No 3. Vitamin C .
Vitamin C acts as a powerful, skin-protective antioxidant and is essential for collagen production, making it an important nutrient for skin health .
In fact, the skin contains very high levels of vitamin C, with some research finding a concentration of up to 64 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of the epidermal skin layer .
Unsurprisingly, studies have shown that increasing dietary vitamin C through vitamin C supplements may improve many factors of skin health, including skin hydration.
Some test-tube studies have found that vitamin C may enhance skin barrier function and help reduce water loss, which may help prevent dry skin.
Plus, some studies have shown that when used in combination with other nutrients, vitamin C may help enhance skin moisture.
For example, a 6-month study in 47 men demonstrated that taking a supplement that contained 54 mg of vitamin C, as well as marine protein and a combination of other nutrients, significantly improved skin hydration, compared with a placebo group .
Other studies in women have shown similar results.
A study in 152 women found that participants who took a supplement that contained 54 mg of vitamin C, as well as zinc and marine protein, had significantly reduced skin roughness, compared with a placebo group .
However, in most of the available research on vitamin C’s effect on dry skin, vitamin C is combined with other nutrients, making it impossible to tell whether the nutrient would have the same effect if it was used on its own.
Plus, many of the studies were sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies that manufactured the product being evaluated, which may have affected study results.
Regardless, based on the most current research, supplementing with vitamin C may improve overall skin health and help combat dry skin.
No 4. Fish oil.
Fish oil is well known for its skin-health-promoting properties.
It contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), two essential fatty acids that have powerful anti-inflammatory and healing properties and have been shown to benefit the skin in many ways.
Dietary supplements with fish oil may help boost skin hydration and improve the fatty acid barrier of the skin, which helps maintain hydration.
A 90-day study in rats with acetone-induced dry skin found that high-dose oral fish oil supplements significantly increased skin hydration, reduced water loss, and resolved dryness-related skin itching, compared with rats that didn’t receive the fish oil .
In fact, the study noted that the fish oil group had a 30% increase in skin hydration after 60 days of treatment.
Additionally, research indicates that daily treatment with doses of fish oil ranging from 1–14 grams of EPA and 0–9 grams DHA for 6 weeks to 6 months improved symptoms of psoriasis — a chronic, inflammatory skin disease — including scaling or dry, cracked skin .
Fish oil has also been shown to decrease skin inflammation and protect against sun damage, making it an all around skin-friendly supplement.
No 5. Probiotics.
A study found that supplementing both mice and humans with Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria improved skin barrier function and skin hydration after 8 weeks. However, more research is needed .
No 6.Hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid is often used topically to improve skin hydration, but recent research shows that ingesting this compound in combination with other nutrients may significantly increase skin hydration.
No 7.Aloe vera.
A study in 64 women found that supplementing with fatty acids derived from aloe vera for 12 weeks significantly improved skin moisture and skin elasticity, compared with a placebo.
No 8.Ceramides.
Ceramides are fat molecules that are important components of healthy skin. Some research has shown that supplementing with ceramides may increase skin hydration, which may help treat dry skin .
