Vitamins for the skin

Vitamins for the skin - Positive Health Center

Our body needs enough vitamins to stay healthy and fit. Of course, this also applies to the skin. Vitamins such as biotin help to keep the skin healthy, supple and wrinkle-free for as long as possible. Read more about which vitamins are important for the skin, how they work and whether they also make sense in skincare products, read here!

The skin is our largest organ and a high-performance operation: A well-rehearsed team of about two billion skin cells protects the organism from pathogens and sunlight, but also from overheating, excessive heat loss and dehydration. So there are plenty of reasons to take good care of your own skin - for example, by taking in enough vitamins for your skin with your daily diet.

Vitamins for the skin

Which vitamins are good for the skin?

The most important skin vitamins are vitamins A, B3, C, E, and H. They have different effects: for example, there are vitamins for clean skin, vitamins that can smooth wrinkles, and those that keep the skin elastic.

Below you will learn more about the most important vitamins for the skin and their effects:

Vitamins for the skin: Vitamin A

Effect on the skin: vitamins against wrinkles? Vitamin A (more precisely: Retinol) should actually be able to smooth small wrinkles around the eyes. It is converted in the skin into vitamin A acid (retinoic acid or tretinoin) and then supports the elasticity of the skin. Also acne vitamin A preparations are used, especially those with the active ingredient isotretinoin (a derivative of vitamin A acid). He helps against pimples and blackheads.

What happens when there is a defect? A lack of vitamin A can manifest itself among other things in a thickening (keratinization) of the skin.

Recommended Daily Amount (according to DGE): According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), the recommended intake for vitamin A is between 0.8 and 1.1 milligrams per day for adolescents aged 15 years and over.

Contained in: sweet potatoes, carrots, liverwurst, spinach, kale, eggs, Gouda, etc.

Vitamins for the skin: Vitamin C

Effect on the skin: According to studies, vitamin C can help the skin produce more proteins and break them down more slowly. This improves the surface texture of the skin and makes it more elastic. In addition, vitamin C is a so-called radical scavenger (antioxidant) - it can "defuse" cell-damaging aggressive oxygen compounds (free radicals).

What happens when there is a defect? A severe deficiency of vitamin C leads to the so-called "maritime disease" scurvy. Symptoms of this deficiency disorder include the skin: bleeding, poor wound healing and rough/scaly, brown skin.

Recommended daily amount (according to DGE): The "normal" average daily requirement of adults is 95 to 110 milligrams per day.

Contained in: acerola cherries, rose hips, lemon, broccoli, paprika, orange etc.

Vitamins for the skin: Vitamin E

Effect on the skin: Vitamin E, which is found in high doses in some skin creams, can help to repair damaged and dry skin and make it more elastic. Due to its lipid solubility, vitamin E can penetrate well into the cornea and be stored there. It should be well tolerated even in high doses. Cosmetics usually contain vitamin E concentrations of up to five percent.

• A high vitamin E content in the skin has many benefits, it ...
• improves the moisture state of the horny layer.
• smoothes smaller wrinkles.
• increases the resistance of the skin to damaging environmental influences.
• protects the skin against UV rays (the light protection of vitamin E is up to SPF 10, depending on the concentration).
• improves wound healing after surgery and reduces scarring.
• inhibits inflammation and counteracts skin aging and age spots.

What happens when there is a defect? If the skin of the organism gets too little vitamin E, the fat and moisture balance will be permanently disturbed. The skin becomes dry.

Recommended Daily Amount (according to DGE): According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), the recommended intake for vitamin E is between 11 and 15 milligrams a day for adolescents aged 15 and older and adults.

Contained in: wheat germ, sunflower and olive oil, raspberries, savoy cabbage, tomatoes, almonds, etc.

Vitamins for the skin: Vitamin B (biotin, B3)

Effect on the skin: Biotin is one of the water-soluble B vitamins and is also called vitamin H or vitamin B7. It is known for its protective function of skin and hair: biotin, among other things, promotes the growth of the sebaceous glands and supports the skin's own regeneration processes, ensuring a smooth process of cell growth and division.

Vitamin B3, also called nicotinic acid or niacin, is comparatively new in skincare cosmetics. It is important for the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, supports cellular energy metabolism and is important for the regeneration of the skin due to its antioxidant effect.

What happens when there is a defect? If too little biotin is absorbed for a long time, the skin can become dry and flaky. One consequence of niacin deficiency is dermatitis, an inflammation of the skin.

Recommended Daily Amount (DGE): Adolescents aged 15 years and over should take 30 to 60 micrograms (μg) of biotin and 11 to 16 milligrams (mg) of niacin per day.

Contained in: liver, legumes, nuts, mushrooms, spinach, etc. (applies to biotin). Fish, dairy products, poultry, eggs, etc. (applies to niacin).

Vitamins for the skin - apply or take?

When it comes to vitamins for the skin, the following question often crops up: How do you best get where you want them? By swallowing or applying to the skin?

For the outer application: Since the cell layers are very dense under the epidermis, creams and tinctures are usually difficult to penetrate to transport their active ingredients into the collagen and elastin tissue of the dermis. According to studies, anti-aging products do not produce any new collagen-forming cells that could fill in the wrinkles. It is possible, however, that active ingredients such as vitamins A and C stimulate cell renewal. Despite all advertising promises, it is usually better to take the vitamins for the skin through the food. A balanced, versatile diet will normally provide the whole body (including the skin) with all the vitamins and other nutrients that are needed.