Anti-aging expert offers advice on minerals and vitamin-based skin care

• It is a simple fact that radiant, more youthful skin demands proper external care plus adequate vitamin and mineral intake to provide nourishment to developing skin cells.
• Optimal consumption of nutrients is an essential, but often overlooked, step in enhancing the texture and beauty of the skin.
• In the past few years, studies have revealed the optimal doses of various compounds required to help the body manufacture the smoothest, softest and most radiant skin, as well as minimize the formation of wrinkles and slow other characteristics of skin aging.
• Ingestion of antioxidant vitamins and minerals from supplements has been shown to protect skin cells from free-radical damage induced by overexposure to ultraviolet light and various harmful environmental chemicals.
• Supplementation with specific doses of vitamin C, vitamin E, betacarotene, lycopene, selenium and zinc may boost the body's ability to intercept and neutralize free radicals, defending skin cells from many of these damaging effects.
• A properly designed high-potency multivitamin and mineral that is fortified with optimal levels of specific antioxidant vitamins and minerals can help protect the skin from free-radical damage.
• Deficiencies of the B vitamins produce various forms of dermatitis (skin inflammation problems), including lack of skin smoothness, seborrhoea-like scaly lesions, and/or irregular pigmentation.
• While beneficial for limiting skin problems associated with aging, daily supplementation with a high-potency multiple vitamin and mineral can help address other body areas prone to aging and environmental damage.
• For instance, a good multi-vitamin can provide the body with the right blend and doses of nutrients needed to enhance nail hardness and the sheen and quality of hair.
• The daily ingestion of a high-potency multiple vitamin and mineral supplement is an important aspect of skincare and health promotion.