To keep your skin youthful, healthy and functional, apply a topical cream or moisturizer with vitamin D3.
Though sun exposure and vitamin D3 supplements keep your immune system strong, your mood stable and prevent cancer, your skin is the last organ to receive the vitamin D3 circulating in the blood and thus the last to receive the benefits of vitamin D3.
Unfortunately, between the ages of 20-70 your skin loses about 75% of its ability to produce vitamin D3. (1)
Oral supplementation with vitamin D3 takes care of most of our vitamin D3 needs but it bypasses the natural process of getting vitamin D3 through the skin from the sun. Without adequate vitamin D3 in the skin, the skin will sag, become thin, wrinkled, fragile and unable to offer the protection and immunity that healthy skin should provide. (2) New research on has shown that the topical application of vitamin D3 on the skin increases the expression of protective peptides that help repair the skin and protect it from prematurely aging. (3)
Is Oral Vitamin D3 Enough?
Vitamin D3 was meant to be manufactured in the skin by the sun. Oral supplements are necessary, but will completely by-pass the skin and never deliver the needed amount of vitamin D3 the skin needs to stay healthy, functional and youthful.
The skin is the last organ in the body to receive the nutrition from foods and supplements, such as antioxidants, that are ingested into the body (4) and the last to receive the circulating vitamin D3 from an oral supplement. As the skin loses up to 75% of its ability to manufacture vitamin D3 with age, the skin can begin to atrophy and age prematurely.
Vitamin D3 Benefits the Skin
The active form of vitamin D3 (calcitriol) penetrates the fatty phospholipid layer of the skin and migrates directly to the nucleus of the cell. Here it binds with vitamin D3 receptors where it controls many processes including skin repair, skin cell production and the immune function of the skin. (5)
The skin cells naturally die at a rate of about 30-40,000 cells per minute. Vitamin D3 plays a vital role in the production of specialized cells called keratinocytes, which are responsible for the production of millions of new healthy skin cells every few minutes. (6)
These vitamin D3 dependent keratinocytes create the structural framework that supports the skin tone and locks in the moisture the skin needs to stay supple and soft. Without the production of keratinocytes in the skin, the skin will dry out, wrinkle, sag and become thin and fragile. (7)
Vitamin D3 Boosts Innate Immunity
One of the body’s natural immune responses is called Innate Immunity where the body creates a non-specific immune response to foreign invaders, inflammation and infection. This Innate Immunity takes place in the skin and is very much dependent on vitamin D. (8)
One of the mechanisms for this enhanced immune response is through modulating gene expressions that fight pathogens. In other words, vitamin D3 activates genes in skin cells that enhance the skin’s ability to protect the body from toxic invaders and infection.
Vitamin D3 Boosts Antioxidant Protection Within the Skin
Free radicals are harmful chemicals in the body which play a large role in the break down, degeneration and premature aging of the body and skin. Stress decreases the blood supply available to the skin, which causes the production of free radicals in the skin.
Vitamin D3 is a low molecular weight antioxidant that protects the skin from free radical damage. In fact, in one study, vitamin D3 was responsible for the production of enzymes that protected against free radicals and reduced lipid peroxidation (one of the most common causes of free radicals) better than Vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant). (9)
How Vitamin D3 Works
Humans were designed to get most of their vitamin D3 by getting adequate sun exposure in the summer months. UVB radiation from the sun combines with the natural cholesterol on the skin and creates Pre Vitamin D right on the skin. Within about an hour, this Pre Vitamin D converts to vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol (the supplemental vitamin D3) where it is transported and stored in the liver. When needed, it is shipped to the kidneys where it is converted into the super active form of vitamin D3 called calcitriol where it then re-enters the blood stream as the active form of vitamin D3 to be used throughout the body.
Conclusion
As we age, we lose the ability to produce vitamin D3 in the skin. Eighty seven percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, which is due to a variety of factors including decreased sun exposure, working indoors in the mid day when the sun produces the UVB radiation and the overuse of sunscreens.
Taking oral supplementation has proven to be an effective means of correcting vitamin D3 deficiencies. But when you by-pass the skin with oral supplementation does the skin suffer? New research shows that both oral supplementation and topical application of vitamin D3 as sun exposure or vitamin D3 cream, may support the protection and rejuvenation of aging skin.
Sonia soto says
Thank. You for that great info about the lack of vitimin. D.two weeks ago I woke up. To two creases. On the top of my mouth .like I had aged overnight.. They look deep in morning but as the day goes by they fade..went to doctors. And my vitimin level was 17..normal level is 35 .I live. In Michigan. Dark winter months it has been .Got my prescription. Today .hope that they will fade away going to buy cream to put over on skin…thank you sir.
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Myra says
Hi my name is Myra and I lack in bit D. My skin has wrinkled and sagging. Needed to know if my skin will come back to its original look I e without wrinkles and sagging.
Waiting for your prompt reply.
Thanks
Myra
K M says
“The active form of vitamin D3 (calcitriol) penetrates the fatty phospholipid layer of the skin and migrates directly to the nucleus of the cell.”
So the topical application must be of active form calcitriol, not cholecalciferol. Most skin creams have cholecalciferol. Can you suggest any product that has calcitriol that directly goes to work when applied?
Thanks
LifeSpa Staff says
Hi K M,
Thanks for your question. We do not have a calcitriol product or have one that we recommend. However, Dr. Douillard says you can use our Liquid sun topically by applying a few drops to your face during the winter. It contains cholecalciferol, but is ‘activated’ into calcitriol by your body upon absorption, and certainly ‘goes to work’ for your body efficiently.
Liquid Sun: http://store.lifespa.com/liquid_sun_vitamin_d3.html
Be Well
hillary says
Yes can your liquid vitamin d3 be applied to the skin?!
John Douillard says
I recommend that you take D3 internally to make sure your levels are healthy, but you can also apply it directly to the skin or add to lotions/oils.
Kelly says
This is a very interesting article. I have been following Ayurveda principle for some 15 years now and I would like to tell you that your approach is the best, so clear, so updated. I read every single article you write and would love to buy some of your products though I love in Italy.I have so many questions for you but can’t find a place where to write them down. Regarding this article about Vitamin D, my question is how could we get natural Vitamin D to apply on the skin. Could we just apply cholecalciferol on the skin? The same liquid Vitamin D we buy for internal consumption. Could mushrooms contain a form of natural vitamin D which we could use for external use? Is it a different Vitamin D? Thank you for your answer.
Jolene says
Any answers?