You know vitamins are good for your body because they keep your body functioning properly, but how do you know that you’re getting the right amount of vitamins needed to improve skin health?

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, about 5% of Americans get the recommended daily allowance of vitamins. Chances are, at a minimum, you will need to add a vitamin or multivitamin to your daily routine.

Read on to find out about which vitamins and supplements are most essential to healthy and improved skin.

Can a Single Tablet Improve Skin Health?

It’s not just about vitamins with a direct connection to your skin health. When your body is prioritizing the tasks that keep your body functioning normally, it operates by making a list of priorities.

This means that if your body is struggling to keep up with regular maintenance, the healthy glowing skin you’re hoping for might be falling off its to-do list.

One of the most blatant examples of this can be seen in those who may be struggling with alcohol or drug dependence. It can be noted that addicts and alcoholics often have skin that begins to take on a dull, haggard, or sallow appearance.

This often because the body is too busy trying to detoxify their body of a harmful substance to worry about less important tasks like collagen production and skin cell regeneration.

Multi-Vitamins

Keeping your body stable and nourished with a multi-vitamin can help your skin maintain a healthy and stable balance. That way, your body can concentrate on regenerating skin cells and other tasks that are less important than ‘keeping the lights on’.

When selecting a multi-vitamin, it’s important to choose one that has as much of what you want with the fewest undesirable additives.

When selecting your multi-vitamin, be on the lookout for food coloring, hydrogenated oils, and titanium dioxide. Consuming titanium dioxide has been linked to lung and even DNA damage. No, thank you!

While a multivitamin can be a great way to make up for the nutrients your diet may be missing, doctors still suggest that you do your best to get vitamins from your food. Ingesting whole foods which are naturally rich in vitamins is still the easiest form of nutrients for your body to absorb.

If getting your daily allowance of nutrients just isn’t possible, choosing a safe multi-vitamin may be a good call when you’re looking to keep your body healthy and create the optimal environment for skin health. My go-to brand that I get here offers premium supplements made with real food and added nutrients.

Pre-Natal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins aren’t just for pregnant women. Prenatal supplements have been a beauty secret of many people who have been looking to promote hair growth for years. (They’ve also been responsible for freaking out a few unsuspecting partners along the way. Oops!)

Can adding a prenatal vitamin to your routine be beneficial to skin health? Well, honestly? The jury is still out. Prenatal vitamins contain higher levels of iron and folic acid. So depending on what deficiencies your body has, if any, they could still be right for you.

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, prenatal vitamins can be helpful as they have a higher concentration of iron.

Just be sure that you aren’t over-consuming iron.

The overconsumption of iron can cause some pretty serious side effects. These side effects can range from the annoying (nausea) to the very serious (brain damage). So don’t start eating prenatal gummies like candy, kay?

Vitamin Supplements for Skin Health

Experts agree that vitamins are essential to your health, but what vitamins are essential to improve skin health? These key vitamins are not only essential to your overall body function but do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to maintaining healthy and youthful skin.

Vitamin C Supplements

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that helps keep your body safe from the damage of free radicals. Because the body does not keep Vitamin C stores in the body, it’s important to keep a steady stream of this vitamin in your routine to maintain protection from the harmful effects.

Free radicals often occur when you are exposed to UV rays, cigarette smoke, pollution, and other sources of harm to the body.

Vitamin C Topicals & Serums

Another common use of Vitamin C is through serums and other topical products. While it’s important to be ingesting your Vitamin C, there is proof to support the argument for its use on the skin as well.

The benefits of its use in serums and cream include added protection from UVA/UVB rays and the anti-aging properties commonly associated with similar antioxidants.

The skin is our largest organ, so thinking of it as such can help you decide what products you want to keep in your skincare routine. What your body absorbs through your skin is absorbed into your body!

Vitamin D

Often toted as the ‘sunshine vitamin‘, Vitamin D is responsible for your skin’s immunity and contributes to overall skin health. If you have eczema prone skin, acne, or suffer from excessive sweating, you may be deficient in vitamin D.

Your mom is likely already hip to Vitamin D supplements because Doctor Oz is a huge proponent of Vitamin D supplements. (We know she’s obsessed with him.)

You can also get Vitamin D from the sun, however, sun exposure is a big no-no for those who really care about their skin. If you do spend time outdoors, be sure to use sunblock to avoid sun damage!

Sun damage is without a doubt one of the biggest contributors to premature aging. Take the time to learn about how to ensure the well-being of your skin and reapply your sunblock regularly.

It doesn’t matter rather or not your skin is prone to sunburns, the time you spend in the sun will be evident as you age. We can’t emphasize this enough, but the more work you put into your skin today, the less you’ll have to worry about as your skin ages.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a supplement that you can often find in a gel tab. This is especially awesome because vitamin E can also be administered directly to the skin. (We’ll get to that in a minute).

Vitamin E is often featured in lotions, bath products, and is even added to some tissues and is likely the first vitamin you’ll think of when considering vitamins for skin repair.

Vitamin E supplements are a great way to help keep your skin soft and hydrates with the natural oils you need.

Now here’s that cool tip we were talking about:

A Vitamin E supplement can be used in more than one way too. A Vitamin E gel tab can be easily popped open. Using a safety pin, pierce the gel tab with a small hole. You can then squeeze the contents into a swath of lotion before applying it to the skin.

Be advised, the content can be a bit sticky, but feel free to wipe off the excess once your skin has absorbed the vital nutrients.

Minerals and Other Supplements

While these minerals and supplements aren’t technically vitamins, adding these to your daily routine can make a big difference in overall skin health and reducing the signs of aging. It’s never too early to start using these supplements to your advantage. Your body will thank you later!

Biotin

Perhaps one of the most commonly touted supplement, biotin is a staple of nearly all hair, nail, and skin multivitamins that you’ll find on the market.

Biotin is another water-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver. Biotin consists of a grouping of carboxylases. These five carboxylases are responsible for much of the cell signaling that you’ll need for healthy hair, skin, and nails.

A deficiency in biotin can lead to red rashes around the mouth and eyes, thinning hair, skin infections, and even hallucinations.

Biotin absorption can be limited in those with an excessive alcohol intake. The NIH reports that as many as 15% of alcoholics have a biotin deficiency. One of our best healthy skin tips is to skip that second glass of wine and opted for hydrating with water instead.

Selenium

Selenium is a mineral that has a huge role in creating optimal skin health. Selenium is an antioxidant that can be taken in conjunction with Vitamin E for maximum benefits. Selenium, when paired with Vitamin E, can help support your body’s levels of glutathione.

Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and is thought to be helpful in the prevention of skin issues like acne. Perhaps this is why deficiencies in selenium are often commonly found in those with acne.

Collagen Peptides

The skin is made primarily of collagen and elastin. Collagen is a complex protein made of amino acids. It’s a connective tissue in the dermis and helps to keep your skin looking firm and plump.

Two of the most popular ways to add collagen to your diet is thru bone broth, traditionally sourced from a bovine, and marine collagen. These often come sold in liquid supplements. Though you can expect your collagen supplement to be less than delicious, devotees often swear that their skin seems softer and rejuvenated.

This could be because a collagen supplement can help prevent your own body’s collagen from fracturing. Fractured collagen is often evident in the aging process. This can lead to skin that appears to sag. Many women will opt for expensive fillers to simulate the fullness associated with a loss of collagen.

If you’re vegan, there are plant-based options designed to promote collagen production. These supplements are usually a mix of vitamins, however, as collagen is categorically sourced from animal products, you won’t be getting any actual collagen unless you make the switch to the ‘dark side’.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are another great supplement for your skin (and overall health). Omega 3s help to keep your cells healthy and are required for your body to function.

While omega 3s are available in supplements, doctors often recommend eating salmon, tuna, nuts, or plants high in omega 3s to keep your body functioning properly. Fish can be a great source; however, be aware how they are sourced as farmed fish are often high in contaminants and such fish oil supplements can end up giving you the dreaded ‘fish burps’.

Vegan? Consider this. When we consume fish or fish oil, the omega 3s we ingest are a byproduct to the marine phytoplankton/algae that fish consume.

Taking a phytoplankton supplement can be a great way to get your omega 3s without buying animal products. This can also be a smart choice for those who are looking to avoid many of the toxins associated with farm-raised salmon. We’re all about the benefits, without the harmful toxins.

Getting on the right track for your skin health

If you’re thinking about adding supplements to your daily skin routine, you’re on the right track. Great skin isn’t the product of quick fixes, but a product of healthy habits. You can start to improve skin health naturally if you get a good night’s sleep, drink water in excess, and take your vitamins!

Concentrate on creating and maintaining your healthy habits and adding new additions to your routine one at a time. Slowly adding new habits can help you adapt without falling off the wagon or feeling overwhelmed by your routine.

Photo by Nicolas Solerieu on Unsplash