MenoLabs News | Tue, Nov 19, 2019

Beauty comes from within. Your body is a complex structure that needs support from the inside and out, and so does your skin. In menopause, you may notice that your skin has become more dull, thin, and wrinkly. But no one wants to lose the glow that every woman carries when she is young. Luckily, just like there is a diet for heart health or gut health, there are also many things you can eat for having good skin in menopause. 

Glowing Skin and Menopause: Vitamins to the Rescue

Many women start changing their skincare to anti-aging solutions when they notice changes in their skin. And this is the right step to take. But apart from applying topical remedies, you should also care for your body and overall health from within. Studies have shown that plant components like vitamins, flavonoids, tocopherols, and carotenoids were used in skincare for their antioxidant powers. These plant compounds are your body’s defense against free radical damage. And they also can work wonders for your skin.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a strong protector on multiple levels. It is present in both the outer and inner layers of your skin and carries antioxidant properties. Apart from that, vitamin C enhances the production of collagen, which declines with age. This is the reason why you can find it in many anti-aging skincare products. Collagen maintains the firmness of your skin, which is why using vitamin C can help keep it lifted and plump. The nutrient is also effective in protecting you against harmful UV rays and reducing sun damage. 

Foods you should eat to get more vitamin C: oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruit, strawberries and other berries, bell peppers, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an antioxidant that can improve the elasticity of skin and thickness of its inner and outer layers (2). It is an essential component in skin care products because of its ability to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. You may have heard of a form of vitamin A, retinol, which is a popular ingredient in anti-aging skincare. Vitamin A can speed up the process of renewal in your skin. As a result, it can help you solve the skin problems you might have in menopause. Those include skin dullness, acne, and appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. 

Foods you should eat to get more vitamin A: carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, eggs, dairy, beef, and dark leafy greens.

Vitamin E for Skin in Menopause

This vitamin is also an antioxidant, just like vitamins A and C. Vitamin E helps protect your skin against the damage from the sun. As a result, applying vitamin E to your skin could decrease the signs of aging, such as wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots. Apart from this use, the nutrient also could help prevent inflammation of the skin and add moisture if your skin has become too dry in menopause. You can find many skincare products with vitamin E, as it also could help with reducing the appearance of acne scars. 

Foods you should eat to get more vitamin E: nuts and seeds, mangoes, corn, and spinach.

Vitamin D

Getting enough vitamin D may be tricky for some people. It is not commonly found in foods, and the best way to get an adequate amount of this vitamin is by exposing your skin to the sun without sunscreen. But this can become a challenge because exposure to harmful UV rays of the sun could only worsen skin damage and speed up the aging of your skin. Vitamin D by itself, however, actually helps keep your skin younger and fights acne by reducing inflammation. In autumn and winter, many people become vitamin D deficient because they do not spend as much time in the sun as they did in the summer. So especially during colder months, it would be best to take a supplement.

Foods you should eat to get more vitamin D: fatty fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines, and foods fortified with vitamin D like yogurt, cereals, or orange juice. 

B-complex

B-vitamins fulfill many functions in your body, including balancing your energy levels, improving your metabolism, and regulating your brain function. When you are low on B-vitamins, you feel tired and less energetic. You might have problems with your skin, hair, or nails, and your skin renewal processes might be slower than usual. Vitamin B3, in particular, is good for improving several signs of aging of your skin. It is said to reduce discolorations in your skin like dark spots or acne scars if applied topically. For this reason, it is a common ingredient in specific skincare products. 

Foods you should eat to get more B-vitamins: nuts and seeds, eggs, meat, and seafood. 

Healthy Skin During and Post Menopause

Taking care of your skin, both in terms of using the right skincare and following a proper diet, will go a long way for the appearance of your skin. Fine lines and wrinkles, acne, dryness, and dullness are just some of the skin problems women experience in menopause. But if you take control of your health and eat foods rich in vitamins and antioxidants, you can achieve excellent results for the overall health of your skin. As studies show, supplementing with polyphenols, vitamins, and carotenoids could help reduce signs of aging while also protecting the skin from harmful UV radiation (3).

 

(1) Silke Schagen et al. “Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging.”

(2) D. Djerassi. “The Role of Vitamins in Aged Skin.”

(3) Almudena Perez-Sanchez et al. “Nutraceuticals for Skin Care: A Comprehensive Review of Human Clinical Studies.”