From Acne to Aging Skin: Vitamin D and Your Skin - The Facts
Do you know what makes your skin look healthier? Vitamin D! There is no denying that vitamin D is an essential nutrient. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it cannot be stored in the body like other vitamins. It needs to be consumed daily through food or supplements. If you don’t get enough of it, your health will suffer.
In addition to aiding our immune system and muscles, Vitamin D promotes healthy skin. This blog post discusses the importance of vitamin D and how it helps maintain a beautiful complexion.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D, or calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. It also assists in regulating levels of calcium and phosphorous and helps to maintain healthy muscle as well as a healthy immune system. Vitamin D is derived from sunlight and food sources like fish, eggs, cheese, milk, cod liver oil and fortified cereals.
But there are a few difficulties with obtaining enough vitamin D from diet alone. First of all, many people who live in northern climates have less exposure to sunlight due to shorter days during winter months. Second, even if you eat the recommended amount of vitamin D rich foods each day it’s still not enough because only 10% to 20% of vitamin D is absorbed through your digestive tract.
How Vitamin D Helps Your Skin
Vitamin D helps your skin in a variety of ways. Vitamin D promotes healthy skin by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria found in acne. It also helps prevent wrinkles and age spots. Vitamin D is used to help with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, which are both chronic skin conditions.
Another way vitamin D helps your skin is through metabolism. It aids in the production of fats that keep your skin soft and supple. Fats from vitamins A, D, E, and K are important for your skin because they slow down the aging process of your cells. Vitamin D also regulates calcium levels in the body which promote strong bones and teeth--important for healthy looking skin!
Dietary Sources of Vitamin D
There are a number of ways to increase your Vitamin D intake. One way is through food. Foods such as fish, eggs, and fortified dairy products are all sources of vitamin D. One cup of fortified skim milk provides about 100% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin D.
Another way to get more vitamin D is by using dietary supplements. You can use a daily multivitamin or purchase a separate vitamin D supplement to get your daily recommended dosage. If you don't eat much sun-illuminated foods and you drink a lot of cow's milk, consider taking a supplement for the maximum benefits for your skin.
More Reasons to Stay Sun-Wise
Vitamin D is only found naturally in a few foods such as fish, egg yolks and some mushrooms. As a result, many people are deficient in vitamin D. The recommended amount for adults is 600 IU per day.
The good news is that it’s not too late to get your vitamin D levels tested. If you’re deficient, you can take an over-the-counter supplement or drink more milk than usual. When it comes to your skin, the benefits of vitamin D go beyond prevention of deficiency symptoms like acne and dry skin. Vitamin D plays a role in the formation of elastin and collagen in the body. This is what keeps our skin supple and elastic so it doesn’t wrinkle as easily.
That means that if you don’t have enough vitamin D, you could end up with acne scars or wrinkles at a much younger age! Not to mention that lack of vitamin D can cause bone loss which leaves us feeling weaker and more likely to become injured due to falling down stairs or tripping on sidewalks!
Conclusion
If you are not getting enough vitamin D from your diet or from the sun, you may find yourself dealing with skin problems. Make sure you know the facts about vitamin D, and take care of your skin with a healthy diet and regular sun exposure.