We will be the first to say, beauty comes from within. The connection between our internal health and skin is undeniable. And there is something obvious, yet profound that affects the health of our internal organs, glands and systems on a consistent basis – our diets.
The effect of nutrition on skin aging has been an interesting field of study, not just for scientists but also an interest for everyday people, from ancient times to modern times. Considering the matrix of the skin, our diets (and the nutrients food contains), can be a source of regenerative fuel for healthy, youthful skin.
Uncovering the Link Between Nutrients & Skin Aging
First and foremost, let’s talk about skin aging. The process of skin aging consists of two didactically independent, biological processes.
The first is intrinsic skin aging, which represents the internal factors in skin aging. These include factors like biological aging of the cells and internal organs, disease, free radical damage, inflammation, and the physiological processes that effect skin health.
The second is extrinsic skin aging, which involves the external factors that affect skin aging, including environmental toxins, ultraviolet (UV) exposure, radiation, smoking, sleep and nutrition. 1 2
While seemingly independent, both intrinsic and extrinsic factors have a similar effect on the skin, resulting in oxidative stress, inflammation and therefore the aging of the skin cells.
Prevention is the best and most effective way to inhibit and reduce the stressful affects of aging, both internally and externally. A well-managed lifestyle including proper nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress reduction, and skin-care routine can greatly reduce the occurrence of oxidative stress and thereby improve the health of the skin.
Additionally, the use of topical, anti-oxidant substances is an effective way to neutralize the effects of free radicals in the environment. Of the frequently researched antioxidants, there is a special class of nutrients that reign supreme, those are the carotenoids.
Carotenoids and specifically retinols, have been referred as agents capable of promoting skin health and beauty. Let’s take a moment to explore the beneficial “anti-aging” effects of these special antioxidants. 3 4
The Importance of Retinol
Carotenoids include a glass of antioxidant vitamins, specifically vitamin A, β-carotene, astaxanthin, and retinol, which all have powerful free radical savaging abilities that inhibit oxidative damage.
The importance of retinol was discovered during World War I, discovering that a deficiency gives rise to xerosis and follicular hyperkeratosis. There are also historical uses of vitamin A that dates back some 3000 years to ancient Egypt, where liver was used to treat night blindness.
Today, the modern history of retinoids starts in 1909 when an essential factor in the fatty extract of the egg yolk, called vitamin A, was discovered. Since, retinoids have been known and used to for treating dermatoses, inhibiting photoaging and more.
Biologically speaking, retinoids are required for a large number of processes. In particular, retinol is important for embryogenesis, reproduction, vision, healthy growth, normal inflammation, cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Retinol is also an essential part of normal pigment, the regulation of sebum (skin and hair follicle oils), and for vision.
There is a great importance for dietary retinol, considering the however the body itself cannot synthesize it. Therefore, retinol must derive from diet or through high-quality extracts. Retinol can be found in liver, milk, egg yolk, cheese and fatty fish etc. Or you can find natural retinol products, both topical use, in which the retinol skin receptors will recognize for utilization.
Skin Benefits of Retinol
As we have learned, and share for frequently, a proper diet (specifically containing retinol-rich foods like grass-fed liver, eggs, ghee and fatty fish) is a must for an optimal skincare diet.
In addition to the ingestion of beauty nutrients, there is definitely a place for topical methods for countering skin aging, wrinkling and irregular pigmentation of the skin. In fact, topical use of vitamin A acid derivatives, like retinol can be even more effective than most supplements, due to their superior bioavailability.
According to clinical research, topical retinol has a profound, beneficial UV protective ability, reducing the potential free radical damage caused by excessive UV exposure. It was found that topical retinol treatments inhibit the UV-induced, MMP-mediated breakdown of collagen. In other words, retinol applied to the skin protects the skin from wrinkling. 5 6 7
Additionally, retinols can stimulate healthy blood vessel development, and normalize sebum production, resulting in smoother, glowing, acne-free, youthful-looking skin.
Finding, Using Retinols
The first thing you’ll want to know is that not all retinol products are created equally. There are a variety of chemical-based retinol products on the market; however, these often contain harsh parabens and BHT, which come with unwanted, negative health side effects. For example, the conventional oral retinoid acne medication Accutane is known to cause birth defects and liver toxicity. Other topical retinoids, like prescription tretinoin can cause precancerous lesions, increase sensitivity to UV rays and increase photoaging.
For a quality source of retinol, be sure to try our Gold Serum. It contains a plant-derived retinol, contains no carcinogens, or other harsh, toxic ingredients. Additionally, it comes packed with other clinically backed, natural, anti-aging, ingredients.