Vitamin B Is For Beautiful!
You may already know that B vitamins are essential for optimal health, but did you know they are one of the essential set of vitamins you need to achieve radiant, lovely skin? Read on to gain insight and increase the health and beauty of your skin!
What Can B Vitamins Do?
There are a number of different types of B vitamins and each has a specific, yet complimentary, role in the health of your skin. In a broad way B vitamins combine to maintain healthy metabolism, to help prevent cancer, to produce healthy red blood cells, combat stress, lower anxiety and depression, and to make your skin radiantly healthy.
Fact: when you are deficient in B vitamins, even just one of them, the first place you’ll notice it is in your skin! For example, vitamin B deficiencies can cause acne. Deficiencies in B vitamins can also be visible as uneven skin texture, redness, brown spots, sensitivity to sunlight and dryness, wrinkles, vitiligo, psoriasis, eczema, even rashes. If you have skin issues, then the list below may help you identify which B vitamins you want to focus on. Spoiler: Vitamin B7 is nicknamed ‘The Beauty Vitamin’!
Thiamine, also called vitamin B1: Enables your body to make new, healthy cells and has the ability help in times of stress by protecting your immune system. It helps convert simple carbohydrates into fuel for your body and brain, giving you energy.
Riboflavin, vitamin B2: Is a powerful antioxidant that diminishes free radicals in your body, which has an anti-aging effect, helping to slow aging and heart disease. Some studies point to a potential for B2 to even help reduce migraines. You’ll want to keep vitamin B2 away from sunlight because UV light breaks it down.
Niacin, vitamin B3: Can help treat acne when taken internally, or applied topically and is a primary catalyst in increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. It’s fairly rare to be deficient in Niacin, at least in developed countries. It has also been proven to promote collagen production, an important anti-aging benefit for your skin.
Pantothenic acid, vitamin B5: Can help reduce red and brown skin spots that come with aging, helps metabolize fats and carbs for energy, and is essential for the production of stress and sex related hormones. Since hormone imbalances are a major cause of skin issues, it is very helpful for those with acne, redness, or who need sebum balancing.
Pyridoxine, vitamin B6: Is a major component in the production of serotonin, melatonin and norepinephrine, a stress hormone… all related to mood, sleep patterns and our ability to manage stress. Some medical studies also found that it can help lower inflammation, which not only benefits your skin and is inherently anti-aging, but can also help people with inflammatory health conditions such as arthritis. Together with vitamins B9 and B12, it also helps orchestrate your body’s regulation of levels of homocysteine, and amino acid that is associated with heart disease.
Biotin, vitamin B7: Nicknamed “The Beauty Vitamin, Biotin is essential for healthy skin, nails and hair. Deficiency in biotin can cause itchy skin that is prone to an eczema type of dermatitis. It’s essential as a prenatal vitamin for healthy growth of the fetus, and has been shown to help people with diabetes control blood glucose. It’s an important vitamin for people with celiac disease as well, since celiac disease causes injury to intestines that keeps them from adequate nutrient absorption. 40-50% of the your biotin is created by health intestinal bacteria in the gut, so probiotics are a great way to help increase your biotin levels while gaining other big health benefits as well. Since it helps metabolize fats, it can help energy levels and lessen your body’s tendency to store fat.
Inositol, vitamin B8: Often overlooked, inositol is a vital cofactor for neurotransmitters in the brain. It seems to work especially well in women to reduce anxiety, PMS symptoms, eating disorders and more. Your body can make some, but supplementation can also be very helpful to improve a sense of wellbeing, peace, and happiness. All the major neurotransmitters in the brain rely upon inositol to relay brain messages and it is concentrated in areas of the brain related to communication. It is a natural antidepressant and anti-anxiety remedy that, in some studies, was as effective as medications for these symptoms. Less anxiety and better management of stress, plus improved sleep patterns are all achieved by inositol, and these factors help your skin too. It can also help people with Lithium induced psoriasis, countering the side effects of this medication in the skin.
Folic acid, vitamin B9: Also called folate, is given to pregnant women to help ensure optimal growth in their baby and helps prevent neurological birth defects. Some studies show that it also helps reduce depression and memory loss.
Cobalamin, vitamin B12: One of the most common B vitamins that people are deficient in, it is an especially important vitamin for vegans because it is only derived from animal sources. It works together with B9 to give optimal support to red blood cells, helping them to carry much needed oxygen throughout your body. Oxygen rich blood is extremely important for healthy skin! B12 helps you look healthy and feel energetic. In dermatological studies cobalamin deficiency has been shown to be related to vitiligo, aphthous stomatitis, atopic dermatitis, and acne.
Anti-Aging B Power!
Now that you understand how powerful B vitamins can be, perhaps you’re already inspired to head to Whole Foods for some supplements. But if not, this next B vitamin benefit may get you on the road!
Fact: B vitamins are one of the best anti-aging remedies for skin. They help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, smooth skin texture, heal skin damage, protect against cancer and help skin retain moisture. The greatest anti-aging power of B vitamins may be their ability to fight free radicals, one of the main catalysts in the aging process.
Free radicals occur naturally as part of the metabolic process from food we eat and the air we breathe. Free radicals are simply atoms that have lost one electron, which makes them unstable until that electron is replaced. Atoms are bound together into molecules by the action of electrons (negative charge) and protons (positive charge) into molecules, and the balance between the two must be exact.
When an electron is lost, that atom becomes unstable and begins to ‘attack’ other atoms in an attempt to ‘steal’ the needed electron from them. So at that point your body is literally attacking itself on an atomic level. Whoa! Ready for some peace? We are!
Antioxidants work by donating electrons to atoms that have become free radicals. If left unchecked, those free radicals create a chain reaction as they steal electrons from one another, which eventually injures healthy cells. So supplying antioxidants in the form of vitamins and supplements is truly essential to health on a cellular level. Antioxidants essentially stabilize your cells.
B Vitamin Rich Foods
If you want gorgeous, glowing, healthy skin it makes a lot of sense to understand the various B vitamins so that you can identify which, if any, you could benefit from supplementing. But first, rest assured that supplementing B vitamins is very safe. Did you know that it is impossible to take too many B vitamins? Since B vitamins are water-soluble, they are flushed from your body harmlessly if you take too many. As you probably know, the first place to start supplementing vitamins is through your diet.
Below is a list of foods rich in B vitamins. Get your grocery list ready!
Thiamine, also called vitamin B1: whole grains, peanuts, beans, spinach, kale, blackstrap molasses and wheat germ
Riboflavin, vitamin B2: almonds, wild rice, milk, yogurt, eggs, Brussels sprouts, spinach and soybeans
Niacin, vitamin B3: yeast, red meat, milk, eggs, beans and green vegetables
Pantothenic acid, vitamin B5: avocados, yogurt, eggs, meat and legumes
Pyridoxine, vitamin B6: chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, lentils, sunflower seeds, cheese, brown rice and carrots
Biotin, vitamin B7: barley, liver, yeast, pork, chicken, fish, potatoes, cauliflower, egg yolks and nuts
Inositol, vitamin B8: fruits like cantaloupes, citrus fruits like grapefruit, orange, limes (but not lemons), whole grains and legumes
Folic acid, vitamin B9: dark leafy greens, asparagus, beets, salmon, root vegetables, milk, bulgur wheat and beans
Cobalamin, vitamin B12: fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, beef and pork
Topical B Vitamins for Skin
Dermatologists and estheticians know that topical vitamin B derivatives can dramatically help the health and beauty of your skin. Sometimes they work best when they are both applied externally and taken internally as supplements. Medical studies also show that topical B vitamin formulas help wound healing. B vitamins help collagen production while fighting cancer.
So if you’re wondering how to get your hands on some high quality, natural, topical vitamin B skin care products that can transform your skin check out the list below. All of these can be purchased in Evo’s Lifestyle Boutique.
— Epicuren Skin Care: Enzyme Concentrate Vitamin Protein Complex**
Referred to as the “liquid gold” of the entire Epicuren skin care line! This serum formula is loaded with vitamins plus protein nutrients. It contains vitamins B2, B3, B7, and a form of B5 plus collagen proteins, elastin, and essential botanical extracts. Many of Epicuren’s products contain some of this proprietary formula. Our Epicuren Firming Facial** includes a powerful dose of this!
** On sale (15% discount) in August 2016 at Evo Spa. **
— SkinCeuticals Skin Care: Vitamin B-B5 Hydrating Gel
Oil free moisture provided by high concentrations of B5 and hyaluronic acid. Smooths and bind moisture to skin while keeping pores clear, excellent for skin prone to acne. Vitamin B3 “promotes the skin barrier’s natural repair process”.
— SkinCeuticals Skin Care: Metacell Renewal B3
Metacell Renewal B3 utilizes a patent-pending aqueous emulsion to deliver a high concentration of 5% niacinamide (vitamin B3) combined with a firming tripeptide concentrate, and 15% pure glycerin to address early signs of photoaging.”, according to SkinCeuticals. “…this “comprehensive daily emulsion visibly improves these early signs of photoaing by increasing cell turnover to resurface skin, help reclarify and even skin tone, and improve the appearance of wrinkles and surface elasticity.
Are you feeling empowered? If you want to be proactive in enhancing your natural beauty start with vitamin B. Remember B is for Beautiful!