Anti aging vitamins and supplements can play a great role on how you control the aging process, helping you feel better and look better. Whether you opt for expensive anti aging supplements or natural supplements from various healthy anti aging foods, your physical and mental state will see a significant improvement and you will feel better, stronger and younger.
Which Anti Aging Vitamins and Supplements are Most Effective?
Vitamin E, for instance, is a fat-soluble compound excellent for repairing dry, cracked skin when used as a cream or lotion. This is often added to sunscreen lotions because it protects the skin against UV damage and it also helps skin retain moisture.
The molecules called free radicals have an unpaired electron, so they seek out electrons from other cells, oxidizing and damaging them and the tissues they form.
Adequate intake of vitamin E helps prevent and minimize the damage caused by free electrons and oxidation. In addition, it also improves the functioning of your immune system and assists in the expression of your genes.
Furthermore, vitamin E lowers the risk of stroke or heart attack by preventing blood from clotting unnecessarily. It also helps prevent LDL cholesterol from contributing to atherosclerosis, and might protect against cancer as well, since free radicals and their damaging effects may play a role in cancer development. Studies into the effects of vitamin E on cancer rates, however, are still inconclusive, so more research is necessary.
According to some studies, vitamin E may even put off or at least prevent cognitive delay or decline in the elderly, due to the antioxidant effect on the brain’s neurons. It can be found in various anti aging foods for women as well as in anti aging foods for men, including nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds and vegetable oils such as soybean, canola and corn.
The aging process is inevitable and affects everyone. Regardless of how careful you are, your skin still takes on some sun damage, wear and tear. Free radicals also cause damage, and they are produced when you digest food or are exposed to pollution, cigarette smoke or radiation.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent that damage, and it also helps regenerate other antioxidants in the body, including vitamin E. When applied topically, it can also help protect your skin against sun damage.
The appearance of your skin largely depends on the shape and firmness of the structure beneath it. Collagen is the structural element that provides shape and firmness to your skin. Vitamin C intake improves the production of collagen, giving your skin a more firm and youthful appearance. Moreover, this connective tissue also contributes to healing wounds.
Vitamin C has cancer-preventing qualities as well, and it seems to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In addition, some studies have indicated that vitamin C delays or even prevents the occurrence of age-related cataracts and macular degeneration. Fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus and potatoes, are excellent natural sources where you can find it.
Another common problem we face as we get older is dark circles under the eyes. These dark circles make you look always tired and older than you actually are, but they are caused by several factors besides age or lack of sleep. Common causes include hormones, allergies and heredity, your doctor can determine which.
Regardless of the cause, vitamin K helps with one common factor – the leaking of capillaries around the eyes, which results in a pooling and clotting of the blood. According to researchers, vitamin K contributes to the constriction of capillaries, breaking up the tiny blood clots that form those dark circles.
Vitamin K will not be a miraculous cure for under-eye circles, removing them completely, but getting an adequate intake should be part of the treatment plan. Your body does produce small amounts of vitamin K on its own, but you could use more than that.
You can increase your vitamin K intake with anti aging skin supplements, multi-vitamins, topical anti aging skin creams or, ideally, through a healthy diet. Kale, lettuce, broccoli and spinach all contain vitamin K, as of mom-hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Our bones begin to lose their structural strength as we age, because the level of ossification (the ongoing process through which bone replaces itself) is reduced. Vitamin K can also help aging seniors maintain bone strength.
Vitamin B-3, aka niacin, has a number of anti aging properties as well. As we age, our skin loses its ability to retain moisture. Vitamin B-3, however, increases this ability, making your skin look healthier and providing a strong, unbroken barrier against viruses, bacteria and other antigens and fight against premature skin aging.
Dry skin is itchy, sensitive and scaly looking, and it can also lead to further problems. Niacin adds moisture to your skin and also acts as an exfoliant, helping you skin shave of dead cells as newer cells move towards the surface. One of the causes of dry skin is often a niacin deficiency.
Niacin counteracts the effects of aging inside your skin, raises your HDL (“good” cholesterol) level and lowers triglycerides (fats in your blood that contribute to your overall cholesterol count). Consequently, niacin lowers your risk and rate of atherosclerosis. In addition, it also plays a big role in converting food into energy.
Next, one of the best anti aging vitamins is vitamin A, which can help you in several ways as you age and allowing you to also see the benefits of aging. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize the damaging effects of oxidation caused by free radicals, which is believed to be a primary cause of age-related degeneration and disease.
Topical solutions with vitamin A – retinol creams, for instance – have been shown to reduce signs of sun damage and skin aging by working as an exfoliator and reducing wrinkles and fine lines. In addition, it can also help reduce the dark circles under the eyes.
In proper amounts, vitamin A is very important for your overall bone health, helping you offset the effects of osteoporosis as you get older. In excess, however, poses a danger for seniors, as it can lead to osteoporosis and bone brittleness. It is best to consult a doctor about the best way to get the amount you need even if you can find tips in healthy aging magazines.
Anti aging vitamins will not stop the aging process, but the right ones can help slow it down and keep you healthy late into life, looking younger and enjoying your senior years. There are many effective anti aging solutions that can improve your physical and mental state, but make sure to consult your doctor before taking on any anti aging vitamins and supplements.