Skin aging: how can diet influence it?
Diet, when balanced, is capable of providing essential nutrients to the skin, but some excesses can be the main factor in skin ageing.
Adopting a regular skincare routine and filling the shelves with products to prevent premature skin ageing is more than common. But have you ever wondered what influence your diet has on this process ?
According to dermatologist Dr. Daniel Cassiano, depending on the dietary context or the diet followed, there is a positive or negative influence of food on the skin linked mainly to three processes: oxidation (increased production of free radicals), inflammation and glycation (hardening collagen fibers due to excess sugar in the diet), which are directly linked to the accentuated appearance of wrinkles, sagging and blemishes.
However, don't think that all is lost! Some other foods can also help treat these same changes. Beautiful and healthy skin depends on a care routine, of course, the famous skincare, but lifestyle habits also count a lot – and diet especially.
With that in mind, with the help of an expert we explain everything about these three processes and how to use food to benefit your skin.
Oxidation
One of the most important mechanisms of the aging process is, without a doubt, oxidative stress. “Our body is used to dealing with free radicals, but when there is an exaggerated production of them, our natural antioxidant system is not able to combat them. As a result, we suffer from changes in the functions of cells, even in cellular DNA, and this culminates in premature aging, with the appearance of spots, wrinkles and sagging – due to the loss of function of support proteins”, explains Dr. Daniel.
Oxidation is a process that is greatly influenced by unprotected sun exposure, but smoking, alcohol, pollution and also diet have a strong influence on this. “In the diet, foods with a high glycemic index, such as carbohydrates, flour and sugar, are quickly digested by the body and transformed into glucose in the blood, thus causing a spike in blood sugar. To rebalance this high level of glucose in the blood, the body increases the production of molecules that can transform into free radicals. If excessive carbohydrate consumption is constant in the diet, a process called oxidative stress occurs, which triggers more problems, by activating various inflammatory pathways in the body and contributing to chronic inflammation”, explains the dermatologist. In other words, the first process is directly linked to the second.
Inflammation
Naturally, our body uses inflammation to protect itself, but when there is oxidative stress in the body, pro-inflammatory mediators are released all the time. ''In this case, the inflammatory profile in the body increases and there are foods that contribute to this increase in inflammation, especially those rich in trans fats, deep-fried foods and carbohydrates with a high glycemic index. Inflammatory pathways are activated and can trigger various skin problems, from irritation, redness to weakness of the barrier function, increasing susceptibility to the appearance of wrinkles. Constant inflammation through diet is also linked to tissue damage that is involved in the appearance of wrinkles, sagging, blemishes and expression lines”, explains the dermatologist.
Glycation
As if that weren't enough, the high consumption of carbohydrates that promotes oxidative stress also causes sugar molecules to react with the body's support proteins, mainly collagen, generating what are called AGE's (end products of advanced glycation).
“In glycation, glucose molecules join elastin and collagen proteins, responsible for skin firmness. As a result, they become hardened and break, which increases the skin's aging process and sagging”, explains Dr. Daniel. “In this case of glycation, it is as if the sugar hardens the collagen, causing it to lose its support and mobility capacity”, he says.
But is it possible to use diet to combat and neutralize these three processes? According to Dr. Daniel Cassiano, yes!
“To combat oxidative stress, there are several foods that have antioxidant capacity, especially those rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, trace elements, selenium, zinc, carotenoids and polyphenols such as resveratrol. However, even though isolated nutrients serve as antioxidants, the ideal is to invest in foods that are rich in a wide variety of these substances. One food alone will not be effective”, explains the doctor. “Seasoning and herbs can also be used, as they are rich in antioxidants. Furthermore, red fruits and vegetables of all colours, in general, are also among foods that contain antioxidants in medium and high quantities”, he states.
To combat inflammation, foods such as turmeric, green tea, black tea, ginger, garlic and onion can be used. “Nutrients such as fiber, magnesium, vitamin D and Omega-3 have also been highlighted in studies due to their anti-inflammatory effects. It is possible to also add pre- and probiotic foods and supplements to this list, which improve the inflammatory profile of the body as a whole, by maintaining intestinal flora”, says the doctor.
It is also possible to combat glycation: “Fiber is essential, in addition to adequate protein consumption. Both can control the speed of blood sugar spikes. Limiting sugars has a highly beneficial effect”, says the doctor. Whole grain products, legumes, fruits and vegetables are part of the strategy that will limit hyperglycemia. Foods such as cinnamon, garlic, yerba mate, tomatoes, ginger, cumin, black pepper and green tea have anti-glycation properties, making them ideal for combating the biochemical processes of glycation, according to the doctor.
“For those who want healthy aging of their skin and body, the ideal is to opt for a diet that incorporates these three strategies, combating these processes that are extremely interconnected. However, some changes need to be treated after dermatological evaluation, as the doctor can prescribe supplements and treatments according to the patient's needs”, he concludes.
About Dr. Daniel Cassiano: Dermatologist, member of the Brazilian Society of Dermatology and the Brazilian Society of Dermatological Surgery. Co-founder of the GRU Saúde clinic, Dr. Daniel Cassiano graduated from the Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) and has a PhD in translational medicine also from UNIFESP. Professor of Dermatology at the São Camilo University medical course, Dr. Daniel has extensive scientific knowledge, working in the areas of clinical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology.
