Do any of you take supplements with supposed skin benefits? Like maybe some oral collagen sachets and glutathione capsules? Have you ever wondered if they are really effective or did you just buy into the hype and hope for the best? Fret not, for today I collectively summarized the scientific researches I’ve read on the different skin, hair and nail supplements for you. You’ve read and heard about the brands’ marketing ads and claims on them but what does science really say?

GLUTATHIONE

Let’s start with glutathione because I frequently get asked about it. Clinicians originally gave glutathione in high doses to patients undergoing chemotherapy to prevent toxicity. They noticed the patients’ skins were lightening and further studies showed that glutathione prevents melanin formation, improves skin elasticity and reduces wrinkles.

The main and ongoing issue with glutathione however, is the aggressive promotion of aesthetic centers of glutathione thru IV drips. As a PDS dermatologist, I am against it. Why? First of all, IV glutathione is not FDA-approved as a skin-whitening agent and second, it’s only proven and approved for medical use in certain cases. For now, there are not enough researches on IV glutathione on healthy subjects to prove its safety and efficacy. In one study, all the patients had side effects and a few developed liver damage with weekly infusion. Lastly, the brightening effect of glutathione, whether taken orally or thru IV, was only seen in some areas of the body and will not last long after it has been discontinued.

COLLAGEN

Collagen is naturally found in the dermal layer of our skin and when we age, the collagen content in the dermis decreases which we can physically see as wrinkling and sagging of the skin. In different studies, it was found that those who are taking oral collagen had improved skin hydration, increased collagen density in the dermis, increased skin elasticity and decreased facial wrinkles. And in one study regarding nail growth, there was a significant increase in their growth and less frequency of being broken after taking collagen peptides for half a year.

CERAMIDES

If you’ve heard of ceramides then maybe you’re familiar with them as a skincare ingredient and their role in maintaining a healthy skin barrier especially those who have dry and sensitive skin types. They keep the moisture locked in the skin and reduce irritation and redness. As oral supplements, ceramides were shown to improve skin by decreasing dryness, hyperpigmentation, redness, oiliness, roughness and wrinkles. They also increased skin hydration levels, elasticity and smoothness in another study.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is a popular oral supplement now because of the pandemic because it boosts the immune system. Its importance in collagen synthesis and role as an antioxidant makes it a well-known ingredient in skincare but the truth is, they don’t provide the same effects on the skin when taken orally because of how it’s absorbed in the gut. Even when you take high doses, say about 1000 mg, only 50% is absorbed. So if you want to get the best results from vitamin C, I advise you to just incorporate it in your skincare routines via a serum or creams.

CAROTENOIDS

Carotenoids are a group of pigments responsible for the colors yellow, orange and red you see in plants, vegetables and fruits. You may be familiar with them when you hear lycopene, beta-carotene and lutein because they are the most common. As a whole, they act as antioxidants because of their protective role against UV radiation by scavenging free radicals produced. Some of them can also be converted into vitamin A or retinol.

In addition, lycopene which is the richest and most effective carotenoid found in the skin, improves skin texture, elasticity, reduces wrinkles when taken orally. Lutein and zeaxanthin can reportedly filter blue light and have anti-inflammatory properties. Despite its photoprotective action against UV rays, taking carotenoids should not be taken as a substitute for sunscreen application.

BIOTIN

Biotin is currently being used as a hair and nail growth supplement but to tell you the truth, there are not enough studies on its overall effectiveness. For those who have hair and nail problems related to an underlying disorder, or to low levels of biotin, like hair loss and other forms of dermatitis, biotin supplementation has been proven to improve the skin, hair and nails. Sadly, these results aren’t observed on people without any biotin deficiency because of the lack of research. To date, there is no scientific evidence proving that taking oral biotin will see an improvement in the growth of hair and nails, and skin health of healthy individuals.

COENZYME Q10

Coenzyme Q10 started out as a supplement for those with heart diseases, diabetes and cancer but because of its antioxidant property, it’s now being added in skincare to promote anti-aging. And as we age, our body’s ability to produce CoQ10 decreases – it declines after we reach our 20s. Studies in its oral intake led to a decrease in facial wrinkles and was effective against reducing UVA-induced damage on the skin. However, when it comes to skin hydration or collagen production, there have been conflicting reports. I think it’s best then to add either a collagen or ceramide supplement together with CoQ10.

Even if the research done on some of these supplements reveal impressive results, they didn’t happen overnight or in a couple of weeks. These were taken daily over a period of months and just like with skincare, consistency is the key before you will see noticeable improvements.

Are there anymore supplements you’d like to know about? Hit us up in the comments below. Until my next article then, stay safe everyone!

Dr. Nikki Paderna is currently available for online consultations thru the HealthNow app on Google Play for Android devices and on the Apple store for iOS devices, or thru the FB page, Vivestrata Dermatology Clinic

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