This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Free shipping on orders over $79.00 USD

BLOG

Is Poor Nutrient Absorption Impacting Your Skin?

Is Poor Nutrient Absorption Impacting Your Skin?
You’re doing all the right things. Consuming less processed food and more leafy greensβ€”but there’s more to the story. Like, how well you’re absorbing nutrients, and what impact that has on your skin. Today we’re diving into the often-overlooked side of a balanced diet: the part where our body turns what we eat into what it needs for vibrant, healthy skin.
You’re doing all the right things. Consuming less processed food and more leafy greensβ€”but there’s more to the story. Like, how well you’re absorbing nutrients, and what impact that has on your skin. Today we’re diving into the often-overlooked side of a balanced diet: the part where our body turns what we eat into what it needs for vibrant, healthy skin.
01

Why Nutrient Absorption is Your Skin’s Secret Ally

When we talk about skin health here at OneSkin, the conversation often revolves around longevity – basically the biological age of your skin. Yet, there's a crucial component that can be overlooked: nutrient absorption. It's not just about the foods we eat, but how our bodies process and use these nutrients that truly make a difference in our skin’s appearance and overall health. Nutrient absorption refers to how effectively our digestive system extracts and utilizes vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Think of it as the body's way of sifting through what we eat, taking what it needs, and discarding what it doesn't. Simply put, healthy skin relies on a steady supply of essential nutrients. Vitamins such as A, C, E, and D, plus minerals like zinc and selenium, and healthy fats are part of a skin-friendly diet because of their significant roles in skin repair, elasticity, collagen production, and protection against environmental damage [1]. When the body efficiently absorbs these nutrients, skin cells receive the full benefits, leading to a clearer, smoother, and healthier complexion. However, it's important to remember that various factors, including the health of the gut, influence nutrient absorption.
01

Why Nutrient Absorption is Your Skin’s Secret Ally

When we talk about skin health here at OneSkin, the conversation often revolves around longevity – basically the biological age of your skin. Yet, there's a crucial component that can be overlooked: nutrient absorption. It's not just about the foods we eat, but how our bodies process and use these nutrients that truly make a difference in our skin’s appearance and overall health. Nutrient absorption refers to how effectively our digestive system extracts and utilizes vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Think of it as the body's way of sifting through what we eat, taking what it needs, and discarding what it doesn't. Simply put, healthy skin relies on a steady supply of essential nutrients. Vitamins such as A, C, E, and D, plus minerals like zinc and selenium, and healthy fats are part of a skin-friendly diet because of their significant roles in skin repair, elasticity, collagen production, and protection against environmental damage [1]. When the body efficiently absorbs these nutrients, skin cells receive the full benefits, leading to a clearer, smoother, and healthier complexion. However, it's important to remember that various factors, including the health of the gut, influence nutrient absorption.
02

How Absorption in the Gut Gets Disrupted

Our gut is essentially our body’s nutrition control center, and the process of absorbing nutrients begins before we take our first bite. Improving digestive health involves slowing down, sitting down, and thoroughly chewing our food. This gets the body in a parasympathetic state (or β€˜rest and digest’ mode). When we’re relaxed, our body is better prepared for digestionβ€”and absorption. Once we start eating, digestive enzymes and stomach acid initiate the breakdown of food, which primes our small intestine for its critical role: extracting nutrients. But here’s the catch. For those of you dealing with inflammatory gut issues from IBS to IBD and Crohn’s, even the healthiest diet might not benefit your skin [2]. That’s because inflammation in the digestive tract can block nutrients from being absorbed properly. And if they’re not absorbed, they’ll have trouble reaching skin cellsβ€”or any other cells for that matter. Taking antibiotics can also interfere with nutrient absorption since they kill off both good and bad bacteria, causing microbial imbalance and impairing the digestive tract’s ability to extract nutrients [3].
02

How Absorption in the Gut Gets Disrupted

Our gut is essentially our body’s nutrition control center, and the process of absorbing nutrients begins before we take our first bite. Improving digestive health involves slowing down, sitting down, and thoroughly chewing our food. This gets the body in a parasympathetic state (or β€˜rest and digest’ mode). When we’re relaxed, our body is better prepared for digestionβ€”and absorption. Once we start eating, digestive enzymes and stomach acid initiate the breakdown of food, which primes our small intestine for its critical role: extracting nutrients. But here’s the catch. For those of you dealing with inflammatory gut issues from IBS to IBD and Crohn’s, even the healthiest diet might not benefit your skin [2]. That’s because inflammation in the digestive tract can block nutrients from being absorbed properly. And if they’re not absorbed, they’ll have trouble reaching skin cellsβ€”or any other cells for that matter. Taking antibiotics can also interfere with nutrient absorption since they kill off both good and bad bacteria, causing microbial imbalance and impairing the digestive tract’s ability to extract nutrients [3].
03

The Secret to Better Skin Health? Better Gut Health

So how do we help our gut function optimally so we can improve vitamin absorption, and in turn have healthier skin? The answer lies in a few fundamental, yet impactful steps: #1: Add Good Bacteria. A balanced gut microbiome is critical for breaking down food and extracting nutrients.
  • Reach for probiotic foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha.
  • Include prebiotic foods like bananas, garlic, and legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and black beans.
#2: Make Fiber a Friend. Fiber aids in feeding good bacteria and promotes regularity.
  • The daily RDA for women is 21-25 grams; for men, it’s 21-30 grams [4].
  • Best sources of fiber include spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, berries, apples, pears, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
#3: Incorporate Omega-3s. These essential healthy fats reduce inflammation and improve cellular function [5].
  • Seafood such as salmon, tuna, and sardines contain a high amount of EPA/DHA, one type of healthy Omega-3 fat.
  • Chia and flax seeds, nuts, and certain fats from grass-fed animals include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), another form of Omega-3s.
#4: Stay Hydrated. Proper hydration is vital for the digestive process and for transporting nutrients through the bloodstream to the cells.
  • Aim to drink half your body weight in pounds in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, try to drink 75 ounces of water per day.
#5: Look at Lifestyle Factors. Daily habits play a significant role in gut health.
  • Regular physical activity promotes the growth of good bacteriaβ€”even walking counts [6]
  • High-quality sleep helps maintain the body’s circadian rhythm, which has positive effects on gut bacteria [7]
  • Managing chronic stress can keep gut flora diversified and prevent harmful bacteria strains from taking over [8]
03

The Secret to Better Skin Health? Better Gut Health

So how do we help our gut function optimally so we can improve vitamin absorption, and in turn have healthier skin? The answer lies in a few fundamental, yet impactful steps: #1: Add Good Bacteria. A balanced gut microbiome is critical for breaking down food and extracting nutrients.
  • Reach for probiotic foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha.
  • Include prebiotic foods like bananas, garlic, and legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and black beans.
#2: Make Fiber a Friend. Fiber aids in feeding good bacteria and promotes regularity.
  • The daily RDA for women is 21-25 grams; for men, it’s 21-30 grams [4].
  • Best sources of fiber include spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, berries, apples, pears, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
#3: Incorporate Omega-3s. These essential healthy fats reduce inflammation and improve cellular function [5].
  • Seafood such as salmon, tuna, and sardines contain a high amount of EPA/DHA, one type of healthy Omega-3 fat.
  • Chia and flax seeds, nuts, and certain fats from grass-fed animals include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), another form of Omega-3s.
#4: Stay Hydrated. Proper hydration is vital for the digestive process and for transporting nutrients through the bloodstream to the cells.
  • Aim to drink half your body weight in pounds in ounces of water. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, try to drink 75 ounces of water per day.
#5: Look at Lifestyle Factors. Daily habits play a significant role in gut health.
  • Regular physical activity promotes the growth of good bacteriaβ€”even walking counts [6]
  • High-quality sleep helps maintain the body’s circadian rhythm, which has positive effects on gut bacteria [7]
  • Managing chronic stress can keep gut flora diversified and prevent harmful bacteria strains from taking over [8]
03

How OneSkin’s Topical Supplements Can Help

Alongside dietary and lifestyle changes, our products work hand-in-hand with the body’s natural processesβ€”rejuvenating cells that have become less active over time. Our OS-01 peptide targets aging on the molecular level, helping skin look and feel younger, from increased collagen production to better protection against the elements, amplifying the health of your skin from the outside in.
03

How OneSkin’s Topical Supplements Can Help

Alongside dietary and lifestyle changes, our products work hand-in-hand with the body’s natural processesβ€”rejuvenating cells that have become less active over time. Our OS-01 peptide targets aging on the molecular level, helping skin look and feel younger, from increased collagen production to better protection against the elements, amplifying the health of your skin from the outside in.
Key Takeaways:
  • Nutrient absorption is crucial for overall skin health
  • Vitamins and minerals such as A, C, E, D, zinc, and selenium play a role in skin elasticity, repair, and collagen production
  • Improving digestive system function aids in extracting and absorbing nutrients from food
  • Probiotics, adequate fiber, healthy fats, hydration, and lifestyle factors like exercise, sleep, and stress management help enhance gut health
  • OneSkin’s OS-01 peptide takes an innovative outside-in approach to improving the health of your skin
Key Takeaways:
  • Nutrient absorption is crucial for overall skin health
  • Vitamins and minerals such as A, C, E, D, zinc, and selenium play a role in skin elasticity, repair, and collagen production
  • Improving digestive system function aids in extracting and absorbing nutrients from food
  • Probiotics, adequate fiber, healthy fats, hydration, and lifestyle factors like exercise, sleep, and stress management help enhance gut health
  • OneSkin’s OS-01 peptide takes an innovative outside-in approach to improving the health of your skin

Last Updated February 26, 2025

Reviewed by

Alessandra Zonari

Alessandra Zonari

PhD, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Co-Founder of OneSkin

Alessandra earned her Master’s degree in stem cell biology, and her PhD in skin regeneration and tissue engineering at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil in collaboration with the 3B’s Research Group in Portugal. Alessandra did a second post-doctoral at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. She is a co-inventor of three patents and has published 20 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.