Q: Can taking certain supplements make my skin healthier and more hydrated?
A: “The body absorbs and utilizes nutrients much more efficiently and effectively from whole foods than from a pill,” says New York dermatologist Doris Day. “I’m cautious about taking multivitamins for this reason.” Meanwhile, eating well-balanced meals that include antioxidants and essential fatty acids definitely helps repair and prevent damage to skin cells, thus making your skin look more radiant. And it’s nearly impossible not to get enough antioxidants and vitamins from your regular diet, since they’re in fruits and berries, vegetables, spices like cinnamon and turmeric, red wine, green tea, olive oil, and dark chocolate. If you’re feeling deficient in omega-3 (in walnuts, almonds, and salmon), then Day recommends taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement. “It will minimize inflammation and redness, and improve the overall resilience of your skin. But it won’t hydrate from the inside out.” So if you have dry skin, moisturizer will do more for you than downing a daily capsule of anything.
