Are Vitamin Supplements Good for the Skin?

Because of busy lifestyles and convenience foods, you may not be getting the nutrition you need from your food, especially for your skin. Vitamin supplements are the key. Explore how certain supplements can help you have healthful, beautiful, younger skin.

• Some vitamin supplements are excellent for your skin.

Repairs Skin Damage

• Repair your skin from sun damage, aging, psoriasis and wrinkles with 2,000 IU of vitamin A daily. Dr. Arthur Perry says vitamin A "is the only thing that can reverse some of the signs of aging..."

Shrinks Pores

• Shrink your pores by taking 300 mg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) daily. According to Lit-Hung Leung, M.D., your facial- skin pores will become noticeably smaller in one to two weeks, usually sooner, until your skin is very smooth and beautiful.

Creates Healthful Skin

• Realize there is a direct link between the vitamin biotin and healthy skin--take 300 mcg daily. Seborrheic dermatitis, crusty, itching, yellow patches on your face, is the most common deficiency.

  (See Reference 3)

Prevents Wrinkles

• Take 800 mg-to-2,000 mg of vitamin C daily with flavanoids to reduce or prevent wrinkles. Vitamin C stimulates collagen in your skin, which makes your skin look younger.

Warnings

• Do not increase your daily vitamin-A dosage, as too much becomes toxic.

  Quit smoking cigarettes: They damage your skin by robbing your body of vitamin C.

  See your doctor before taking vitamin B5 if you're taking antibiotics or tetracycline. B5 interferes with the absorption of these drugs.