Skin, hair & nails

DIY Treatments and Dietary Supplements for Skin, Hair & Nails

Oatmeal face masks for the skin, apple cider vinegar for dull hair, olive oil for brittle fingernails - there are so many DIY beauty hacks out there. Nowadays, however, studies have shown that nutritive care not only helps externally but can also support from within. While creams, serums, and the like only work on the surface, nutrients from food and nutritional supplements can penetrate to deeper layers.

When used in a targeted way, nutrients like zinc can support cell division and protect cells from oxidative stress, helping to maintain the radiance of skin, hair, and nails for as long as possible.

Vitamins & nutrients for the skin

Acting as the boundary layer between our insides and the outside world, our skin is the largest organ in the body. It lets us feel what’s going on around us, and sometimes also inside us. As a barrier, it protects us from harmful external influences and also takes on important metabolic tasks. When we feel healthy and well, it will often show in our skin, so you can tell just by looking at us. One possible cause of premature skin aging is oxidative stress, caused by so-called free radicals. These are produced in the body as intermediary products, but when they get out of hand, we call it oxidative stress. This can be caused by all sorts of things, from smoking, alcohol, or environmental toxins, to free radicals formed as a result of UV radiation. This is part of the reason why excessive sunbathing or sun-bed use should be avoided. Various micronutrients can function as antioxidants to protect the cells from these radicals or oxidative stress. It is therefore essential to ensure a sufficient supply of antioxidants.

Stress, lack of sleep, certain medications, inappropriate skincare routines, insufficient fluid intake, and our dietary habits can also hurt the appearance and condition of the skin.

The following skin-friendly substances can help you maintain your skin’s natural radiance for longer, by caring for it from the inside out:

• Hyaluronic acid is an important component of connective tissue and cartilage and is also contained in numerous dietary supplements.
• Biotin, also called vitamin H, helps maintain normal skin. Foods such as oat flakes, dairy products, and nuts have a high biotin content.
• Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which helps to protect the cells against oxidative stress. Vitamin C also supports the body's collagen synthesis and thus contributes to normal skin functions.
• The mineral zinc is of great importance for the maintenance of the skin. But hair and nails also benefit from an extra dose of zinc in their role in cell division and protection against oxidative stress. Zinc is found in particularly large quantities in oat flakes, legumes, and nuts and should be integrated as often as possible into the daily meal plan.
• Vitamin B₆ promotes normal protein and glycogen metabolism and supports hormonal regulation.
• Vitamin E helps protect skin cells from oxidative stress.
• Niacin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
• A healthy supply of vitamin A, or its precursor beta-carotene, also plays a central role in the structure and health of the skin. Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of the skin and mucous membranes. An insufficient supply can manifest itself, for example, in skin dryness.
• Sirtuins: If you want to take advantage of the progress of science on this point and help nature along, you can try the newly discovered enzyme group, the Sirtuins. These are particularly important in the aging process because they support the regeneration of the cells. So-called smart food contains a particularly high proportion of specific substances that stimulate the sirtuins.

Vitamins & nutrients for the hair

Dull, limp, or thinning hair – we all want to avoid that. We lose up to a hundred hairs every day. In the case of hormonal fluctuations, a little more hair can also fall out in the short term, without this being due to a pathological process.

However, if hair loss and regeneration do not keep pace for a long period, the cause should be investigated. Particularly in the case of thin hair, a laboratory-diagnostic micronutrient analysis is recommended, which will reveal any causative defects. Because the health and quality of the hair depends significantly on the nutrient supply to the hair follicle. Nutrients reach the hair papilla, which is responsible for the formation of the new hair cells, via small blood vessels. For example, too little L-cysteine, pantothenic acid, zinc, vitamins or iron can become visible in the hair.

Vitamins & nutrients for the nails

• Zinc & selenium: Contribute to the maintenance of hair and nails and help protect cells from oxidative stress.
• Vitamin B6: Plays a role in the synthesis of cysteine, which is a building block of keratin. Keratin is the basic substance of hair, but is also contained as a structural protein in skin and nails.
• Iron: This trace element plays a role in cell division and energy supply; absorption can be improved by vitamin C.
• Silicon is an important component of hair and nails. Silicon is naturally found in many foods such as barley, oats, potatoes, peppers and spinach.
  

Brittle nails, grooves or white spots: These unsightly flaws can have different reasons. The nail is a transparent keratin plate that is not supplied with blood but is supplied with nutrients via the so-called nail matrix. If the body is not sufficiently supplied with nutrients, this is often reflected in the nails – in the form of a loss of form and firmness.