8 Best Supplements for Optimal Skin Health

Our bodies require key nutrients to carry out specific physiological functions. For example, we need Vitamin D to build strong bones and regulate immune function, magnesium for muscle health and blood sugar regulation, and Vitamin B1 to convert food into energy. Have you ever wondered what vitamins are good for the skin?

Our bodies require specific vitamins for skin health and repair, and it’s important to get adequate amounts of these nutrients because our skin performs vital functions like protecting against environmental toxins.

Let’s take a closer look at the best vitamins for skin health and the benefits that each can offer your complexion.

The Importance of Skin Health

The skin is composed of three layers, which are the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer, and it is the surface on which you apply skincare and makeup. The dermis underneath the epidermis is made up of blood vessels, connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat glands. Lastly, the hypodermis is the deepest layer of skin which contains the fat and connective tissue.

The different layers work together to carry out important functions, and your body requires specific vitamins for skin repair to achieve this. One of the main roles of the skin is to serve as a protective barrier against microorganisms, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and other environmental irritants.

Our skin is like a two-way street, both preventing harmful pathogens from entering and expelling others that are already there. For example, it excretes ammonia, water, sebum, sweat, and pheromones.

The skin also helps us to perceive pain, touch, and temperature, and it plays an essential role in thermoregulation. Based on information from the surrounding environment, the skin works with the rest of the body to conserve or release heat^[1]

The skin provides the body with protection from UV radiation, however, we do require some sun exposure for Vitamin D synthesis. Without the skin, we wouldn’t be able to produce Vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption and bone health.

Signs of Poor Skin Health

Poor skin health can manifest in different ways, including the following:

Premature Aging: If you don’t take in enough of the best vitamins for your skin, premature aging^[2] may result. This could include fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, dryness, hyperpigmentation, and sagging.

Dark Circles: When the delicate skin underneath your eyes appears blue, purple, or brown, this is referred to as dark circles. They can be caused by underlying pathology, lack of sleep, allergies, or excessive rubbing, and they may also result from poor skin health. If you’re not getting enough of the key nutrients required to support a healthy complexion, the area under your eyes can become thin or hyperpigmented.

Dull Complexion: One of the most common reasons that a dull complexion develops is the build-up of dead skin cells on the surface. If you’re not getting adequate levels of the best vitamins for skin repair like A, C, and E, your cell turnover might not be optimal. This can lead to a dull complexion, an uneven texture and tone, and hyperpigmentation.

Blemishes: Some of the possible causes of blemishes include blocked pores, hormonal imbalance, sun damage, genetics, environmental irritants, and lifestyle factors. Blemishes can also be a sign that you are lacking some of the key vitamins for skin repair.

If you have frequent breakouts, your diet may be deficient in key nutrients. Some of the best vitamins for skin health and for preventing breakouts include Vitamins A and E.

Dark Spots: Over time, overexposure to the sun without sunscreen can cause excess release of the pigment melanin leading to dark spots or areas of hyperpigmentation.

Itchy Skin: Itchy, irritated skin is another common sign of poor skin health, as it indicates slow cell turnover and weak barrier function. As with the other symptoms of poor skin health, there are specific vitamins and supplements you can take to improve itchy skin.

How Do Vitamins and Minerals Impact Skin Health?

Several vitamins and minerals support skin functions like cell turnover, barrier function, collagen production, wound healing, and the prevention of transepidermal water loss. When you are deficient in key nutrients, the structure and function of your skin can suffer. There are skin disorders linked to micronutrient deficiencies, for example, atopic dermatitis and delayed wound healing are associated with a lack of Vitamin A^[3].

Some of the key micronutrients for skin health and maintenance include Vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc, copper, and selenium. We’ll explore vitamins for the skin and other nutrients in the next section.

8 Best Vitamins for Skin Repair

If you’ve scoured the internet looking for an answer to the question, “What vitamins are good for skin?” only to be overwhelmed by the amount of information, don’t worry, we’ve done the work for you. These are some of the best vitamins for skin health. Take a look at our list to help you decide which skin-supporting nutrients you need to add to your diet.

Vitamin A: When answering the question, “What vitamins are good for the skin?” Vitamin A^[4] is at the top of the list as it enhances skin repair, cell turnover, and immunity. In addition, research^[5] shows that this nutrient has powerful anti-aging properties due to its influence on collagen production and its ability to protect against oxidative damage.

Vitamin B: Certain B vitamins, like niacinamide, offer optimal skin health benefits. Niacinamide acts as an antioxidant, protecting the skin from oxidative stress, reducing signs of aging, and improving skin barrier function^[6].

Vitamin C: Like Vitamin A, when answering the question, “What vitamins are good for the skin?” Vitamin C^[7] is an important nutrient to discuss because it protects the complexion from oxidative stress, promotes collagen synthesis, reduces pigmentation, and supports wound healing.

Vitamin D: Research^[8] shows that Vitamin D has anti-aging and photoprotective benefits for the skin. A deficiency in this vitamin is associated with an increased risk of developing conditions like psoriasis and atopical dermatitis^[9]. Due to its role in skin barrier function and in preventing certain skin disorders, Vitamin D may also be a good vitamin for dry skin.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an excellent vitamin for skin repair, as it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that support wound healing.

It is especially helpful for protecting against and repairing photodamage from UV radiation^[10]. Due to its emollient properties, Vitamin E is a potent vitamin for dry skin.

Collagen: Collagen makes up about 30% of our body’s protein content, and its primary function is to provide support and strength to the skin, muscles, bones, and connective tissue^[11]. Collagen supports skin elasticity, volume, and moisture, so make sure you eat collagen-rich foods or take a supplement^[12] like NUU3 Hair, Skin, and Nails Gummies it improving the firmness and brightness of the skin, shielding it from free radicals, and bolstering.

Zinc: Zinc is beneficial for speeding up the healing of wounds and blemishes. A systematic review^[13] of clinical trials concluded that supplementing with zinc helped reduce breakouts and atopic dermatitis.

Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance your body produces, and it is concentrated in the skin, eyes, and joints^[14]. The benefits of hyaluronic acid for skin health^[15] include maintaining skin hydration, increasing collagen synthesis, speeding up wound healing, and reducing inflammation.

Methodology: How We Chose the Best Supplements for Skin

When evaluating the market to choose the best supplements for the skin, we looked for products that met the following criteria:

Clinically studied ingredients
Convenient to take
Positive customer reviews
Affordable and accessible

One of our top picks is NUU3 Hair, Skin, and Nails Gummies, which features 7 science-backed, skin-supporting nutrients. Its benefits include promoting collagen production, strengthening the hair, skin, and nails, enhancing skin elasticity and radiance, providing antioxidant protection, and supporting immunity. The best part? This supplement comes in the form of delicious passion fruit-flavored gummies, so you’ll look forward to taking them every day.

Another one of our favorites is NUU3 Daily Multivitamin Gummies, which features many of the skin-enhancing vitamins and minerals we have already mentioned. Not only does it enhance skin health, but it also supplies your body with vital nutrients required for immunity, cognitive health, antioxidant support, and strong bones and muscles. These gummies are fruit-flavored and convenient to take.

NUU3 Active Immunity Gummies is another product that we highly recommend to support skin health. It contains clinically proven vitamins and minerals, herbs, and botanicals that offer powerful antioxidant support such as quercetin, black pepper extract, and bromelain. This makes it one of the best supplements for skin health and repair on the market in our opinion. Like our other favorites, these gummies are convenient to take and delicious.

Lifestyle Habits for Healthy Skin

Now that you know how to choose the best supplements for skin health, let’s explore some of the lifestyle habits that can further enhance your results.

Follow a Healthy Diet: For optimal skin health, it’s important to follow a well-balanced diet along with your supplements and skincare routine. A nutrient-dense regimen can provide your body with beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive compounds such as polyphenols which enhance health and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation^[16].

Manage Stress: According to the American Academy of Dermatology^[17], stress can have a significant negative impact on your skin health. Chronic stress may increase inflammation, promote breakouts, and slow wound healing. Consider incorporating stress reduction techniques into your daily routine. Some excellent methods include meditation, yoga, walking, breathing exercises, and limiting screen time.

Treat Your Skin Gently: Including products that are too abrasive in your skincare routine can lead to micro-tears and damage the skin barrier. We recommend avoiding harsh physical exfoliants, chemical exfoliants, and invasive procedures.

Although exfoliation is an important part of your skincare routine, you should limit it to no more than twice a week. In addition, treat your skin gently by avoiding harsh cleansers. Stick with products that don’t overly strip your skin of its natural oils.

Don’t Smoke: Smoking can accelerate skin aging^[18] by producing an excessive amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). By cutting smoking and tobacco products out of your life, you can help prevent signs of premature aging like fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, dullness, and the degradation of collagen fibers.

Protect Yourself From the Sun: Protecting your skin from excess UV radiation is one of the best interventions for preventing aging and preserving skin health. Over time, too much sun can cause fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, pigmentation, skin barrier damage, and even melanoma^[19]. Incorporate sunscreen into your daily routine to preserve the health and youthfulness of your complexion.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions regarding what vitamins are good for the skin.

What Vitamin Slows Down Aging?

One of the best vitamins for skin repair and slowing aging is Vitamin A. It protects the complexion from UV damage, which can be a major contributor to premature aging. Vitamin A can also improve skin elasticity, radiance, and overall appearance.

It’s important to keep in mind that too much vitamin A can be harmful, and many doctors consider it a ‘Goldilocks nutrient’ meaning it’s difficult to find just the right dosage. The products we’ve mentioned are some of the best supplements for skin health because they include the daily recommended intake of vitamin A plus other key nutrients.

What Habits Make Your Skin Glow?

Habits you can incorporate into your daily or weekly routine to make your skin glow include following a healthy diet, staying hydrated, taking Vitamin C, applying moisturizer, and consuming vitamins for skin repair and overall health.

What Vitamins Promote Skin Elasticity?

The vitamins that are best for promoting skin elasticity include Vitamins A and C. Although not technically vitamins, hyaluronic acid and collagen also support skin elasticity and are good ‘vitamins for dry skin’ because they strengthen barrier function. Proper skin barrier function prevents transepidermal water loss.

Takeaway

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and taking care of it properly ensures that it can carry out its essential functions. Taking steps to promote optimal skin health also means reducing signs of aging and promoting radiant skin!

Aside from following a nutritious diet and making healthy lifestyle choices, taking a supplement with skin-supporting nutrients can provide added benefits to the complexion. In this article, we have presented you with our top picks for the best supplements for skin health, and all of our choices contain beneficial vitamins and other key nutrients.

The next time your friend asks you, “What vitamins are good for skin health?” you’ll know exactly what to say.

References

Caitlyn Servitto

The depth of Caitlyn’s passion for health and wellness started with her own health journey. After being diagnosed with a chronic illness before entering her freshman year of college, she knew pursuing a career in the health field was the right path. She felt as if a career in health and wellness would not only allow her to be a guide for others but also allow her to understand her own condition. Although Caitlyn switched her major several times, she landed on Integrative Health. Caitlyn finally felt at home in her Integrative Health studies considering she’s an advocate for combining the ever-evolving science of modern medicine, with the time-tested principles of Eastern healing systems. Following her undergraduate education, Caitlyn completed thorough training to become a certified Integrative Health Practitioner and health coach. Near the completion of all her education, Caitlyn realized working one on one with clients wasn’t her calling. During clinicals, she found she was too emotionally invested in the health journeys of others. However, Caitlyn felt she still needed to share her accumulated knowledge with the world somehow. She was motivated to find a career that educates and empowers others, while still allowing the expression of her creative side. Enter Integrative Health copywriting. Caitlyn’s personal health journey, education, and passion for empowering others culminated in the creation of her business, Writing For Wellness LLC. Now, Caitlyn gets to work with healthcare practitioners and health and wellness brands/companies who share the same values as her. Through her writing, Caitlyn aims to break down complex health topics into actionable takeaways. She not only wants readers to digest the science and knowledge presented in her writing but wants them to leave feeling like she is a trusted source. Caitlyn strives to inspire healthy living in as many people as possible.

Education

BA in Integrative Health and Wellness, Maharishi International University
Level II Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP), Integrative Health Practitioner Institute

Certifications

Certified Integrative Health Practitioner (IHP)
Certified health coach

Experience

Owner of Writing For Wellness LLC, 2022 - Present

Written by Caitlyn Servitto

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