Acne Supplements – What to Take For Healthy Skin
It is nearly impossible to get all of the vitamins and minerals we need to maintain healthy clear skin from food alone. It is essential, for those with skin prone to acne, to take nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals, and herbs) to help the skin heal and maintain balance.
Certain vitamins and minerals have shown to be very effective in helping to re-establish that internal balance and achieve vibrant and healthy skin. Each vitamin has a specific function, and when combined work together to promote healing and reduce acne.
- Vitamin B Complex – These vitamins are responsible for healthy skin, nerves, and eyes. They stimulate healthy intestinal and bowel function and improve liver health. These vitamins are water-soluble, which means they must be replenished daily. Vitamin B-1 (thiamin), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (niacin), B-5 (pantothenic acid), and B-6 (pyridoxine) can be found in a variety of foods, some healthy food sources of these vitamins include chickpeas, black beans, raw nuts and seeds, soybeans.
- Vitamin C – This is responsible for speeding up the healing process, and the production of collagen, and is a powerful antioxidant. Some healthy food sources are broccoli, red bell peppers, oranges, lemons, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables.
- Vitamin A – This is needed for healthy skin, nails, teeth, gums, and hair, and aids your skin in getting rid of old skin cells to make room for new cells, promotes wound healing, and encourages overall healthy skin. This can be found in broccoli, carrots, oranges, peaches, tangerines, mangos, and dark leafy vegetables.
- Vitamin E – This powerful antioxidant helps repair skin damage and accelerates the healing process. It can be found in avocados, carrots, celery, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach, whole wheat flour, whole wheat bran, whole grain cereals, oatmeal, soybeans, legumes, and sweet potatoes.
- Zinc – This helps to heal wounds, form skin collagen, boosts the immune system, and aids in the prevention of acne by regulating the skin’s oil gland activity. Dermatologists consider this nutritional supplement to be therapeutic in treating acne. Healthy food sources would be legumes, soybeans, whole grains, sunflowers, and pumpkin seeds.
- Calcium and Magnesium – These are very important minerals. Calcium is essential for healthy teeth, gums, and bones, while magnesium helps to regulate blood pressure, promote muscle tone, and is needed for energy production. Calcium can be found in kale, cooked broccoli, nuts and seeds, sea vegetables, and wheat germ. These foods must be consumed in large quantities to get adequate amounts, therefore supplements are recommended. Good food sources for magnesium are almonds, avocados, dried soybeans, oatmeal, peanuts, and tofu.
- EFA – Essential Fatty Acids – The body needs these to help regulate the hormones your body produces. Essential fatty acids, Omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9, can’t be made in our body, we must obtain them through food or supplements and can be found in salmon, flax oil, and walnuts.
The right diet and proper supplements are an essential component to both our physical and mental condition, and when combined work to heal and balance the body naturally and can significantly reduce acne.
