Growing older and significant weight loss are the primary causes of loose, hanging skin. Bunches of skin dangling from the arms, chin, neck, waist or legs are more than unsightly. They signal that the body's connective tissue--the underlying layer that maintains elasticity and tightness--is weak. Proper nutrition may restore what age or nature has taken away.
Vitamin A
When metabolized by the body, vitamin A becomes retinol--a powerful skin treatment. The Mayo Clinic reports that vitamin A's impact on loose skin comes from its antioxidant abilities. Retinol in the bloodstream acts as a magnet for free radicals--oxygen molecules unabsorbed by cells. When allowed to float through the body, free radicals damage and mutate healthy cells, which leads to inflamed tissue. Retinol scavenges for free radicals, destroying them and repairing the skin's connective tissues.
Vitamin C
Sagging skin may be addressed by consuming vitamin C. Collagen is the primary compound of skin's connective tissue and the body can create it naturally. According to the Protein Data Bank, vitamin C reacts with oxygen molecules in the body to create hydroxyproline--an amino acid that is the primary ingredient of collagen. The result is smoother, firmer skin.
MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, is a sulfur-based supplement championed by natural health experts for its curative properties. David Wolfe, a leading voices in holistic health care, cites MSM for its ability to resolve loose skin. According to a review of Wolfe's book on Well-Women.com, MSM assists with the formation of keratin, collagen and elastin--compounds essential to skin health and flexibility. MSM encourages connective tissue repair and health, which affects the tightness and sagging of skin.
Vitamin E
Like vitamin A, vitamin E is an antioxidant. The nutrient repairs damage caused by sunlight and tobacco use--two forces that can advance aging by destroying connective tissue and causing skin sag. Natural News, a holistic health website, lists vitamin E among its top five skin nutrients, because it reduces wrinkles and strengthens skin against cancer.
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