Did you know the skin is the largest organ of the body? It should come as no surprise, then, that our diet can largely impact the health of our skin just as it would impact the health of any other organ - the bones, heart, liver, kidney, or brain.
Did you know the skin is the largest organ of the body? It should come as no surprise, then, that our diet can largely impact the health of our skin just as it would impact the health of any other organ - the bones, heart, liver, kidney, or brain. Our skin is a reflection of our inner health. Different skin conditions - such as acne, aging, dullness, or dryness - may indicate we are ignoring our body's nutritional needs.
When it comes to aging, two common signs are wrinkled skin or loss of elasticity. Worldwide, billions of dollars are spent annually on skin care products to counteract these conditions. These potions and lotions can only do so much, though, when our diet isn't where it should be.
Why Wrinkles Form in the First Place
Some skin aging is inevitable. Scientists call this "chronological aging". Let's face it, our 20th anniversary picture is just not going to look like our high school graduation photo! In fact, every organ in the body is affected in a similar way as we put on more years. Your skin has two major proteins - elastin and collagen. These proteins age over time. This causes them to lose some of their structural function. The skin loses its elasticity and becomes thinner. Wrinkles, then, become more noticeable. 1
The other type of aging, however, is caused by external factors - smoking, pollution, chronic sun exposure and UV radiation, lack of sleep, stress, and poor nutrition. 2 These external factors can generate free radicals (unstable oxygen-containing molecules) in the skin. Free radicals can damage the important skin proteins - collagen and elastin- that maintain the structure of skin. Free radicals also promote the production of inflammatory chemicals, which can further lead to skin issues.
Diet and Skin - Is There Really a Link?
Of course, the best strategy to prevent aging from external factors is prevention. A healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritoius diet, exercise, adequate sleep, no smoking, and a healthy weight can work wonders. These healthy lifestyle factors are often underestimated because results may not come as quickly as we'd like.
However, just to illustrate the power of a healthy diet in reducing skin aging, notice what a 2001 study discovered. It followed people from various countries to find a connection between sun damage and diet. Researchers found that people with a high intake of vegetables, legumes, olive oil, and fish had a lower risk of sun damage. Those who were more prone to skin wrinkling because of sun exposure also had increased intakes of butter, margarine, meat, carbohydrates, meat products, and sugar. Clearly, there is a connection. 3
An even larger study from 2007 found that women with a more evident wrinkled appearance had lower intakes of protein, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. 4
But, how? How exactly can the diet influence wrinkle formation?
1. For one thing, the diet can provide antioxidants - chemicals that donate an electron to free radicals, reducing their damaging reactivity and rendering them harmless. This protects collagen and elastin, the skin's structural proteins, from damage.
2. The diet can help reduce inflammation that can promote wrinkle formation
3. The diet can provide nutrients that promote the formation of collagen
What nutrients and foods can help combat wrinkle formation and achieve these 3 results? Read on in our next articles about the basic guidelines of an anti-aging diet and some of the top anti-aging foods out there!
References
1. Schagen, S. K., Zampeli, V. A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012). Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging.
Dermato-endocrinology, 4(3), 298–307. doi:10.4161/derm.22876
2. Guinot C, Malvy DJ, Ambroisine L, et al. Relative contribution of intrinsic vs extrinsic factors to skin aging as determined by a validated skin age score. Arch Dermatol. 2002;138(11):1454-1460.
3. Purba MB, Kouris-Blazos A, Wattanapenpaiboon N, et al. Skin wrinkling: can food make a difference? J Am Coll Nutr. 2001;20(1):71-80.
4. Cosgrove MC, Franco OH, Granger SP, Murray PG, Mayes AE. Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86(4):1225-1231.