SUPPLEMENTING BEAUTY

We are not one to encourage external beauty over what’s inside of you. However, for those looking out for beauty-related dietary supplements, this blog post is intended to help you find food supplements that make you beautiful from the inside.

The drying effects of household heating in winter and the harsh sun in the summer can probably affect one’s skin, hair and nails. Some of these adverse effects may also be due to nutrient imbalances. In this blog post, we suggest food supplements that you can take in order to boost the health of your appearance.

Beauty(ful) food supplements

Our skin, hair and nails require regular nourishment. Although this nourishment can come from your diet, it often requires supplementation with the following nutrients:

Vitamin C

As a potential antioxidant, vitamin C has a host of benefits. Vitamin C is found in high levels in the outer layers of your skin [1]. Factors like ageing, exposure to UV light and pollutants can however, lead to its decline [1,2]. Vitamin C can also help in the normal function of the skin and teeth by aiding the synthesis of collagen [3].

An adequate intake of vitamin C can, therefore, remediate skin lesions caused by its deficiency [5]. It has, in fact, been shown that the oral supplementation of vitamin C can boost its levels in your skin [6]. Further, comparative oral bioavailability studies that we have conducted with our liposomal vitamin C and other liposomal and non-liposomal forms have proven that PlantaCorp’s vitamin C formulation is maximally effective.

Vitamin D

Cells in the epidermis of the skin, locally convert vitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. This regulates activities that are essential for normal cell growth, wound healing, and maintaining the barrier function of skin [7]. The vitamin D receptors (VDRs) in our hair are important in regulating the growth cycle of mature hair follicles [8].

Although our skin is capable of synthesizing vitamin D3, changes in seasonal sun-exposure and diet can affect this process [9]. Vitamin D3 supplementation is especially relevant in these times. We strongly recommend liposomal vitamin D3 formulations since the vitamin’s absorption is known to increase in the presence of fats [10]. Our studies prove that PlantaCorp’s vitamin D3 product is 13-times more bioavailable than a competitor’s non-liposomal formulation.

Zinc

Did you know that 6% of the body’s total zinc content is found in our skin? [11]. Zinc is known to contribute to normal protein synthesis and is involved in the metabolism of vitamin A in the skin [12]. It is also essential for the maintenance of normal hair and nails [12]. In all these tissue, zinc works by stabilizing the cell membranes, serving as an essential cofactor for several enzymes, and participating in basal cell mitosis and differentiation [13].

Symptoms such as pigmentation changes, decreased hair and nail growth, skin lesions on sites exposed to repeated pressure and friction, diarrhea and alopecia are possible signs of a mild to severe zinc deficiency [14]. Please report these immediately to your local physician and consult them before consuming a zinc supplement.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring cellular product. In the skin, it has been shown to reduce photoaging and contribute to the regeneration of vitamin E. This is possible due to its role as an antioxidant and its support of several metabolic pathways [15].

However, plasma coenzyme Q10 levels have been found to decline with age and pathological conditions such as diabetes mellitus and cancer [15]. Due to its high molecular weight and low water-solubility, supplementation of coenzyme Q10 has hitherto been hindered. To increase the bioavailability and efficacy of coenzyme Q10, scientists highly recommend the use of liposomal coenzyme Q10 supplements [16,17]. Further, since it has been found that oral supplementation with coenzyme Q10 increases blood and lipoprotein concentrations in humans [15], we recommend our liquid liposomal coenzyme Q10 products.

The global beauty supplement market

In 2015, the skin care segment dominated the global beauty supplement market followed by the hair care segment. Additionally, Europe was found to be the largest market for beauty supplements. The demand in the Asia Pacific region was additionally seen to be rising. According to a competitive analysis of the global beauty supplement market, this market is expected to reach over USD 13,845 Mn by 2025 [18].

What else should I know before taking these supplements?

We remind you to please first consult with your primary care physician and avoid self-dosing before consuming the listed ingredients that we think can help improve the quality of your skin, hair, and nails.

References

1. Rhie G, Shin MH, Seo JY, et al. Aging- and photoaging-dependent changes of enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in the epidermis and dermis of human skin in vivo. J Invest Dermatol 2001;117:1212–1217.

2. Shindo Y, Witt E, Packer L. Antioxidant defence mechanisms in murine epidermis and dermis and their responses to ultraviolet light. J Invest Dermatol 1993;100:260–265.

3.https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/?event=search. Accessed on 05–03–2021.

4. Peterkofsky B. Ascorbate requirement for hydroxylation and secretion of procollagen: relationship to inhibition of collagen synthesis in scurvy. Am J Clin Nutr 1991;54:1135S-1140S.

5. Duarte TL, Cooke MS, Jones GD. Gene expression profiling reveals new protective roles for vitamin C in human skin cells. Free Radic Biol Med 2009;46:78–87.

6. McArdle F, Rhodes LE, Parslew R, et al. UVR-induced oxidative stress in human skin in vivo: effects of oral vitamin C supplementation. Free Radic Biol Med 2002;33:1355–1362.

7. Drake VJ. Vitamin D and Skin Health. Linus Pauling Institute: Micronutrient Information Center. 2011. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-D#reference15.

8. Skorija K, Cox M, Sisk JM, et al. Ligand-independent actions of the vitamin D receptor maintain hair follicle homeostasis. Mol Endocrinol. 2005;19(4):855–862.

9. Tsiaras WG, Weinstock MA. Factors influencing vitamin D status. Acta Derm Venereol. 2011;91(2):115–124.

10. Bi Y, Xia H, Li L, et al. Liposomal Vitamin D3 as an Anti-aging Agent for the Skin. Pharmaceutics. 2019;11(7):311.

11. King JC, Shames DM, Woodhouse LR. Zinc homeostasis in humans. J Nutr. 2000;130(5S Suppl):1360S-1366S.

12. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). 2010. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1819.

13. Lansdown AB, Mirastschijski U, Stubbs N, Scanlon E, Agren MS. Zinc in wound healing: theoretical, experimental, and clinical aspects. Wound Repair Regen. 2007;15(1):2–16.

14. Kumar P, Lal NR, Mondal AK, Mondal A, Gharami RC, Maiti A. Zinc and skin: a brief summary. Dermatol Online J. 2012;18(3):1.

15. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/coenzyme-Q10. Accessed on 05–03–2021.

16. Lee WC, Tsai TH. Preparation and characterization of liposomal coenzyme Q10 for in vivo topical application. Int J Pharm. 2010;395(1–2):78–83.

17. Kumar S, Rao R, Kumar A, Mahant S, Nanda S. Novel Carriers for Coenzyme Q10 Delivery. Curr Drug Deliv. 2016;13(8):1184–1204.

18. https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/4431905/global-beauty-supplements-market-size-market. Accessed on 05–03–2021.