Essential Nutrients for Healthy Skin

Non-essential nutrients are the ones that the body can do without or else are synthesized by the body productively. Essential nutrients are the ones that body cannot make itself and cannot do without either. The third type of nutrient are the conditionally essential ones, these can be synthesized by the body if it is working at optimal efficiency. However, when the body isn’t working in top condition (in cases of disease, advanced age, stress or intoxication) there is a good chance that the body will lose the ability to synthesize sufficient quantities of these nutrients at which point the body switches over to trying to obtain them from food. It has been shown that insufficient intake or synthesis of some conditionally essential nutrients can lead to the breakdown of the functions of several organs including the skin. Using supplements for the conditionally essential nutrients can produce positive results with regards to skin care, particularly if the reason that they are lacking in the first place is due to old age, stress or other health issues.

Lipoic Acid and skin care

An example of a conditionally essential nutrient is lipoic acid. Lipoic acid is required by cells in order to produce energy from carbohydrates and other fuels. Lipoic acid can also be a very efficient antioxidant as well as a chelator for heavy metal. The body is able to make its own lipoic acid in moderate amounts but will produce at lower than sufficient levels in times of illness or stress. Lipoic acid levels decline as you age.

Lipoic acid is more versatile than most anitoxidants. It is soluble in both fat and water which makes it capable of protecting all of the body’s tissues and systems. It is very effective against most kinds of free radicals including superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. It also binds and neutralizes (chelates) the ions of metals (copper, cadmium, iron, lead and mercury) that catalyze free radical formation. Lipoic acid also can help to lower blood sugar levels. Because it is a unusual combination of metal chelator, antioxidant and can lower blood sugar levels lipoic acid can also act as an inhibitor of cross linking and glycation. (Cross linking and glycation are two components of the main mechanisms of aging and play a vital role in the formation of wrinkles.)

Q10 (Coenzyme) and skin care

CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) has two key purposes: It is a key part of the cellular respiration systems which is found in the mitochondria as well as being an antioxidant. CoQ10 can improve both the efficiency and the rate of cellular energy production. It also simultaneously protects the mitochondria from free radical attack. CoQ10 can be produced by a healthy body but many factors including illness, age, malnutrition and cholesterol lowering drugs can impair the body’s production mechanisms for CoQ10. CoQ10 is known as a biomarker of aging as its level in the body is in correlation to the aging process and degenerative diseases. One study showed that giving mice CoQ10 supplements increased life expectancy by almost 50 percent. A number of studies have also shown the effectiveness of CoQ10 in the treatment of heart disease as well as in congestive heart failure. Hypertension, lowered levels of immunity and muscular atrophy can also be helped with CoQ10 supplements. Sadly, there are few studies about the effectiveness of using CoQ10 for skin care. It is very possible that the increased energy produced by CoQ10 is good for the skin as well.

Cysteine and methionine and skin care

Cysteine and methionine are amino acids that contain sulphur. Aside from being key parts of the structure of proteins they also act as anti-oxidants and assist with the removal of heavy metals from the body. Cysteine is also a component of glutathione which is the main water soluble antioxidant found inside of cells. Another essential amino acid is methionine which only comes from food, as the body is not able to produce it. Cysteine is created from methionine and is considered to be conditionally essential meaning that t would become essential only if the levels of methionine aren’t sufficient. The levels of both methionine and cysteine get lower with age. Using supplements of these two key amino acids has been shown to increase the life span of mice. There is also indirect proof that keeping the levels of these two amino acids at an optimal level can provide both better health and longevity, including healthy skin.