Anti-Aging Supplements: Do They Work?

The amount of recent information about anti-aging supplements is staggering. Suddenly, everywhere you look there is a new way to turn back the clock and preserve your young skin. Previous products being offered usually came from a lab and included ingredients that you could hardly pronounce let alone relate to. Now, not only are there topical solutions to aging being offered, but there is also relief in the form of vitamin and mineral supplement. It is being strongly suggested that you drink, eat, and...

topically treat yourself to a more youthful appearance.

A great number of exciting discoveries have been made with regard to how we age, and how we can best prevent it from appearing in our skin. Obviously, we cannot stop the aging process, but we can certainly slow it down and prevent it from making such a marked difference in our appearance. One of the best and most critical ways to do this is to protect ourselves from the sun, which is the ultimate aging factor for most people, especially if you are fair-skinned. However, there are a number of great supplements to take in order to help keep our skin looking young, supple, and beautiful even longer.

A group of molecules called antioxidants are the key to keeping our skin in shape. While antioxidants have been used in the medical and health industries for quite a long time for situations regarding heart health, cardiovascular support, and other physical longevity reasons, they are a relatively new find for the field of skin health. There are a few very beneficial antioxidants that stand out as being the most critical for skin renewal and rejuvenation including Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is highly touted as the new addition suggested to use with vitamins C and E because it appears to prevent the deficiency of those vitamins. In other words, by combining alpha lipoic acid with vitamin C and E, the two vitamins are used more efficiently and effectively in the body. Many people take alpha lipoic acid orally in supplement form daily, but you can also find many high-grade cosmetics and skin care products that include it in their formulas if you prefer topical use.

Vitamin C is essential to one’s heath, and is important for everything from skin health to heart health to cellular growth. Also known as ascorbic acid, it is an essential nutrient and cannot be manufactured alone in the body. Therefore, it must be ingested it in order to reap its benefits. The benefits of vitamin C as an antioxidant cannot be overstated; it helps to synthesize collagen in the body, which is all-important for youthful skin and skin elasticity. It also helps in the synthesis of carnitine, an amino acid that transports fatty acids which are also crucial for optimal skin health. Since vitamin C has a very low toxicity level, one cannot easily ‘overdose’ on vitamin C. It is excreted by the body via urine and excessive intake will not damage any organs. Time-release capsules of vitamin C are also available so that the benefits can be gradually accepted by the body throughout the day. While many people get vitamin C through their consumption of fruits and vegetables, supplementing with it is a great idea. As a powerful antioxidant, it protects your body , including your skin, from free radicals which are damaging and aging. As with alpha lipoic acid, some manufacturers of this supplement also make an elixir or topical form to use on the skin. You can experiment with both oral ingestion and topical application and see which combination works best for you.

Vitamin E is another great supplement that should be incorporated into your regimen of anti-aging skin care. It is in a class called tocopherols, and it is a fat-soluble vitamin with strong anti-oxidant properties. This vitamin also protects against free radicals, much like vitamin C. However, whereas vitamin C is water soluble, vitamin E will stay in the fats of the body and be absorbed differently. Vitamin E is wonderful in its role as a beneficial supplement to help reduce the risk of cancer, and in reducing cholesterol. It is also considered a wonderful salve for the skin as well as a good moisturizer. When taken internally, it can help turn back the hands of time with its anti-aging properties. Many people use a topical supplement form that combines both C and E. You can find them in your local health food or vitamin shop, or look at some of the finer cosmetic companies for them.

The skin is the largest organ in the body, so it is important to treat it right! Give your skin the proper nourishment and it will reward you by looking nourished and healthy.
by: Megan Hazel