We have been encountering this relatively new term more and more in recent years. Nutricosmetics can be summarised as dietary supplements intended to help care for the skin and maintain a youthful appearance.
Through the calculated intake of nutricosmetics containing bioactive micronutrients that are claimed to have a medical benefit, various bodily processes are supported according to need. Various active ingredients are combined to address specific problems or administered individually.
Patients with malnutrition or an increased consumption of essential nutrients can benefit particularly from such preparations. High-performance athletes, vegans and some patients with chronic conditions may require supplementation of certain minerals and nutrients. In most cases, however, according to numerous nutrition scientists, additional intake of vitamin preparations, for example, is unnecessary in Central Europe.Photo: Pexels
How are nutricosmetics supposed to work against ageing?
The main approach of nutricosmetics is to prevent skin ageing by maintaining and supporting physiological processes at cellular level. The increased need of ageing skin and connective tissue for various nutrients is to be met by the targeted intake of various active ingredients. In addition, the body is supplied with endogenous tissue components whose quantity and quality no longer correspond to those of youth.
The interactions between nutrients and the organism are far from fully understood. Nevertheless, many minerals and plant-based active substances are known to play very important roles in the natural physiological processes within the cell. One example is the long-forgotten disease scurvy . This serious condition, which can be fatal, can develop after two to four months of a prolonged lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the diet.
How useful is the therapeutic approach of nutricosmetics?
For supporters of nutricosmetics, and of dietary supplements in general, diseases such as scurvy mentioned above support the idea that even a single missing substance in the body can have serious effects.
A less controversial example is hyaluronic acid. This glycosaminoglycan is responsible, among other things, for the water content between cells in the extracellular matrix of connective tissue and the skin. Furthermore, with its resistance to pressure and its lubricating properties, this molecule is an important component of the synovial fluid in all mobile joints. Because of its special chemical structure, hyaluronic acid adheres particularly well to cartilage surfaces in the joints.
With ageing, the quality and quantity of the body’s own production decline. As a result, premature wear can occur at a relatively young age, for example in overused knee joints. Thus, in addition to combating facial wrinkles – where it is administered both as a filler and in tablet form – hyaluronic acid is also used in orthopaedics to relieve joint pain in athletes and patients with osteoarthritis.
