Top Health Benefits Of Vitamin B12 For Skin

Vitamin B12 can give you that glassy youthful look that you’ve always wanted! It can be that one nutrient that might add that extra oomph to your skin care routine! Read on to find out how.

Glassy skin, soft skin, texture-free skin, the list goes on. What list, you ask? List of everything one would want their skin to look and feel like. But how do you achieve these goals you set for your skin? And is just good skincare enough? Definitely not.

The secret to good skin is a combination of nutrition and skincare. Skincare is essential, yes, but there is only so much that it can deliver. What really makes the difference to your skincare is nutrition. When we talk about nutrition, there are many vitamins and minerals that we can discuss, but today we will focus on the benefits of vitamin B12 for skin.

Vitamin B12 is one of the most sought-after vitamins concerning skincare. Vitamin B12 can help reduce redness, inflammation, and dryness. Before we talk about what more vitamin B12 can offer, let’s first talk about skin, how to care for it, and its needs in general.

What is Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is a part of the B vitamins and is known to keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy. It also helps make DNA and the genetic material in all of your cells. B vitamins are water-soluble and are therefore almost impossible to overdose on. If any excess is found in the body, it passes out in your urine. Dairy and meat products are rich in vitamin B12, and a common misconception is that vegetarians are deficient in vitamin B12 for the very same reason [1].

Benefits of Vitamin B12 for Skin

Does vitamin B12 help skin? Is vitamin B12 for skin pigmentation effective? How is this vitamin beneficial to our skin? To answer your questions, yes, vitamin B12 does improve skin and is highly beneficial.

Listed below are a few benefits of vitamin B12 for skin.

Heals skin damage

Vitamin B12 is necessary for cell reproduction and can heal skin damage. It can rejuvenate your skin and help bring a more youthful sheen to it. It can also prevent hyper-pigmentation by even-ing out your skin tone.

Dull skin, chronic skin issues, and unhealthy complexion are signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. Ensuring you’re getting sufficient B12 from your diet can improve your skin condition [2].

Hydrates the skin

It is important to keep your skin hydrated at all times. Not only does it feel smooth and soft when hydrated, but it also will be a lot less sensitive to irritants and germs that may slip through the lipid barrier when well moisturized.

B12 produces proteins and jumpstarts metabolism; these proteins repair dry skin and maintain hydration. When applied topically, it improves the pH balance, texture, and moisture retention of the skin. Hence, keeping it moisturized at all times.

Improves skin texture and appearance

The dermis layer of the skin is primarily made up of collagen and elastin. As you age, it becomes weaker, thinner, and less elastic. This often causes wrinkles and saggy skin. Although we can not prevent aging, we can reduce the visibility of these fine lines and wrinkles.

A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to premature lines and wrinkles. Dehydrated skin also can cause unwanted texture and rough patches. Consuming the right amounts of vitamin B12 can improve your skin texture and appearance and hydrate your skin.

Reduces inflammation, dryness, and acne

Prolonged dehydration of your skin can cause inflammation and acne. Drinking enough water can be one solution, but we will require vitamin B12 and the protein it produces to retain all of that moisture. Topical creams and serums containing vitamin B12 can help reduce inflammation and acne while keeping your skin well hydrated.

Read about the health benefits of Blue Spirulina here.

Side Effects of Vitamin B12

Since vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, the chances of you overdosing on it are slim to none. Therefore, you experiencing any side effects are also very minimal since any excess will leave your body through your urine.

However, high dose supplements of any vitamin, and in this context vitamin B12, should be administered on prescription and cautiously since it could cause side effects. It could affect your kidneys, skin and can be harmful if you are pregnant or lactating.

Vitamin B12 Rich Foods

Vitamin B12 is primarily found in a variety of animal foods. Plants-based foods don’t have vitamin B12 unless they are fortified with it.

Foods rich in vitamin B12

Fish
Meat

Poultry
Eggs
Milk

Dairy products
Clams
Beef liver

Cereals and nutritional yeasts (fortified with B12) [1]

Since the sources of vitamin B12 are incredibly restrictive, considering B12 supplements would not be that bad of an idea. Through supplements, you will be receiving a regular intake of vitamin B12.

Now even if the source of vitamin B12 isn’t an issue, then should you still take supplements? Yes, you might have to because sometimes, although we consume sufficient nutrients through our diet, our bodies do not utilize them.

Before considering getting on any supplements, always consult a doctor or a professional who can guide you through the doses, how often you should take them, so on and so forth.

Skin and Vitamin B12

The skin is the body’s largest organ and is made up of three main layers– epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. It is one of the only organs that is exposed to the external environment as much as it is and is therefore prone to problems like skin cancer, acne, wrinkles, rashes, acne, etc.

Most of these conditions are preventable; if and only if you’re cautious about your routine and if you’re making sure you’re caring for your skin the way it needs to be cared for. With regards to routine, it is crucial that you watch your diet, control your stress levels, and stay protected from the sun rays at all times.

Skincare also plays a vital role in preventing such conditions. Skincare is often custom-made to suit your needs based on your skin type, texture, etc. A few basic instructions you’d have to follow regardless of your skincare routine is to,

Use sunscreen every time you step out (irrespective of whether the sun is out or not)
Do not use harsh scrubs

Be gentle when you wash and dry your face (always pat dry)
Avoid strong soaps
Limit your bath time ( Hot water and prolonged exposure to water can strip the skin of its natural oils)

Keep your skin moisturized

All of those tips might help take care of your skin from the outside; from the inside, you will need to pay a little more attention to your lifestyle and diet choices.

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle can tell a lot about your skin. You can have the best diet and best skincare routine and still have skin problems. Make a few lifestyle changes, and that might help.

Protect your skin from the sun
Avoid stress
Get ample exercise

Limit your alcohol consumption
Avoid smoking
Get plenty of sleep

Make healthy diet choices

Diet Choices for Healthier Skin

Your skin can do its job as a barrier and protect the rest of your body while simultaneously looking its best, only when you feed it well from the inside.

Healthy fats

Protein
Zinc
Selenium

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Vitamin B12

Having at least small quantities of these nutrients in your diet every day can start to make a drastic change in your overall skin health. Now, although talking about all of these nutrients is essential, let’s focus on vitamin B12 and see how vitamin B12 for skin can be beneficial, both internally and when used topically.

FAQs

Does vitamin B12 lighten skin?

No, vitamin B12 doesn’t necessarily lighten skin; however, it can be used to lighten hyperpigmentation, a condition caused due to increased melanin synthesis. A deficiency in vitamin B12 might cause hyperpigmentation. It can also help prevent and treat patches of discoloration, sun spots, and dark spots.

Is B12 good for the face?

Yes, vitamin B12 is extremely good for the face. It boosts the radiance of dull and mature skin. It brings a youthful sheen to the skin and can help reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.

Is vitamin B12 serum good for skin?

Yes, vitamin B12 serum is good for the skin. It can treat inflammation, acne, and dry skin. It can also be used to prevent dark spots, sun spots, and skin discoloration. Using a vitamin B12 serum can be highly beneficial; however, always consult your dermatologist before including this into your skincare routine.

Wrapping Up

Like every other part of our body, the skin requires just as much attention and pampering. It is exposed to the environment and bears the brunt of all the ugly sides of it. Taking care of your skin should be a priority, and by taking care, we mean more than just applying the right products.

To take care of your skin, you should also take care of your diet and what nutrients you are ingesting. One of the essential nutrients you would want to include in your diet to improve skin health is vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 keeps your skin hydrated, reduces inflammation, dryness, and acne, and can also help heal skin damage. Vitamin B12 is not just a nutrient for the skin; vitamin B12 for hair is a discussion worth being a part of!

It seems like vitamin B12 is a cosmetic nutrient, and if it really is, we could not be happier!