We all know that vitamin D, better known as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, plays an important role in keeping your bones strong. But did you know that this vitamin also plays an essential role in skin health? Your skin is the primary organ to give vitamin D to your body. It is therefore no wonder that vitamin D plays a crucial role in the maintenance of your skin.
Vitamin D has been shown to provide endless benefits to the skin. The top 5 benefits of Vitamin D for the skin are given below:
How does Vitamin D benefit your Skin?
It is a commonly-known fact that a lack of the sunshine vitamin can lead to reduced immunity and increased inflammation in the body. This affects the outermost layer of the skin and can increase the chances of dryness, darkening of the skin, and infection in general.
According to reported research, Vitamin D controls the epidermal melanin unit and restores melanocyte integrity.
Healthy levels of vitamin D have been proven to prevent the signs of aging and other kinds of skin problems.
Whereas, a lack of vitamin D can lead to insulin sensitivity, which can exacerbate acne or premature aging of the skin by the production of glycosylated collagen.
So, taking a diet or supplement rich in vitamin D can help keep your skin healthy.
Click here to know about the best time to take vitamin D.
Let us have a closer look at the major benefits of adding vitamin D to your diet:
1. Action Against Microbes:
In addition to promoting strong immunity and regulating components of the immune system, vitamin D has direct antibacterial effects on the skin.
Whenever germs enter the skin, vitamin D activates specific receptors that kill the microbes. On this account, “vitamin D can modulate T cell profiles and produce antimicrobial peptides in the skin, potentially improving skin inflammation and vascular responses and reducing secondary skin infections.”
2. Regulate the Function of Sebaceous Glands:
In easier words, sebaceous glands referred to as sweat glands are small tubular structures of the skin that produce sweat or sebum.
According to dermato endocrinology research, “Vitamin D appears to inhibit sebum cell proliferation and differentiation which is a key factor in sebum production.”
Fact: Excess sebum production can lead to oily skin or acne on the face. As per the conclusion of another study, vitamin D decreases the production of sebum after the treatment of sebocytes with P.acnes.
Contact the best skin specialists in Lahore if you suffer from acne.
3. Boost the Immune System of the Skin
The skin is the largest organ of protection and the body’s first line of defense.
Vitamin D is essential for the activation of immune cells such as macrophages and monocytes. These cells of the innate immune system play an important role in identifying and fighting any foreign substances that enter the skin.
Vitamin D is also required for the regulation of B cells and T cells, two major components of the adaptive immune system. Overactivation of these cells can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Behcet’s Disease or Dermatitis Herpetiformis.
4. Reduces Skin Inflammation:
Skin inflammation occurs when the skin reacts to something that you have touched or ingested. Vitamin D may be an important treatment option for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
According to a reported study, “vitamin D has been found to inhibit inflammatory cytokines (which are present in “extremely high levels” in psoriatic skin).
Vitamin D has been shown to increase the expression of the protein cathelicidin. This antimicrobial protein promotes the repair of skin barrier mechanisms and damaged tissue.
Hence, it is important in the process of healing wounds on the skin.
Vitamin D plays a strong immunosuppressive action related to skin inflammation, balances cytokine levels, and increases tolerance.
Did You Know: A lack of vitamin D increases the risk of skin diseases such as psoriasis, ichthyosis, vitiligo, photoreactivity, Alzheimer’s disease, hair loss, and melanoma.
5. Prevents Skin Cancer
Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is a primary environmental risk factor for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) and non-melanoma skin cancers.
According to research, vitamin D has pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects on skin cells that produce melanin pigment.
A 2009 cohort study found that patients with low vitamin D levels had thicker melanoma tumors.
How to take vitamin D for the skin?
You must be thinking about ways to consume or utilize vitamin D in order to prevent skin problems and stay healthy for a longer period. Here you go:
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Vitamin D is available in two forms:
Vitamin D3 is obtained through exposure to sunlight, and vitamins D2 and D3 are obtained through animals and plants.
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Vitamin D face mask:
Vitamin D face masks will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Egg yolks and yogurt are not only rich sources of vitamin D, but also have anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe redness, and act as a mild exfoliant.
Also Read: Fruits rich in vitamin D
Caution: Taking higher amounts of vitamin D in supplement form can be harmful. Children older than 9 years, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women who consume more than 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day may experience nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss.
Bottom Line:
Numerous functions of the skin are regulated by vitamin D and/or its receptors. These include inhibiting proliferation, promoting differentiation including the formation of permeability barriers, promoting innate immunity, regulating the hair follicle cycle, and inhibiting tumorigenesis.
It is recommended to maintain a healthy dose of vitamin D in your regular diet. You should consult a nutritionist through Marham and take a prescribed vitamin D oral supplement in order to reap the benefits of vitamin D for your skin.
FAQs:
1. Which vitamin is best for the skin?
Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for your skin, along with vitamins C, E, and K. Making sure you get enough vitamins can keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. Consult the best dermatologist in Lahore for expert skincare advice.
2. Does vitamin D hydrate skin?
Research shows that low levels of vitamin D can increase your chances of dry skin. Therefore, moderate consumption of vitamin D supplements can help increase skin hydration.
3. Is vitamin D a hormone?
Vitamin D is a hormone rather than a vitamin. It is needed to absorb calcium from the intestine into the bloodstream. Most vitamin D is produced by the skin in response to sunlight and is also absorbed from foods eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet (about 10% of vitamin D is absorbed this way).