Vitamins to Eliminate Dark Circles Under the Eyes & Have Better Skin
Dark under eye circles are a common skin problem that causes you to look exhausted and older than your actual age. Vitamins are essential for your skin, and boosting your intake of certain vitamins may help return your skin to its natural glowing state. However, factors outside of nutrients influence your skin's condition, such as sun exposure, smoking, genetics and natural aging, so you shouldn't count on vitamins to be a miracle cure.
Pack your diet with vitamins that specifically benefit your skin. (Image: Design Pics/Design Pics/Getty Images)Fight Dark Circles
Niacin, or vitamin B-3, belongs to a group of eight B vitamins that help keep you healthy. Taking a niacin supplement or getting it from your diet may help eliminate dark circles by increasing circulation to the skin below your eyes and fighting inflammation, writes naturopathic physician Alan Logan in his book "The Clear Skin Diet." The University of Maryland Medical Center confirms that niacin does help improve circulation and may reduce inflammation. Keep in mind, however, that clinical studies which demonstrate that B-3 gets rid of dark circles are lacking.
Wrinkle Prevention
Whether it's crow's feet or smile lines, women everywhere dread the appearance of wrinkles. Boosting your intake of wrinkle-fighting vitamins may help prevent wrinkles from forming. Vitamin E and C have anti-wrinkle benefits, according to Logan. In an animal study, a supplement mixture of vitamins E, C and evening primrose oil, enhanced collagen production, effectively preventing wrinkles from forming in response to sun exposure. The study was published in the October, 2007 issue of the journal "Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, Photomedicine."
Overall Skin Health
Vitamin A is perhaps most widely known for its skin benefits. The cells in your skin are very sensitive to vitamin A levels, and Vitamin A plays a vital role toward keeping your skin healthy. Vitamin A protects your skin from sun damage and helps repair your skin, in the event that sun damage occurs, according to Oregon State University. It also plays a crucial role in keeping the collagen in your skin balanced. Collagen is the major structural protein that makes up your connective tissues. Vitamin A may also help improve acne, according to OSU.
Where to Get Them
The best place to get vitamins is from your diet. Luckily, vitamins A, C and E are easy to get from a variety of foods. The richest sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, as well as cantaloupe, mango, papaya and pineapple. The most concentrated sources of vitamin A are sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, squash and green, leafy vegetables. The recommended daily intake is 700 to 900 micrograms of vitamin A; 75 to 90 micrograms of vitamin C and 15 milligrams of vitamin E.
