The skin is the body's largest organ, so what's good for the rest of your body and health will be good for your skin as well. Maintaining a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water will help you maintain clear skin. Several nutrients and vitamins are known to help with skin biology.
Vitamin A: Retinol is the naturally occurring form of Vitamin A, found in fish oils, liver and dairy products. Vitamin A produced by plants is known as Beta-carotene, and is found in yellow/orange fruits and vegetable such as carrots, yams, apricots and cantaloupe, as well as green vegetables like parsley, kale and spinach. Since Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin high doses of Vitamin A can be toxic, therefore it is important to monitor the amount of vitamin A that you may intake from supplements.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, it protects your cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the body's metabolism. Vitamin E not only protects the skin from damage but also helps the immune system and the repair process. Rich natural sources of vitamin E can be found in almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, broccoli, wheat germ and vegetable oils.
Vitamin B-2: Stress has been known to aggravate existing cases of acne, and Vitamin B-2 is often helpful alleviating stress and supporting the immune system. Foods with a high concentration of B-2 include whole grains, fish,milk, eggs, meat and leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin B-3: Vitamin B-3 improves blood circulation thereby promoting healthy skin. It also reduces the cholesterol level in the blood and helps you metabolize protein, sugar & fat. Rich sources of Vitamin B-3 include, peanuts, eggs, avocados, liver and lean meats,
Zinc: Research has shown that people with moderate to severe acne have significantly lower systemic (bodily) zinc levels than people who do not have acne. Zinc is an antioxidant and is also known to boost the immune system. Acne infections destroy collagen and elastin fibers that make up skin. Zinc is frequently called the clean-up enzyme, as it is a co-factor in the removal of damaged tissue caused by acne and other injuries. The healing and repair of acne also requires zinc, and research has shown severe zinc deficiency within in active or chronic acne sites. While zinc is critical to the skin's immune and repair functions, it also inhibits sebum production.Testosterone in the skin can convert to dihydrotestosterone, which stimulates the production of sebum. The presence of zinc inhibits this conversion and thereby inhibits sebum production. Zinc can be found in eggs, whole grains, nuts and mushrooms.
Supplements should be checked for their iodine content; while normal amounts of iodine have not been shown to affect skin, amounts greater than the RDA of 150 mcg may aggravate your acne.
