Nutrition and Skin Aging: Antioxidants, Inflammation, and Healthy Skin Longevity
Clinical Summary
Nutrition, Skin Aging, and Longevity: Practical Counseling Points for Dermatologists
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Skin aging, oxidative stress, and inflammation: Antioxidant-rich foods and omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid sources such as salmon and other fish may help reduce free radical–driven inflammation and DNA damage, which can negatively affect collagen, elastin, and overall skin health.
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Advanced glycation end products (AGEs): Higher sugar and carbohydrate intake may promote AGE formation through reactions involving collagen and elastin, contributing to rigid, nonfunctional collagen and wrinkle formation; limiting dietary sugars may reduce this process.
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Ultra-processed foods and dietary patterns: Ultra-processed foods have been associated in cited studies with telomere shortening and biologic aging. A Mediterranean-style diet emphasizing antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, fish, fresh foods, and reduced intake of ultra-processed foods and sugars was recommended for skin health and longevity.
Reviewed by Riya Gandhi, MA, Associate Editor of Immunology Group
Dr Lawrence Green discusses how nutrition influences skin aging through oxidative stress, inflammation, and advanced glycation end products. Learn practical dietary strategies—including antioxidant-rich foods, omega-3 fatty acids, and limiting ultra-processed foods—to support healthier skin and promote long-term skin longevity.
Transcript:
Hi, my name is Larry Green. I'm a clinical professor of dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.
What are the most impactful dietary factors dermatologists should discuss with patients when addressing skin aging and overall skin health?
Dr Green: Well, first, there are many things that can age our skin. And nutrition is just - proper nutrition, I should say - it's just one of them. But in terms of proper nutrition, it's very important, I think, to talk about eating antioxidant-rich foods that help quench free radicals, which can destroy your DNA. And free radicals also cause inflammation, and inflammation leads to more potential skin damage and aging of the body in general, not just the skin. So I would just say, bottom line, antioxidant-rich foods, as well as foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids like salmon, other fishes. are the best way to combat aging that can occur in the skin and help keep your skin looking younger.
How do mechanisms like oxidative stress, glycation, and inflammation link nutrition to visible signs of aging in the skin?
Dr Green: Let's start with free radicals and oxidative stress. Free radicals and oxidative stress do a lot of things. One is they generate more inflammation. Two, they can directly damage DNA, and damage DNA means our collagen and elastin is not as strong if it's damaged. Generating inflammation is a stress on the body. It inflames the immune system, and there's less the immune system can do when you have an inflammatory state to take care of our bodies in a general state, including our skin. So less stress on the body, less inflammation is very good. Advanced glycation end products are things that happen on a daily basis as we age. And the more we age, the more that happens. It's basically when sugars that we eat, or they're in our body, will form basic chemical reactions together with collagen and elastin. And if you get enough of this, eventually the collagen is rigid and is non-functional. Now, we don't want to increase the risk of having advanced glycation end products because that will make more eventually rigid collagen, et cetera, and wrinkles. So more sugars that we eat, foods higher in sugars, complex sugars, even carbs included, can foment more creation of advanced glycation end products. So it's important to eliminate the amount of sugars you have in your diet in order to not increase your chances of having advanced glycation end products.
What practical, evidence-based dietary recommendations—such as the role of antioxidant-rich foods or limiting ultra-processed foods—can clinicians incorporate into patient counseling?
Dr Green: So one thing I didn't mention are ultra-processed foods. Besides advanced glycation end products, ultra -processed foods have been shown to shorten telomeres in a few studies. And telomeres, you know, we need to have longer telomeres means we're still alive. The shorter the telomeres, the more rigid our body can become, and it's just a sign of aging. And ultra-processed foods are basically those foods that have long shelf lives. Things like, if you take corn for an example, and it looks like corn, and then it's canned corn - still looks like corn, but then you get corn chips, well that really doesn't look anything like corn, and it has a long shelf life. That's an ultra-processed food. Hot dogs are the other example: you have meat that is processed to become hot dog; it doesn't really look like beef in general. Another example of an ultra-processed food. Those have been shown in scientific studies to shorten biologic aging, so shorten our lifespan. So we want to limit the amount of ultra-processed foods that we have as well because that can age our bodies and then indirectly age our skin.
So one, I think the best way to help your skin look healthy, and live longer, and limit the bad things in our skin is to eat a type of Mediterranean diet. Eat foods that are rich in antioxidants, vegetables that are rich in antioxidants, fruits that are rich in antioxidants, as well as healthy protein products like fishes, like salmon, mackerel, tuna, products like that. Rich in omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids, as well as fresh foods, of course, not ultra-processed foods, and limit our sugars. Those are the main things I would look at in terms of having a healthy diet to live a long, skin-healthy life.
