In case you weren’t aware, I’d like to share the importance of antioxidants and the benefits not only for your health but also for your skin.
Antioxidant beverages are popping up everywhere. You see them advertised almost daily from one juice after another. Even V8 has a new line of antioxidant beverages. Not to mention the multitude of network marketing companies that are pushing the health benefits of consuming antioxidants. Some of these are actually very good but the costs are usually pretty high per oz since there are alot of levels that need to be paid with these distribution channels. You’ll notice alot of them focus on what the ORAC value is for their supplement compared to others with the same shelf space. Oxygen radical absorption capacity or ORAC is a score card if you will that is used to identify units or value and the higher the value, the greater the antioxidant power. The average American should consume around 3000- 5000 units per day, however, most of us fall short and consume only about 1000. Over time, this deficiency increases and can contribute to aging, chronic diseases and degenerative cells. Supplements are designed to boost our dietary challenges.
Here’s the newsflash: Our bodies really do need to consume antioxidants and our skin needs to have antioxidants as well. Virtually all plants and animals protect themselves from the sun using vitamins C and E except for humans! Instead we must consume Vitamin C ( Ascorbic Acid) in our diet and apply topically to target the area of protection. Actually, Vitamins C & E work together – when E becomes oxidized by free radicals (the number one reason our skin ages) it is regenerated in the membrane by Vitamin C. Thru the miracle of nature, these two powerful antioxidants enhance the effectiveness of each other to neutralize free radicals – one of the factors in aging.
Another benefit of Vitamin E is that it also protects skin against pollutants, UV light and has been shown to help reduce skin cancer.
Vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis (collagen gives our skin fullness). Vitamin C also acts as a skin lightener and inhibits melanin production (prevous sun damange results in those brown spots as we age on areas of skin that have been exposed) and protects our skin against erythema (redness) from UVB/UVA exposure.
For people like me that live in a State exposed to sun 365 days a year, this is a great reason to apply C & E topically.
Actually, most of your concentration of Vitamins C & E are in the epidermis not the dermis and here’s the really bad news, in aged skin with sun exposure antioxidant levels may be as much as 60-70% lower. And if you are smoker, your levels will be even worse as cigarette smoke robs our skin of oxygen. (ever notice a smokers skin looks kind of grey – it’s because it’s being starved of oxygen)
But don’t despair- there really is good news in all of this! Your skin does benefit from the combination of Topical Vitamins C & E and these natural products may also protect against skin cancer and photo-aging. Studies show, to have the maximum benefit of Vitamin C & E look for topical vitamins or serums in a concentration of at least 15%-20% L-ascorbic Acid combined with 1% -5% of D-Alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E) at a pH level of between 3.2 and 3.5.
Remember, even if you are applying topical antioxidants don’t skip the SPF . This is the best possible combination to help protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun. And you’re doing your skin the best favor you can because healthy glowing skin never goes
out of style.
Be good to yourself in 2009!
Pam Tirado, President, Luminoso Studios, Inc.
