Skin Care Supplements – CoQ-10

Christina Jones — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 14:54:09 +0000

CoQ10 is a coenzyme, naturally occuring in your body that is available as a supplement and as an ingredient in many skin care products. It is also an antioxidant, which we all know about now, right? Coenzyme Q10 is normally produced readily in the body, but depletes very predictably as we age, and possibly depletes with exposure to the sun as well. CoQ10 is found in beef, spinach, sardines, albacore tuna, and peanuts, but is rendered inactive with high cooking heat. Studies have shown that CoQ 10 indeed can be used topically with benefit. From smartskincare.com:

In most people over thirty, levels of CoQ10 in the skin are below optimum, resulting in lesser ability to produce collagen, elastin and other important skin molecules. Besides, CoQ10-depleted skin may be more prone to the damage by free radicals, which are particularly abundant in the skin since it is exposed to the elements. Thus, CoQ10 may boost skin repair and regeneration and reduce free radical damage. Furthermore, CoQ10 is a small molecule that can relatively easily penetrate into skin cells.

This is how I use CoQ10 – I bite open the top of the CoQ10 capsule, squeeze out a tiny, tiny bit of the cream (I think it is oil/liquid at room temperature, but I keep all of my supplements in the fridge), and put it around my eyes and on any other troublesome wrinkly areas, then swallow the rest of the capsule, once a day. Be warned though, the cream is a carrot yellow color and you need about 30 minutes for it to be absorbed so you don’t look jaundiced (or like an Oompa Loompa). You can also mix the drop of CoQ10 with your eye cream first, and you won’t be left with the yellow color at all. Try this at your own risk and it would always be wise to test it on the inside of your elbow first for senstitivities.

[Edit] I wanted to add this in, about Coenzyme Q10 from MayoClinic.com: “The facts. Two human (clinical) trials show significant reduction in fine wrinkles around the eyes with no side effects. Other studies show that application before sun exposure protects against sun damage. More research is needed to examine the long-term effects.” You know I am SO all about sun protection…

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Free Radicals and Antioxidants

Christina Jones — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 16:14:10 +0000

You have probably heard a lot of talk over the last few years about free radicals and antioxidants, but do you know what they are, and what in the world they might have to do with beauty? Free radicals are very basically incomplete oxygen molecules that are created from the process of making energy from the foods you eat. These molecules have lost an electron, and are always in the process of trying to regain that missing electron by stealing it from another molecule, which in turn creates more free radicals, which will impede cell function and eventually destroy your body’s cells. It is a catch-22 process that possibly leaves your skin damaged (wrinkled) as well as causes a myriad of other problems in the body. So what do you do about it?

There is a lot of research going in to this subject currently, and the results are not yet conclusive. Along with the food you eat, free radicals can be formed from the sun, air pollution, and even rancid oils – basically all of that stuff that is supposed to be bad for you. A diet rich in vitamins and minerals will provide your body with plenty of antioxidants, which provide those extra electrons to the oxygen molecules who are seeking them (and destroying other cells in the process). In theory, anyway. Eating a well rounded diet- with a variety of fruits and veggies that contain natural antioxidants- of course, is your best bet to combat free radicals. If that isn’t exactly what you do, consider supplementing your diet with an antioxidant supplemental formula. This is what I take on a daily basis: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Flax Seed Oil, Mixed Carotenes and Selenium.

For more information about free radicals and antioxidants, Paula Begoin has an excellent article on free radicals here and Dr. Weil talks about them here and here, and I did a bit more research about antioxidants here.

Photo credit (and more information about freeradicals and antioxidants: SiberianTigerNaturals.com

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Skin Care Supplements – CoQ-10

Free Radicals and Antioxidants