Author: Michelle Channon, Skin Potential Coach and Clinical Educator.
Unveiling the Secrets to Radiant Skin: A Journey From Within
Achieving youthful, glowing skin isn't just about topical treatments or chasing after mythical "fountain of youth" remedies. True skin health and graceful aging is an inside job. In this article, we’ll explore the science behind maintaining and enhancing your skin’s natural beauty by focusing on the importance of also nourishing your body and skin from the inside out.
The Complex Nature of Aging
Aging is a continuing and natural process, influenced by many internal and external factors. Chronological aging refers to the passing of years and biological aging refers to the health of your body, skin and cells as the years pass. Whilst we can’t change chronological aging, there are many ways to influence the accumulation of damage over time that leads to changes in our health and appearance. While the term "anti-aging" is often thrown around, our goal is to understand how we can support skin health by addressing the fundamental causes of aging.
What’s Happening Beneath the Surface
As we age, certain changes in our skin become more noticeable, especially in areas that are regularly exposed to the sun. These changes include fine wrinkles, decreased elasticity, and a thinning of both the epidermis and dermis. On a microscopic level, we see signs like dermal atrophy, a decrease in keratinocyte production, and cellular aging—clear indicators of the aging process within our skin cells. Scientists often use the presence of “senescent” cells as a marker of biological age. These are rogue cells, often referred to as “zombie” cells, that are no longer functioning as they should, but rather create communicative havoc in the skin and body, resulting in oxidative stress.
Understanding the Science of Skin Aging
To tackle the challenges of aging skin, it’s important to grasp the key factors at play. The skincare industry focuses on areas like telomere shortening, mitochondrial DNA dysfunction, and the free radical theory, all of which highlight the importance of cellular health. The inflammatory theory of aging also emphasises the critical role of inflammation in driving changes in aging skin.
The Role of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) in Skin Aging
An increasing amount of research has identified a key player in the aging process—Advanced Glycation End Products (appropriately termed “AGEs”). These compounds, which were first identified in those with diabetes, have been found to naturally increase as we age and have been linked to various age-related disorders. These end-products make collagen and elastin rigid over time, meaning that skin loses its structural support and bounce back. As a result, you will notice fine lines and wrinkles start to appear, but quite possibly more detrimental to the health of your body and skin is the resulting effect of increased inflammation. As the process continues, AGEs start to interact with other receptors in your skin. When these interactions kick up inflammation, the result is a cascade of all of the markers we associate with aging, including an increase in senescent cells. Glycation is a natural process, and typically commences as our natural growth hormones start to diminish, at around age 20 and gradually intensifies. But some factors are known to accelerate glycation, including
Medical conditions, such as diabetes
Exposure to UV rays
Smoking, pollution, and other external skin stressors
Diets high in sugar
Diets high in fried foods: AGEs can form in foods that have been exposed to high temperatures during grilling, frying, or toasting.
Latest research indicates that chronic levels of stress also advance the formation of AGEs
All of these factors cause more AGEs to form in the skin, resulting in a loss of firmness and elasticity, but knowledge is powerful when you act on it and by focusing on strategies that reduce the accumulation of AGEs, we can greatly assist with potential ways to combat inflammation and aging of our skin.
Skin: The Reflection of Your Health
Your skin is commonly considered the largest organ in your body, acting as a vital barrier between your internal environment and the outside world. This dual role means it faces challenges from both internal aging processes and external stressors. These challenges can lead to changes in your skin’s structure, affecting not only its appearance but also its essential functions.
Nutrients That Support Youthful Skin
While we steer clear of the term “anti-aging,” after all, chronological aging is a privilege and deserves to be celebrated, we can embrace the benefits of nutrients that help promote youthful, healthy skin. Here are some essential nutrients that can boost your skin’s vitality:
Vitamin C is well known as a powerful antioxidant, if it is bioavailable. (Link here to delivery system?). Humans do not synthesise their own vitamin C, so are dependent on food sources, topical, IV or supplements to supply the body’s requirements. Vitamin C works efficiently to support collagen formation and capillary strength for healthy circulation and helps protect against excessive blue light
Vitamin B: There’s a lot that vitamin B can do to support skin health. The eight B vitamins are necessary for nearly every process within the body. They help turn nutrients into energy and support the health of our nervous system, metabolism, organs, muscles, skin, and hair. They’re also essential for cell growth, development, and overall functioning. As such, they offer serious benefits to skin health, since our skin is constantly regenerating. The healthier your skin, the faster it renews.
However, we’ve got a relatively small storage tank for B vitamins, which means we need to keep refilling it each day. Some of the most significant vitamin B benefits include supporting skin hydration, collagen formation, and cell renewal. A quality B complex also provides support for skin that feels smoother, softer and clearer, with a healthy skin barrier When it comes to a radiant, calm hydrated skin, vitamin B is one ingredient you’ll want to include in your daily routine.
Glutathione: The most powerful antioxidant that our bodies produce, glutathione is found in every cell. We simply cannot live without it. As mentioned above, pollutants, UV radiation and other environmental factors induce oxidative stress which leads to the breakdown of collagen and elastin. However, glutathione can provide support as a defensive hero, helping improve and maintain the quality and radiance of the skin.
In the body, glutathione controls pigmentation. This is one of its most sought after benefits in skincare. It does this by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme needed to produce melanin by the pigment producing cells in the skin (melanocytes). Excessive melanin production leads to dark spots or patches and uneven skin tone, contributing to a more even and balanced tone with overall skin brightness.
Glutathione plays a role in supporting tissue repair and regeneration which are crucial for maintaining skin elasticity. Glutathione helps with these age-related changes by supporting both the repair of damaged tissues and the production of new healthy skin cells. This action not only helps with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles but also assists the skin’s overall resilience and suppleness.
Quercetin: Quercetin helps harness your body’s natural defences against the damaging effects of UV and can help to calm the irritation associated with sun exposure and other environmental stressors. It has been found to support both the growth of new skin cells and the formation of collagen, which helps to keep the skin firm and smooth.
Magnesium:
Magnesium is a mineral that is vital for your health, being one of the most important minerals that your body uses. It has gained increasing attention in recent years for its potential healthy aging properties. Magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of enzymes involved in energy production within cells, which helps maintain youthful vitality and supports collagen production, which aids in the maintenance of firm, elastic and smooth skin. It also acts as a cofactor for enzymes that support the body’s defences against oxidative stress.
Magnesium supports the absorption and utilisation of calcium, the latter being an important factor for bone health. Bone shrinkage in the face is a major factor in the appearance of aging as skin and muscle need bone as an anchor.
The formation of AGEs in the body and skin is driven by high sugar levels and magnesium plays a vital role in supporting healthy blood sugar balance. By supporting the nervous system’s response to stress, magnesium also it also helps us find calm. The negative effects of chronic stress are counterproductive to healthy aging. All while aiding the detoxification processes within the body, helping to eliminate harmful substances and maintain overall health as you age.
Incorporating these key nutrients into your diet can enhance your overall health, which in turn benefits your skin. By understanding the science of skin aging, you can make informed choices that nourish your body from within, enhancing topical applications and treatments, and promoting a timeless beauty that shines from healthy, well-cared-for skin. Embrace this holistic approach, and let your skin reflect your inner youth and vitality.
