Healthy Skin and Nutrition

 

It seems like everywhere you turn, you find advice for using supplements to maintain healthy skin and avoid serious skin problems. Even supposedly reliable sources such as WebMD insist "Your skin needs the right balance of nutrients!" Much of this advice focuses on antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E. 

Unfortunately there is little evidence that particular nutrients are especially effective for skin health or that deficiencies result and skin conditions. There are large trials that show just the opposite. Antioxidant supplementation does not seem to reduce the risk of skin cancers at all. 

I would be the very last person to suggest that sensible supplementation had no value. But if you want healthy skin, eat a balanced Mediterranean style diet, limit alcohol, don't smoke, use sunscreen and wear a hat. That doesn't sound too sexy if you are selling supplements, but it works.