Gut-Skin Axis: Anti Aging Supplements
Did you know that you can improve how well your skin ages from the inside, with the help of specific supplements? See our recent blogs on skin health and skin issues, the gut-skin axis, skin aging, psoriasis, psoriasis treatment, rosacea, eczema, acne, and athlete’s foot.
In this blog on anti-aging, you will learn which supplements help support healthy skin aging.
What is Skin Aging?
Aging is accumulated cellular damage. Inflammation in the body increases with age and is called inflammaging. Skin loses elasticity, becoming thinner and more fragile. Wrinkles, lines, sagging, age spots and dryness appear.
Factors within our control (excessive sun exposure, poor diet, excess sugar intake, poor gut health, dehydration, pollution, smoking, chronic stress and hormonal changes) contribute to skin aging (Woo YR, 2024). If we learn to optimize them, we can delay skin aging.
Eating a well-rounded whole foods diet is a first and critical step. Ultra processed foods have so many detrimental effects on health, the gut, blood sugar regulation, metabolism, weight and skin.
‘Food First’
In a perfect world, we would be getting all nutrients from food sources before resorting to a supplement. But today, supplements are a necessary addition to a good diet. Soil is depleted of nutrients, stress, pollution, toxins and other negative factors burn through nutrients very quickly in the body and everyone is frequently busy and often stressed, all of which make it difficult to cook perfect meals at home all of the time.
Supplementing certain nutrients can reinforce the skin barrier, support the skin microbiome and improve skin health (Januszewski J, 2024). Fourteen nutrients help maintain skin health: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, curcumin, chlorella, Omega 3, biotin, Polypodium leucotomos (from a fern plant), Simmondsia chinesis (jojoba oil), gamma oryzanol (a mixture of lipids derived from rice), olive leaf extract, spirulina and astaxanthin (Januszewski J, 2024).
These supplements protect skin health, help with inflammatory skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, help protect against UV radiation and may help prevent melanoma development (Januszewski J, 2024).
In this blog we will look at:
Antioxidants
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin D
Vitamin A
Collagen
NMN
Pro- & Prebiotics
Omega 3
Biotin
Antioxidants & Polyphenols
Antioxidants protect against cellular damage from free radicals. They counteract free radicals, which are unstable molecules, that damage DNA, cell membranes and other parts of cells. Antioxidants are made in the body or obtained through diet. Antioxidants are important for good skin health. They protect skin from oxidative damage caused by free radicals from factors like UV radiation and pollution. They help prevent premature aging by reducing fine lines and wrinkles, brighten skin tone and reduce inflammation.
Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant. They are found in plants and are among the most abundant antioxidants in the diet. Like antioxidants, they protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress and help prevent chronic disease.
Diet is extremely important for antioxidants. A diet high in antioxidants fights oxidative stress, aging and chronic disease. Eating whole foods is best. But supplements are also very effective.
Top antioxidants for skin include (Michalak, 2022):
Vitamins A, C and E
Polyphenols area diverse category of plant-based compounds in fruits, vegetables, tea, coffee, and dark chocolate. They include antioxidants like resveratrol (grapes, berries) and curcumin (turmeric).
Selenium and zinc are minerals which protect skin cells from oxidative stress and support collagen production.
CoQ10 provides energy for cells and protects against oxidative damage.
To increase antioxidants, focus on plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains. Key foods are berries, citrus fruits, dark chocolate, leafy greens, nuts, carrots and bell peppers. Choose brightly colored fruits and vegetables; the stronger the color the stronger the antioxidant content.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis and promotes collagen formation. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps maintain healthy skin, by eliminating free radicals which cause oxidative stress and inflammation (Januszewski J, 2024). It protects against UV-induced damage.
Vitamin C can also (Bjørklund G, 2022):
Speed up wound healing through collagen formation and eliminate free radicals, which improves burns and other wound healing.
Support the immune system by modulating inflammatory cytokine secretion, decreasing metastasis of melanoma and reducing the development of tumors.
The best food sources of vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables. Sometimes it is challenging to eat enough fresh vitamin C foods. In this case, a supplement can ensure we meet the daily requirements. Vitamin C is also effective in a topical serum for skin health. We will look at this in our upcoming blog on skin care products.
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Vitamin E
Vitamin E is called the ‘vitamin of youth’.
- It is an antioxidant which protects against oxidative damage from UV rays and free radicals. Vitamin E helps to prevent premature aging by improving skin hydration and repair (Januszewski J, 2024).
- Vitamin E has anti-tumor and photoprotective properties (Januszewski J, 2024). It strengthens the skin barrier, reduces inflammation and supports skin repair (Januszewski J, 2024).
- A vitamin E deficiency can worsen general skin condition, impair wound healing and may lead to hair loss (Januszewski J, 2024).
Vitamin E is often an ingredient in skin care products for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Food sources of vitamin E include nuts, grains and extra virgin olive oil.
Vitamin D
- Vitamin D supports overall and skin health. It is made in the body when the skin absorbs sunlight (Papadopoulou S, 2025).
- Vitamin D is anti-inflammatory and anti-aging (Papadopoulou S, 2025).
- It supports skin elasticity and strength.
- As an antioxidant, it is protective against UV damage, melanoma and cancer.
- Vitamin D helps prevent skin issues like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, acne and rosacea.
- Vit D deficiency is involved in many diseases, including skin diseases.
Vitamin D can be increased by time in the sun, through diet or through supplementation. Food sources include oily fish (rainbow trout, wild salmon), beef liver, soy milk, dairy products, fortified dairy alternatives and mushrooms. Or supplement with D3.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an antioxidant. It stimulates collagen production to help firm the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It reduces acne by modulating oil production to reduce pores getting blocked and causing acne breakouts. Vitamin A supports skin immunity and can increase antimicrobial and antibacterial peptides which fight off pathogens on the skin. This can help prevent viruses and bacteria on the skin and support good microbial diversity of the skin microbiome (Januszewski J, 2024).
Retinol is the active form of vitamin A. Topical vitamin A or retinol is used in creams and serums skin care products. It supports skin elasticity and stimulates collagen and cellular repair. We will look at retinol skin products in our upcoming blog on skin care.
Collagen
Collagen is a protein. Collagen strengthens skin and improves elasticity and moisture. This keeps skin firm and prevents sagging. Collagen can decrease wrinkles, repair the skin barrier and accelerate wound healing. Collagen production declines by 1% each year which is why fine lines and wrinkles appear in older people (Al-Atif, 2022). Collagen production is reduced by unhealthy lifestyle factors like smoking, excessive sun exposure, excess alcohol and lack of sleep.
Some research shows taking hydrolyzed collagen for 90 days helped improve skin. It is effective in reducing skin aging, decreasing wrinkles and improving skin elasticity and hydration (de Miranda R, 2021). There are mixed results as other research revealed no effect of collagen supplements for improving skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkles (Myung SK, 2025).
Despite this discrepancy it can be helpful to take a collagen supplement as there are no adverse effects. Or eat collagen-rich foods: bone broth, egg yolks, fish & chicken (especially the skin and cartilage). Eat foods with collagen-building nutrients (protein, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc) like citrus fruits, kiwis, bell peppers, broccoli, pineapple and mango.
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)
NMN is a molecule that is a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NMN increases NAD+ levels in the body. This increases energy and supports cellular repair.
NMN can slow the aging process through multiple mechanisms of action (Wang E, 2025). NMN can repair DNA damage, boost energy metabolism, regulate mitochondrial function, rebalance inflammatory responses, modulate the gut microbiome and activate autophagy pathways (Wang E, 2025). You can read more on anti-aging, NMN and NAD+ in our blog here.
Increase NMN and its anti-aging benefits by:
- Taking an NMN supplement
- Eating NMN foods: broccoli, cabbage, avocado, cucumber and tomato
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain an even low blood sugar level
- Try occasional fasting, IF and /or calorie restriction
- Avoid excessive sun exposure which depletes NMN and damages DNA
Probiotics and prebiotics support gut and skin health. They help reduce oxidative stress, photodamage, inflammation and improve an impaired skin barrier. They increase skin antioxidant enzymes to boost hydration. They improve skin appearance and elasticity and decrease wrinkles (Woo YR, 2024).
Omega 3 fats are important for good skin health. They improve skin barrier integrity and reduce sun sensitivity (Wallingford SC, 2012). Omega 3s help resolve inflammation and restore skin balance to support overall skin health.
Biotin, or vitamin B7, supports skin health. It improves skin texture and elasticity. It does this by helping the body to produce collagen. It maintains skin moisture levels and reduces inflammation (Cervantes A, 2025).
Most people get enough biotin from their diet. A biotin deficiency can lead to skin rashes. But biotin deficiency is rare (Cervantes A, 2025). Foods with biotin include egg yolks, organ meats like liver, fish especially salmon, nuts, seeds, legumes, sweet potatoes and mushrooms. A varied diet usually provides sufficient biotin for most people
If you are interested in optimizing your skin health to age well or need help with other skin issues then get in touch with us at the Medicine with Heart clinic. We can help you to best manage and optimize your gut-skin health!
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