Trinny & Shabir Live: Supplements that benefit skin
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Skin is like any other organ in that it ages over a period of time. Unlike many other organs, skin actually ages more rapidly because it is prone to both external and internal aggressions. So externally, we have aggressions such as chemical use in topical products as well as environmental pollution, whereas internal aggressions are the by-products of metabolism which produce damaging radicals.
There are a number of supplements which are beneficial for skin so let's look at some of the most important ones listed below:
Ceramides are tiny oil particles found in between skin cells. They help prevent loss of moisture, which leads to dehydrated skin and encourages the ageing of skin as cells lose moisture. Collagen sheets are more vulnerable to being attacked by both internal and external aggressions.
We have seen Ceramides being used in skin creams, but we can now take oral Ceramides to help restore moisture levels for dry, ageing skin as well as for compromised skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. The migration of Ceramides to skin from within the body can take up to 60 days. Please do not take if you have a wheat allergy.
Astaxanthin with Phospholipids
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid extracted from algae and is an excellent antioxidant. It is several hundred times more powerful than vitamins C and E. Antioxidants protect the skin and our glands from damaging radicals both from the environment and from within the body.
Numerous small studies show that taking Astaxanthin helps enhance the appearance of fine lines, helps increase dermal density and can markedly improves skin’s appearance.
Collagen
There are thousands of collagen supplements on the market, all claiming to help skin and all stating that their product is the best, so I am not surprised to learn that many people are confused as to which supplement to take, so let's take a look at this:
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is found in skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels and other structures.
Collagen production declines after the age of 25 roughly by 1% each year
Collagen is a rather large molecule composed of amino acids and as such is ill-absorbed by the body. Collagen may be obtained from bovine sources (much larger particle size) or from marine sources (smaller particle size in comparison, but nevertheless still too big). In both cases, manufacturers break down collagen into smaller particles, via a process called hydrolysation. But this is where the problems begin.
Even though hydrolysation is a good process, most manufacturers stop there and that creates a problem. Being a protein, Collagen is easily destructed by the highly acidic environment of the stomach which then denatures, or makes it useless.
Research and technology have made huge strides over the recent past and I am currently recommending Ultimate Collagen + , which has the ability to protect Collagen from stomach acids. As ever, all supplements are not created equally.
Vitamin C
We all know the importance of vitamin C for skin and for the immune system, yet most of us assume that we get sufficient vitamin C from our diet, which is not wholly accurate, as the demands made by the body for this vitamin are far higher than the level that can be supplied from our diet. And that is a proven fact.
So which vitamin C should be take? Vitamin C is acidic in nature so unfortunately the majority of vitamin C is not absorbed by the body since the body works in an alkaline environment, aside from the stomach which works in an acid environment to break down food.
Aside from acidic forms of vitamin C, there are buffered non-acidic versions which have better absorption, but nevertheless they are not sufficient. Once inside the bloodstream, they need to be converted back to acidic form of vitamin C to be utilised. I tend to recommend YourZooki Vitamin C to overcome these issues.
Hyaluronic acid is a compound that can hold over 1000 times its weight in water so it has been thought to help hydrate skin. The controversy has always been about the size of the molecule and using a biotechnological form, called sodium hyaluronate, helps to release hyaluronic acid in the body. I have just adjusted the therapeutic dosage of HA, and the new strength is now 300mg of sodium hyaluronate per capsule.
This is a unique supplement containing some very special ingredients such as Burdock Root, Probiotics, Zinc and Selenium. Burdock Root is known to have a mild diuretic effect helping to eliminate compounds that cause inflammation, whilst probiotics work in the gut to detoxify and remove excess acid. Zinc is known to help heal skin and Clear Skin Complex helps to improve the symptoms of acne, rosacea, dermatitis and numerous other skin disorders.
Vitamin A
If there was only one supplement that you could take or afford, then it would have to be Vitamin A capsules. Both the epidermis (outer layer of skin) and dermis (lower layer of skin) require vitamin A to help prevent collagen breakdown from sun damage and from light, such as computer screens. It regulates oil secretions which is why it is often recommended for acne-prone skin and it also enhances cell turnover to help reveal softer smoother skin (retinol is a vitamin A derivative). It is very economical in use, but careful consideration is needed as there are many vitamin A supplements which are actually beta carotene, which needs to be converted into vitamin A before being utilised. Vitamin A is also a great healing agent.
Zinc
Zinc is an important mineral when it comes to the healing of wounds or when skin is inflamed, such as in rosacea, acne and other concerns. It signals the delivery of healing nutrients and compounds to the tissues under stress. A very high absorbable form of Zinc is Zinc Glycinate found in Terranova's Zinc Complex.
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