Anti-Aging Supplements: How They Work, Efficacy and Alternatives

• Skin damage and aging skin can be reduced or prevented with anti-aging supplements
• Antioxidants are a main component to anti-aging skincare
• Antioxidants occur in many natural forms
• Vitamins, spices and naturally occurring supplements are good sources of antioxidants
• Keep skin looking young using a wide variety of anti-aging supplements

With so many anti-aging supplements available, it’s hard to know what works and what doesn’t. Worse, everyone has an opinion on the best way to approach skincare as you age. Recent studies show a strong correlation between aging and nutrition. If skin function and healthy appearance depend on a sufficient supply of essential nutrients, what are the best supplements to keep your skin looking young? 

How Do Anti-Aging Supplements Work?

Aging skin is damaged skin, something impossible to avoid over a lifetime. Signs of aging include lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, dryness and uneven skin tone or pigmentation. Sun exposure is the biggest culprit but stress, alcohol intake, poor nutrition, overeating and pollution are also contributing factors to aging skin.  

The aging process produces free radicals which break cells down over time. As we age, our body finds it increasingly difficult to fight off the free radicals that attack the natural collagen in our skin. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals which, in turn, reduces the degradation of collagen. 

There’s a large variety of anti-aging supplements for skincare, providing ample opportunity to discover the ideal approach for your particular skin. These include:

• Vitamins
• Spices
• Natural Supplements

Vitamin Heavy Hitters

Vitamins contain powerful antioxidants to attack the free radicals causing your skin to age.  

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a nutrient that cannot be manufactured by the human body. It is essential for maintaining the integrity of all surface tissues and supports the daily replacement of skin cells. Vitamin A is naturally present in both plant and animal sources. Retinol is produced from Vitamin A and is the active form used in anti-aging supplements. 

Good sources of Vitamin A include:

• Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale or chard
• Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
• Carrots
• Squash and pumpkin
• Yellow corn
• Mangoes
• Papayas
• Beef liver
• Eggs
• Milk

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as asorbic acid, is found in high concentrations in normal skin. The human body requires Vitamin C to produce collagen. It’s instrumental in the maintenance of healthy skin and the prevention of damage caused by sun. Vitamin C has many anti-aging benefits including improvements in skin elasticity, facial wrinkling, roughness and color. 

Good sources of Vitamin C include:

• Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits
• Blueberries
• Red and green pepper
• Kiwi
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Cantaloupe
• Baked potatoes
• Tomatoes

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a nutrient needed to keep the immune system healthy and repair damage to DNA. Vitamin E is found in some foods but it’s not clear ingesting Vitamin E has any benefit to the skin. Still, it’s a powerful antioxidant and good sources are found in:

• Vegetable oils
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Kiwi
• Mangos

Topical application of Vitamin E showed an increase in skin elasticity and moisture, proving it’s an effective o-aging ingredient.

Spicing Things Up

It’s a win anytime you can easily source anti-aging benefits from the spice aisle and use them to make your meals and beverages more delicious, to boot. Many spices are good sources of antioxidants. 

Curcumin

You probably know curcumin by the more common name of turmeric. The ‘golden spice’ has been touted to address a number of health concerns  from treating hangovers and baldness to curing cancer. 

Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric spice,  is full of powerful antioxidants. It helps protect your cells from damage caused by the aging process and can also boost your amino acids. It has been used as anti-inflammatory remedy in traditional Asian medicine for centuries because of its ability to relieve joint pain and swelling commonly associated with arthritis. 

Turmeric is a staple ingredient in curries but you can add it to eggs, rice, soups, or roasted vegetables. Opt for a turmeric latte in lieu of coffee at your next break and boost your antioxidants in the process. 

Ginger root

Gingerol, an antioxidant found in ginger root,  slows down the aging process by protecting skin from free radical damage. It also helps prevent collagen degradation. It’s used as a traditional medicine around the world and commonly used to treat nausea. Ginger improves circulation which helps give the skin a healthy glow. 

The best way to benefit from ginger is to use fresh ginger in your cooking and as a flavor for your beverages. Ground ginger loses gingerol when it is processed. Ginger is a common ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes like stir-fry, curries, soups and baked goods. 

Naturally Supplementing Against Aging

Skin benefits greatly from different compounds containing age-fighting compounds. Here are some you should know about.

L-Carnitine

An essential amino acid, L-carnitine helps transport free fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane, where they are metabolized to create energy. It reduces markers of cellular damage and free radical formation, two contributors to aging. It is also used in the prevention of heart disease. 

L-carnitine, short for acetyl-l-carnitine, is naturally occurring and found in all mammal species. It is synthesized in the liver, the kidney, and the brain from essential amino acids or ingested via animal-based food products. 

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10, commonly known as CoQ10, is a compound that helps generate energy in human cells.  It is a core ingredient in many anti-aging supplements due to its anti-flammatory and antioxidant functions. It reduces wrinkles and improves skin texture. 

CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance and serves as an important intracellular antioxidant. The body’s ability to produce CoQ10 decreases substantially as a natural part of aging, making it an attractive anti-aging supplement. 

Do Anti-Aging Supplements Work? 

Anti-aging supplements contain antioxidants to lessen or prevent the damage caused by free radicals. Unfortunately, there’s no universal antioxidant to combat the effect of every free radical. This is why there’s no simple answer to finding the best anti-aging supplements. What works for one person, won’t necessarily work the same way or with the same effectiveness for someone else. 

The best approach to protecting aging or damaged skin is to consume a wide variety of antioxidants. Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, leans meats and protecting your skin from the sun is good advice for anyone. Focusing on eating food from different color groups is the best way to ensure you’re getting a good range of antioxidants. In addition to diet, taking vitamins or applying antioxidants directly to your skin is essential to protecting your skin from aging. 

What to Keep in Mind about Anti-Aging Supplements

The wonderful thing about antioxidants is you can boost your skin’s aging defenses relatively effortlessly. Choose the high-antioxidant foods you like best and feast on those. Protecting your skin from future sun damage is as simple as applying a high-quality sunscreen every day and remembering to re-apply if you’re going to be spending time in the sunshine. Use spices rich in antioxidants to enrich the flavor and anti-aging qualities of your meals and drinks. To boost the effectiveness of your diet and lifestyle choices, use topical anti-aging creams and lotions to supplement your skin directly.