Micronutrients are vital for good health and radiant skin, but almost everyone survives on less than optimum levels and it actually shows on our skin.

What are micronutrients?

Macronutrients are the different types of food such as fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

However, our body is breaking these components down even further to produce the very building blocks of our food such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids. These are known as micronutrients.

Micronutrients are essential for glowing skin and vibrant health. Keep in mind the recommended daily allowance for micronutrients are simply the minimum levels to prevent serious diseases associated with deficiencies. To truly thrive rather than just survive, you will likely benefit from more than the minimum levels.

How are the micronutrients affecting your skin?

The appearance of your skin will be a good indicator as to whether your body is suffering an imbalance or a deficiency of micronutrients.

There are many ways in which an imbalance could manifest, such as dryness, wrinkles or even conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or acne. Of course, it is a good idea to exclude other causes, for example, an autoimmune disease.

There are several different underlying causes, but I find that micronutrient deficiencies are, at least in part, a primary root cause for many skin problems.

3 top micronutrients for the skin

It’s important to understand that although there are several micronutrients that are particularly good for the skin, they will only achieve the maximum benefit when used in combination with others. Micronutrients help each other to be absorbed by the body, so focusing on just one in isolation generally does not give you the best results.

So let’s talk about the antioxidants because of their multiple roles in our body. The body can be damaged by free radicals (certain types of oxygen molecules) but antioxidants can destroy them. This, in turn, will help cells to renew and regenerate, which is particularly helpful for premature aging and sun-exposed skin. Examples of these are Vitamins A, C, E as well as lycopene and beta-carotene. Where can you get them? Berries, dark Essential fatty acids chocolate, green leafy vegetables, herbs just to name a few. It is also important to diagnose a micronutrient deficiency with a blood test and replace it with the appropriate dose and a high-quality supplement.

Vitamin D3 is another healing skin micronutrient that can be particularly useful for combating psoriasis if the cause is a deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to eczema, acne, wrinkles, and it can make your skin sweat too much.

Essential fatty acids are also essential micronutrients for skin health. Why? Because most skin conditions have an underlying inflammatory cause and the anti-inflammatory effects of Omega 3s can help to counteract this. One can get the fatty acids from wild caught fish, flaxseed oil, nuts, or chia seeds. There are also supplements available but always remember to look for a high-quality product!

One more thing

If you have any bloating, nausea or any type of digestive problems you are at risk for micronutrients malabsorption. Consider supporting your digestion and absorption of micronutrients with digestive enzymes and probiotics.Talk to your functional medicine doctor about getting tested for absorption issues, nutritional deficiencies and also replacement therapy.

To your vibrant health and skin,

Dana Neacsu

(Note: Always discuss any supplements with your doctor and consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before starting them.)

For Both Men and Women: Multivitamin

Consider taking a good quality multivitamin, no matter what your age. If you’re thinking of pregnancy, a multivitamin is even more important as it may help you conceive, reduces the risk of birth defects, lowers the risk of a miscarriage — and at least two studies that came out in 2011 suggest that it may reduce the risk of autism and other learning disabilities.

For Women: Chasteberry

If you’re planning to conceive, chasteberry may help.

For Men: Additional Supplements

Additional supplements for men who struggle with infertility include

• Antioxidants (sperm is very sensitive to oxidative stress)
• Vitamin D – have your vitamin D level checked. There is preliminary evidence that a vitamin D deficiency corresponds to an increased risk of autism in the child.

There are a couple of herbal supplements that could help men who struggle with infertility, as well, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist and always ask about possible interactions between drugs and medications, even those that are bought without a prescription.

How Medical Creations Integrative Medicine Can Help

Integrative medicine combines effective strategies and therapies from multiple methods of healing, both conventional and alternative. At its heart, this type of patient care focuses on the true problem, not just the related symptoms and effects. Accordingly, our goal is to discover the root cause (or causes) of whatever issues you are experiencing, then we concentrate our efforts there.

Beginning with your first visit or phone call, we become partners in the healing process, and work together toward your optimum wellness. Our efforts take into consideration the whole body, as well as your mind and spirit, offering responsive as well as preventative care. This is the beauty of integrative medicine.

Call (678) 732-9065 for a free consultation.

About Dr. Neacsu

The founder of Medical Creations Integrative Medicine, Dana Neacsu, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She completed a fellowship at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, was awarded the Joseph T. Trubiano award for professionalism in medicine, and has applied functional medicine in clinical practice at the Institute of Functional Medicine.

This is probably one of the most frequent questions I get. And that question is followed by these:

How often do you take them?

And most importantly which one should I take?

I am a big believer in getting those vitamins and nutrients from natural organic food but most of us will have a hard time getting all the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day. So the answer to are multivitamins necessary, is yes!

Which multivitamin is definitely not an easy question to answer since we all have different needs depending on your age, other diseases that you might have, or even if you are taking medications, since medications can cause certain vitamin deficiencies as well.

So taking a multivitamin and a mineral supplement might be actually needed.

Best Form?

As a general rule however I would recommend to look for a liquid form or for a powdered form that can be added to water and drunk immediately since those would offer the best absorption. A gel form is probably next. Avoid sugar, preservatives or artificial coloring and, if needed, look for gluten- or dairy-free ones.

What to Look For?

A good multivitamin should provide at least 100 of the daily value (DV) for all the essential nutrients. I also like the ones that offer a twice-a-day regimen for better absorption and  the morning/evening formulation since some vitamin can compete for the same absorption pathways and receptors. On the opposite spectrum there are compounds that will actually enhance each other’s absorption ( a process called synergy) for example adding flavonoids to the mix .

Most of the time a good multi includes calcium, vitamin D and magnesium (try to find the carbonate form or chelated) although those amounts might not be necessarily sufficient.

There are certain forms of other vitamins and minerals that are much easier to absorb and use, so look for methylcobalamin which is the active B12 form and 5 MTHF instead of folic acid. Look for natural and mixed forms of vitamin E such tocotrienols. Another example would be selenomethionine which is the active form of selenium, a very important mineral.

Most people do not need iron or copper however adding lutein is proved to be beneficial for the eyes health. Lately a lot of research has been done on vitamin K2 which is extremely important for the bones especially in the MK7 form.

Some supplements should be avoided — for example beta carotene can increase the risk of lung cancers in smokers or boron can be problematic for patients with hormonal dependent cancers.

There is a huge variety of multivitamins brands available on the market. One of the foundational things you can do to improve your health is to choose the right ones. And the place to start is with a simple blood test and nutritional counseling.

How Medical Creations Integrative Medicine Can Help

Integrative medicine combines effective strategies and therapies from multiple methods of healing, both conventional and alternative. At its heart, this type of patient care focuses on the true problem, not just the related symptoms and effects. Accordingly, our goal is to discover the root cause (or causes) of whatever issues you are experiencing, then we concentrate our efforts there.

Beginning with your first visit or phone call, we become partners in the healing process, and work together toward your optimum wellness. Our efforts take into consideration the whole body, as well as your mind and spirit, offering responsive as well as preventative care. This is the beauty of integrative medicine.

Call (678) 732-9065 for a free  phone consultation.

About Dr. Neacsu

The founder of Medical Creations Integrative Medicine, Dana Neacsu, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine. She completed a fellowship at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, was awarded the Joseph T. Trubiano award for professionalism in medicine, and has applied functional medicine in clinical practice at the Institute of Functional Medicine.

The biological role of K2 is to help move calcium into the proper areas in your body, such as your bones and teeth, and to remove calcium from areas where it shouldn’t be, such as in your arteries and soft tissues.

The optimal amounts of K2 are still under investigation, but it seems that 180-200 microgram doses have been used in studies. The optimal dose will depend on your health, as well as the presence of osteoporosis or osteopenia. If you are taking anticoagulants, discuss any vitamin K supplementation with your healthcare provider. Some would advocate against using it, but others would say it is fine to use as long as it is closely monitored and in small amounts.

Vitamin K2 is different from vitamin K1, which is the form found in leafy greens and is involved in the blood clotting process. The K2 form comes in part from the conversion of K1 in the gastrointestinal tract by gut flora, as well as from dietary sources.

If you take calcium or vitamin D supplements, it is important to keep the proper balance between calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin K2. Lack of balance between these nutrients is why calcium supplements have been associated with unwanted results like increased risk of heart attack.

The ideal way to get your vitamin K2 is through food. Some of the best choices are grass-fed foods, like certain types of fermented foods such as natto beans, brie, or Gouda cheese.