As far as your skin is concerned, vitamin D showcases great anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat skin conditions like dryness, acne, psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo. Many cosmetic brands and even dermatologists use this vitamin in night creams and moisturisers to help improve your skin.
'A deficiency in vitamin D can cause your skin to sweat and is considered to be one of the first signs of a problem. You will sweat all over your body, including your face which can cause your skin to become dry and irritated, as well as increasing your chances of breakouts - so upping your vitamin D could help.
If you're lacking in vitamin D, your skin may tell on you. For example, if you're not getting enough vitamin D, your complexion might be dull, lacking that desired glow and you might also experience dry, flaky skin on your face and other areas of your body.
Vitamin D has antimicrobial properties that might calm symptoms. A 2016 study found that vitamin D supplements resulted in clearer skin after 8 weeks. Also, keeping your D levels on fleek might help with acne inflammation. The hormone has anti-inflammatory properties that could reduce redness and swelling.
“Using vitamin D in skincare can help reinforce the skin's barrier and offer protection against environmental factors, neutralise free radical damage, reduce inflammation and minimise the symptoms of acne due to its antimicrobial properties,” says Lindsay Gray, general manager for Eden Aesthetics – the exclusive ...
Vitamin D, especially for women, has been known to be a stress blocking agent and helps in reversing the ageing process by making you look and feel younger.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 increases collagen production in dermal fibroblasts.
Benefits of vitamin D for your skin
If your skin doesn't get enough vitamin D, it can cause wrinkles and fine lines to appear on your face. The antioxidants in this vitamin help fight these signs of premature ageing and protect your skin.
“Adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months time. Vitamin D with a strength of 1000-2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults,” Dr. Ropte says.
Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow, and so when the body does not have enough, the hair may be affected. A vitamin D deficiency may also be linked to alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss.
Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
Having inadequate levels of vitamin D may correlate with unintentional weight gain. A study on women over the age of 65 found that participants with a lower vitamin D level experienced more weight gain. A systematic review of 23 different studies found similar associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:
Fatigue. Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness.
Left untreated, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults, rickets in children and adverse outcomes in pregnant women. It may also be linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer — although more study is needed on the topic.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
Vitamin D
Research has also shown that vitamin D is effective in preventing premature aging by protecting the skin from ultraviolet light, one of the most common causes of wrinkles and lines.
Vitamin D intake increases with age because elderly people consume more multivitamins that contain vitamin D.
When vitamin D levels are normal, these processes will operate to drive healthy ageing that occurs at a slow rate (Tuohimaa, 2009; Haussler et al. 2010). However, when vitamin D is deficient these ageing processes will be enhanced and this will result in an increase in the rate of ageing.
Optimum intake
The National Academy of Medicine recommend a daily intake of 600 international units (IU) for adults aged 19–70 years and 800 IU per day for individuals aged 70+ years.
Although there is no scientific evidence that vitamin D can have a direct effect on the under-eye area, it is believed that puffy eyes and dark circles prevail in people deficient in vitamin D, particularly females aged 40+.
1. Beauty Supplement – Vitamin E. Vitamin E is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, so one of its main qualities is to prevent our cells from dying, specifically our skin cells. Therefore, vitamin E keeps skin smooth, supple and hydrated.
Magnesium assists in the activation of vitamin D, which helps regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis to influence the growth and maintenance of bones. All of the enzymes that metabolize vitamin D seem to require magnesium, which acts as a cofactor in the enzymatic reactions in the liver and kidneys.