The two nutrients that can keep your skin young
Everyone likes to look their best. So we all hate it when the wrinkles begin to take over. Unfortunately, we can't stop your skin from aging. But now there's evidence that we can at least slow down how fast it ages.
A recent study followed 4,025 women between the ages of 40 and 74 years. The researchers determined skin aging by wrinkling, dryness, and atrophy.
The researchers found that higher intakes of two nutrients can work wonders for your skin. Higher intakes of vitamin C retarded wrinkling and senile dryness. And higher intakes of linoleic acid slowed dryness and skin atrophy.
The study confirms what we know about these two nutrients. Vitamin C is critical in collagen production. As you age, collagen decays, thinning your skin and contributing to wrinkling. Linoleic acid is an essential omega-6 fatty acid. It's crucial for your cell membranes and providing your skin with a moisture-loss barrier.
By the way, the study also found that a daily 17-gram increase (about one McDonald's cheeseburger) in fat intake caused a 28% increased risk of wrinkling and a significantly (37%) increased risk of skin atrophy. Similarly, a daily 50-gram increase in carb intake (that's about one bagel) caused a 36% increased likelihood of wrinkling and a 33% increased risk of skin atrophy.
Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to stay youthful looking. But the real message of this study is to get more natural nutrients from your food. Avoid trash foods, especially processed carbs and fat. Most of your fat intake should be from high-quality food sources that are rich in essential fatty acids.
Yours for better health and medical freedom,
Robert Jay Rowen, MD
Ref: Am J Clin Nutr, 2007; 86(4).
NOTE; Linoleic acid is Omega 6 and is contained in:
Linoleic Acid (Omega 6 family)
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Nuts
- Grains
- Seeds
The human body is supposed to be able to make linolenic and arachidonic fatty acids from linoleic acid. Previously, all three were considered essential fatty acids (EFA) before the metabolism of these fatty acids was understood.
Linoleic acid is found in butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil as well oils from corn, cottonseed, olive, palm, palm kernel, peanut, rapeseed (Canola), safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower. Butter, coconut, palm and palm kernel are saturated fats and the others are monounsaturated (olive and peanut) or polyunsaturated (corn, cottonseed, rapeseed, safflower, soybean and sunflower. Sesame oil contains about equal amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats.
Linolenic and arachidonic fatty acids are also found in these same food sources of fat.
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