Best Vitamin For Skin Health

Resveratrol Health Benefits: Are You Buying The Hype?

Resveratrol is a compound largely found in skin of red grapes. It is a component of an oriental medicine, ko-jo-kon, which is mainly used to treat diseases, associated with blood vessels, liver and heart. This essential nutrient gained widespread attention during the mid-1990s as a possible explanation for “French Paradox” – the reduced incidences of heart diseases amongst the French people who consumed a relatively high-fat diet. Ever since then resveratrol has been touted by the scientific researchers as a powerful antioxidant and phytoestrogen.

Getting Enough Of This Nutrient

Although, present in plant sources, such as lily, eucalyptus and spruce and food sources, such as peanuts and mulberries, the richest sources of resveratrol includes, muscadine grapes, Vitis vinifera and labrusca, which are the common varieties used for wine preparations. It is found in the roots, stalks and seeds, but the richest source of resveratrol are the skin that contains around 50 micrograms to 100 micrograms of this nutrient per gram.

As stated earlier, resveratrol is a phytoalexin, which is defined as a class of antibiotic compounds that are produced as a result of plant’s defense mechanism against various diseases. For instance, resveratrol is synthesized by malonyl CoA and p-coumaroyl CoA from the plants to fight away the invading fungus. Also, as fungal infections are common incidences in colder regions, so grapes produced in colder regions are supposed to have higher resveratrol concentrations.

Today, you can avail the many benefits of resveratrol uses in the form of resveratrol supplements. Here again, you can opt for sole resveratrol supplement or supplements that offer resveratrol in combination with other essential vitamins and minerals. You can also explore the many resveratrol health benefits in the form of skin creams.

The labels of most of the resveratrol supplements available in the market show that the supplements contain 20 to 500 mg of resveratrol per serving. However, the purity level of all these resveratrol supplements is not known and as there is no strict regulation for dietary supplements, so you should not assume the labeled dosage to be accurate.

Understanding The Resveratrol Health Benefits

Resveratrol may help in expanding the blood vessels and it may also serve to limit the activity of the cells required for blood clotting. According to various studies, it has been revealed that resveratrol may also help in decreasing inflammation. And though resveratrol uses are many, the key benefits of this nutrient include –

Cardiovascular Health Benefits Of Resveratrol

Research suggests that consumption of alcohol, especially red wine, may actually reduce the incidences of coronary heart diseases. Here, it should be noted that most of the resveratrol health benefits are due to its powerful antioxidant properties. Also, it is widely being claimed that as resveratrol contains highly lipophilic and hydrophilic properties, so it may prove much more effective in providing cardiovascular protection than other common antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E. On the other hand, resveratrol is less potent than the antioxidants epicatechin and quercetin, which is found in red wine. Lowered platelet aggregation has been observed in studies based on resveratrol, which can help prevent atherosclerosis. It should however be noted that there are still not enough evidences to draw practical conclusions about resveratrol health benefits.

Anti- Aging Effects

According to laboratory tests performed on mice, increased survival and reduced incidences of several diseases and other conditions associated with aging were revealed. Results to these studies, however, are still contradictory. Positive results have been found in mice that were fed low-calorie and high-fat diet. In 2009, after reviewing the studies conducted on animals, the highly respected Medical Studies concluded that resveratrol does produce the same effects as are produced by calorie restricted diet, which have reduced the incidence of age-related diseases in animal. However, whether it has any of these benefits in humans still has to be established.

Resveratrol Uses – Staying Cautious

Although, various laboratory tests have concluded that resveratrol may prove beneficial in preventing cardiovascular diseases, there are still a number of reasons as to why its increasing demand is premature.

The research conducted on resveratrol uses has mostly been for short-term and has been performed in vitro and not on human models.
There is no clear insight upon absorption and clearance of resveratrol, its effect on metabolic processes as well as liver.
Red wine is its main dietary source. This means, not only is its concentration in red wine variable, but consuming too much of red wine to boost your resveratrol levels could certainly do more harm than good.

Vitamin D Supplements – Do You Really Need Them?

According to a report revealed by the researches analyzing numerous studies suggest that Vitamin D supplements may not help protect healthy, middle-aged adults from osteoporosis. What’s even worse is that abusive use of the supplements may even increase the risk of death from other diseases.

Does that mean Vitamin D supplements should not be taken?

Before you completely deny the health benefits of Vitamin D supplements, make sure you are not deficient of this essential nutrient. The only message for patients suffering from Vitamin D deficiency is that Vitamin D supplements can only cause a positive impact on your health and nothing else.

A large number of Rheumatologists all over the globe suggest that if you are healthy and are not getting treated for any medical condition, then you need not worry about Vitamin D supplementation. But, in case you are now taking supplements, make sure you get your Vitamin D levels checked before stopping them.

Are You The One Who Needs Vitamin D The Most?

If you belong to any one of the below mentioned categories, then you certainly do need to pump up your Vitamin D levels –

If you are on long-term steroid doses
If you are pregnant or a lactating mother
Postmenopausal women
Aging adult (especially the home bound or nursing assisted elderly people)
Patients with parathyroid diseases
Patients with chronic kidney diseases

If you don’t belong to any one the above stated categories and are still not sure you’re at a risk of Vitamin D deficiency, it is then advisable to consult your health care provider and get your Vitamin D levels checked. Doing this will help your health care provider prescribe the right amount of Vitamin D supplements for your overall well-being.

Understanding The Partnership Between Calcium And Vitamin D

It is no unknown fact that Vitamin D and Calcium share a symbiotic relationship in order to strengthen and protect your bones. In fact, health care experts especially recommend postmenopausal women to take Vitamin D and Calcium supplements to prevent the risk of osteoporosis – a bone-thinning disease, which is one major cause of devastating falls and fractures in old age.

A number of studies have linked Calcium to heart attack as well as stroke. This is mainly because higher doses of Calcium supplementation can increase calcification in the arteries, causing heart diseases. This is one main reason why a number of patients prefer taking Vitamin D supplements alone for prevention.

Although, sunlight constitutes the best source of Vitamin D, but it is certainly not the best way to boost the Vitamin D levels in your body. It is very essential to wear sunscreen before stepping out into the sun, to prevent skin cancer, but doing this also negates the effects of the sun. This is exactly where you need to look out for other sources of Vitamin D to fulfil body’s daily nutrient requirement.

Fracture Protection: What Do Studies Suggest?

Older people certainly stand a greater chance of developing a deficiency of Vitamin D. A majority of health care experts all over the globe suggest that Vitamin D supplements can have a major impact in preventing osteomalacia – a disease characterized as softening of bones which increases the likelihood of more fractures.

According to health care experts, Vitamin D supplements may not only improve bone density in older patients, but may also deliver huge benefits for muscle function, cognition as well as falling.

It should however be noted that health care experts still believe that further research needs to be done on Vitamin D as more evidences are needed to verify its health benefits.

The Secret Of Best Vitamin For Skin Revealed

Vitamin D aka the sunshine vitamin is popular for its bone and dental health benefits. In fact, everyone today is well aware of the importance of maintaining optimum levels of Vitamin D in the body for promoting overall health and well-being. However, you would be surprised to learn that Vitamin D is also indispensable to the beauty, health and longevity of the largest organ of the body – the skin. This makes Vitamin D the best vitamin for skin.

Sunlight – Should You Be Concerned?

Its no unknown fact that the body is capable of producing Vitamin D upon sun exposure. However, the problem lies in the fact that excessive sun exposure accelerates the process of skin ageing. Also, with the passage of time, the Ultra-Violet radiations from the sun further damages the skin, resulting into sun spots, blemishes, fine lines and wrinkles. Not only this, it may also increase your risk of skin cancer. It should also be noted that much of the Vitamin D produced by the skin, is mainly taken up and used by other parts of the body.

The following article discusses the crucial role of Vitamin D in development and repair of skin cells and also how Vitamin D capsules deliver direct benefits of Vitamin D to your skin, preserving its health, softness and youthfulness.

Interesting Facts About Vitamin D

It would be interesting to learn that Vitamin D does not fit in the classic definition of being a vitamin at all. A vitamin is defined as any substance, which is crucial for performing everyday functions, but cannot be synthesised in sufficient quantities by the body and hence, must be obtained from the diet.

The skin is capable of producing as much as 10,000 IUs of Vitamin D when exposed to summer sun for 20-30 minutes. However, there are many limitations to internal Vitamin D synthesis, some of which include age, colour, geographical location, sunlight availability due to seasonal variation and generous use of sun protection lotions, which make it difficult for your body to produce as much Vitamin D as it is capable of producing.

Vitamin D resembles more of a hormone than a vitamin. In fact, calcitriol – the active form of Vitamin D, is unquestionably one of the most powerful hormones present in the body and is capable of activating over 2,000 genes in the body.

The Best Vitamin For Skin Cell Growth And Replacement

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. This makes it quite easy for calcitriol to cross over the phospholipid membrane of the body cells, to get close to the nucleus. Next, it binds with the Vitamin D receptors. This helps in regulating the expression of genes, which work to activate and de-activate different cell functions. All the Vitamin D receptors are directly involved in cell proliferation and differentiation to optimise immune health functions. This process vitally serves crucial for your skin, which serves as first line of defence against a host of pathological diseases.

This constant loss of cells from the surface of your skin must be offset naturally. This is mainly compensated by the ongoing Vitamin D dependent skin renewal process that takes place in specialised cells called as keratinocytes, which constitute about 95% of the total cells in your epidermis. These cells are highly valuable owing to their two main properties – their ability to divide actively and their ability to differentiate. This ways, keratinocytes provide a continuous chain of new cells for the replenishment of skin’s surface.

Skin and Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in skin health, protection and rejuvenation
The active form of Vitamin D, calcitriol plays a major role in skin cell growth, repair as well as metabolism
Although, body is capable of producing this best vitamin for skin upon sun exposure, too much of Vitamin D can accelerate skin aging
Age, seasonal variation, skin tone and geographic location can at times make it difficult for your skin to produce Vitamin D, due to varying sunlight availability. Therefore, you can consider taking Vitamin D capsules to fulfil your body’s daily Vitamin D requirement.

Choose the best vitamin D supplement for best results.