When these two vitamins are combined in a lotion, they can be highly protective against sun damage, says the American Academy of Dermatology.

This doesn't mean you can gobble vitamins or lather on lotion, then bake safely in the sun. The link between tanning and skin cancer is indisputable and dangerous. (Always wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 25 and limit your sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) But you may be able to help your skin stay healthier and supple by making sure you get enough of these antioxidant vitamins.

To make sure your diet includes plenty of vitamin C, eat citrus fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens. These foods can replace the loss of the vitamin through the skin. You can also take vitamin C supplements, up to 500 to 1,000 milligrams of per day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

You can also try a topical vitamin C cream to encourage collagen production, just as your body does naturally when you are young. The trick here is to use a formulation containing the L-ascorbic acid form of vitamin C, the only one that can penetrate skin layers and do the job.

You can find vitamin E in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, spinach, and asparagus. But it's difficult to get a lot from food, so many people take a supplement. (Be aware, though, that some recent research warns that large doses of vitamin E can be harmful. Stay with 400 international units per day or less to be on the safe side.) Used in a cream, lotion, or serum form, vitamin E can soothe dry, rough skin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

More Vitamins for Healthy Skin

Vitamin A. If your vitamin A levels are up to snuff from the foods you eat, adding more probably won't do much more for your skin. That said, if those levels drop even a little below normal, you're likely to see some skin-related symptoms, including a dry, flaky complexion. That's because vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue. Without it, you'll notice the difference. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamin A.

Topical vitamin A is the form that makes a real difference in your skin. Medical studies show a reduction in lines and wrinkles, good acne control, and some psoriasis relief, all from using creams containing this nutrient. For example, in research presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2003, researchers from France showed that topically applied retinol plus vitamin C demonstrated a "reversal of skin alterations induced by chronologic aging and photoaging."