Anti-Aging Products
Stay forever young from within
What are the main causes of premature skin ageing?
Anti-age means not ageing. Since the ageing process cannot be completely stopped, we call measures that can delay the biological ageing process anti-age. Our overall lifestyle has a strong influence on our largest organ – the skin.
The first signs of ageing appear particularly on the skin (as well as in the function of all body systems): with increasing age the skin loses elasticity and vitality and clear signs of sagging become visible. The ageing process typically begins around the age of 25.
Main causes include harmful environmental influences, pro-inflammatory foods, excessive sugar consumption and reduced collagen production.
Unfavourable external factors include UV radiation, air pollution, chemical substances and dry air. The aggressive oxygen molecules formed in the process cause oxidative stress and accelerate the skin's ageing. These so-called free radicals partly destroy the collagen structure of the skin, which naturally gives the skin its firmness. Free radicals thus promote the formation of wrinkles.
With age, collagen synthesis decreases by about one percent per year. This important structural protein stabilises skin, tendons, ligaments and bones. As collagen is increasingly broken down by the body from around the age of 25, wrinkles form. Where this protein is lacking, moisture deficiency also occurs: the necessary moisture can no longer be retained and the skin appears dull.
Wie verlangsamen Sie heute Ihre Hautalterung?
Which nutrients are effective against skin ageing?
There are nutrients that can counteract premature ageing. The most important are biotin, vitamin E, vitamin C, phytohormones, coenzyme Q10, retinol, carotenoids, spermidine, hyaluronic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, silica, probiotics and zinc.
Biotin is considered a beauty vitamin: it helps balance the skin's moisture content and prevents skin dryness.
Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that protects skin cells from damage by free radicals, strengthens the skin's natural barrier and helps it retain moisture.
Vitamin C not only protects the skin from free radicals but also supports the skin's own collagen production.
Phytohormones such as isoflavones counteract hormonally driven skin ageing: they support declining oestrogen production and thus the rebuilding of skin density, making the skin appear smoother and firmer.
Coenzyme Q10 helps prevent wrinkle formation by stimulating cell renewal and strengthening connective tissue.
Carotenoids prevent oxidative stress and reduce pigmentation spots. Retinol (vitamin A) stimulates the skin's collagen synthesis, promotes cell renewal, reduces pigmentation and helps achieve an even, firmer skin appearance.
The endogenous substance spermidine is responsible for autophagy: it helps break down old and damaged cells so that other cells remain functional, counteracting cellular ageing.
Hyaluronic acid binds moisture like no other substance and is a classic of anti-age care. Silica promotes the formation of collagen and elastin in connective tissue.
Zinc is involved in wound healing and collagen formation and contributes to skin regeneration and the mitigation of skin ageing.
Omega-3 fatty acids are, according to a study at Ohio State University, essential for cell division and can slow the ageing process.
Probiotics nourish our skin flora so that the skin's natural protection functions well again. They also have a positive effect on the skin's pH.
How does diet influence the skin's ageing process?
Excessive sugar consumption promotes glycation and inflammatory processes: when a glucose molecule collides with another molecule, the latter becomes glycated and damaged. This process is known in chemistry as the Maillard reaction. The more glucose we supply to our body, the more frequently glycation occurs. Long-term consequences range from skin wrinkles to cardiovascular disease.
A Dutch study from Rotterdam shows that a diet rich in anti-age foods such as fruit, vegetables and fish has a positive effect on wrinkle formation in women. An extra portion of fruit and vegetables is beneficial for the whole body – for women and men alike.
editorial.facts
- Our ageing process is influenced only one third by genes. Two thirds of the influence are due to lifestyle.
- There are specific anti-age diets that focus on protein-rich foods and omega fatty acids with antioxidant effects. One example is the Perricone diet, which centres on cold-water fish.
- There is a simple self-test to determine biological age. Pinch the skin on the back of the hand between your fingers for five seconds: if it snaps back immediately on release, the skin has remained young. The biological age is higher the longer the skin fold takes to return.
- Young, healthy skin is made up of 80% collagen. This structural protein forms the connective tissue framework and is crucial for firm, smooth skin.
Can lifestyle delay the biological ageing process?
Pro-inflammatory foods, alcohol and nicotine also increase the formation of free radicals.
Alcohol dehydrates: it draws water out of skin cells, making skin regeneration more difficult. Nicotine attacks skin cells by constricting blood vessels and impairing circulation.
Keeping youth: the best tips for using anti-age products
- It is best to combine anti-age care from the inside and the outside. In addition to a healthy diet and the use of dietary supplements, it is important to cleanse the skin gently and to protect it daily from UV rays. A gentle cleansing allows the skin to breathe again. A sunscreen with antioxidant active ingredients protects against UV rays and reduces the formation of free radicals.
- Nuts, berries, tomatoes, carrots, linseed oil and green vegetables are classics among anti-age foods. All vegetables of the cabbage family contain indole-3-carbinol. This compound helps keep oestrogen levels under control. Grapes and pomegranates supply strong antioxidants that prevent cell damage from free radicals. Resveratrol from grapes minimises sun damage. Pomegranate's benzoic acid improves moisture supply and reduces wrinkles.
- Prepare your anti-age foods properly. Fruit and vegetables should be eaten as fresh as possible, with edible skins and without long storage. Or steam vegetables briefly and gently in as little water as possible. Onions, garlic and turmeric increase the antioxidant potential of dishes.
- Check the sugar content of processed foods. This applies not only to sweets. Various sugars are also added to other products such as processed meats or ketchup, so that in daily life one consumes far more sugar than one might think.
- If you opt for collagen drinks, pay attention to the quality of the collagen. Collagen should be highly dosed and very finely hydrolysed so that it can be well absorbed by the body.
- To supply skin cells with sufficient fluid and stimulate skin metabolism, adequate fluid intake is of great importance. Drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day.
- Reduce nicotine and alcohol consumption: nicotine damages the body's own collagen and elastin, alcohol disrupts the water balance and promotes skin ageing.
- Healthy sleep is essential for fresh-looking skin: during sleep our body produces growth hormones that naturally slow skin ageing. Go to bed at regular times, sleep eight hours (preferably on your back) and choose a silk pillowcase – it also has an anti-age effect on the skin.
- Avoid stress and incorporate breathing exercises, yoga or regular exercise sessions into your daily routine. Body cells of physically active people age up to ten years later than those of inactive people, according to a study by a research group at King's College London.
With these tips your youthful-looking skin will be preserved for a long time!
