Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body must receive from your daily diet. These nutrients act as co-enzymes or catalysts that initiate or facilitate almost every body process and reaction. These include mechanisms that both directly and indirectly aid in maintaining skin health, rejuvenation and healing. In most cases a healthy, balanced diet can provide all the vitamins you need for skin and overall health. Some individuals that have a nutrient deficiency may require multivitamin supplements. However, supplements of any kind should only be taken if your are advised to do so by your doctor.
Skin Nutrients
According to the Mayo Clinic, essential vitamins are needed to directly and indirectly initiate and facilitate mechanisms in your body that carry out skin renewal and healing, maintain skin elasticity, rebuild collagen and keep the moisture barrier intact. Certain vitamins can also help minimize scars and damage from UV rays, pollution and normal aging. Some vitamins such as vitamin B-12 is needed for the synthesis of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to skin cells and every other cell in your body.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that is needed for skin and eye health. It plays a key role in collagen formation to maintain skin elasticity and slow the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The body converts vitamin A into its active form, retinol, in the liver. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that the retinol form of vitamin A is found in animal and dairy food sources. Plant-based foods such as vegetables and fruits contain another form of vitamin A called beta-carotene that is converted by the body.
Vitamin C
Research published in the "Journal of Investigative Dermatology" reports that individuals given vitamin C after having skin grafts for ulcerated wounds to the skin had higher rates of success in reforming a new epidermal skin layer. This may be due to the potent antioxidant properties of this nutrient and its ability to produce the protein collagen, which your body requires to form scar tissue over skin wounds and damage. The epidermis is the skin's barrier layer that must first be intact for healthy skin wound healing and regeneration. Rich food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, kiwis, berries, broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes and cabbage.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is found in many skincare oils, creams and lotions because it helps to reduce skin inflammation. The Linus Pauling Institute notes that a form of vitamin E called alpha-tocopheryl acetate is the type used in skin products because it is more easily absorbed by the outer layers of the skin. Like vitamin C, this vitamin is also a potent antioxidant that facilitates wound healing and helps to fade scars. Vitamin E is found in foods such as wheat germ, vegetable oils, corn, olives and sunflower seeds.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Skin Care: 5 Tips For Healthy Skin
- Journal of Investigative Dermatology; Vitamin C Regulates Keratinocyte Viability, Epidermal Barrier, and Basement Membrane In Vitro; Boyce, S. et al; 2002
- ScienceDaily.com: New Role Of Vitamin C In Skin Protection; Relevance To The Cosmetics Industry; Sep. 9, 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute: All About Vitamin E
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin A
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