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Be smart for your skin

Combat the signs of ageing with antioxidant supplements.
Combat ageing with antioxidant supplements.

Summer is a great season for your skin. We slather on sunscreen, the drying effects of winter are behind us, and more of our day is taken up with juicing, blending and drinking antioxidant-rich beverages.

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Sunscreen and antioxidants slow the signs of ageing, so our skin is better protected in summer than in other seasons.

While many of us love indulging in fruit salads, smoothies, green juices and iced teas in summer; there are also antioxidant-packed supplements available, which studies have indicated are beneficial for our skin. Rene Schliebs, consultant nutritionist and medical herbalist at Mission Nutrition talks us through the best options.

Which are the best ingredients or supplements to focus on if you want to improve your skin?

Schliebs recommends filling up your plate or glass with vitamin C–rich foods (try papaya, capsicum and leafy greens) and astaxanthin (a phytochemical responsible for the red colour in salmon). The addition of salmon to meals twice a week will provide enough astaxanthin, she says.

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“Astaxanthin and vitamin C display collagen-building properties,” explains Schliebs. “Astaxanthin is extracted from marine algae, which is one of the best antioxidant carotenoids for protecting your skin from the effects of radiation and sunburn. They both assist in the reduction of oxidative damage to DNA and physically help to improve the appearance of wrinkles and age spots.”

How do antioxidant supplements protect or improve the skin?

Antioxidants keep skin glowing and gorgeous by assisting in “collagen synthesis in the dermal layer,” explains Schliebs. “They help to repair damaged molecules and bind to DNA, which in turn displays a protecting action against ageing free radical attack.”

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Free radicals are highly unstable molecules caused by stressors such as ultraviolet light, cigarette smoke and environmental pollutants. They are considered to be one of the leading culprits of skin ageing.

Research shows a diet rich in fruit and vegetables – as well as reducing the amount of stress in our lives – is best for healthy skin, and reducing the furrows and wrinkles associated with age.

Popular vitamin and antioxidant supplements:

● Vitamin C

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● Resveratrol

● Astaxanthin

● Vitamin E

● Carotenoids

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● Coenzyme Q10

● Silica

Are the benefits of antioxidants only cosmetic, or can the skin see other improvements?

It’s not all about the results in the mirror. Schliebs explains that antioxidants go deeper: “[They’re] wonderful for enhancing wound healing, improving acne, protecting joints, improving elasticity and preventing oxidation internally.”

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And in addition to oral supplements, she suggests topical treatments with antioxidants such as vitamin E can “protect the outermost layer of the skin from the harmful effects of UV light and environmental toxins, to nourish and regenerate the skin”.

What dietary sources of antioxidants are beneficial to the skin?

“A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts and seeds and sprouted grains is your best defence against free radical attack,” says Schliebs. Focus on foods that are brightly coloured, as these contain potent levels of phytoantioxidants such as polyphenols, vitamin C and carotenoids which “act synergistically to neutralise reactive oxygen molecules”.

Can anyone start taking these kinds of supplements?

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It is always best to seek professional advice from a qualified health practitioner before you start introducing vitamins or minerals, says Schliebs.

“Many people I see clinically are not eating at their best and have significant stress, which depletes nutrients,” she adds. “Supplements can be helpful for these people, while I get their eating on track.”

Antioxidant supplements to try:

From left to right: Lifestream Advanced Resveratrol, 60 capsules, $44.50. Thompson’s Skin Hair & Nails, 45 capsules, $29.70. Lifestream AstaZan, 30 capsules, $36.90.

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From left to right: Blackmores Nails, Hair & Skin, 60 capsules, $25.95.Go Healthy Go Hair Skin Nails Liquid, 500ml, $29.90. Swisse Hair Skin Nails liquid, 550ml, $39.90.

Words by: Rachael Mckinnon

Photos: Getty Image and Supplied

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