Earlier this month, Dr. Andrew Huberman published a 2.5 hour long deep dive podcast on How to Improve Skin Health & Appearance. As founder of a natural skincare brand, I was curious to know where Huberman's research had landed him on the topic, so I tuned in with pen and paper in hand.
In this episode, Dr. Huberman delves into the intricate relationship between skin health and broader systemic health, illustrating how factors like the immune system and gut microbiome influence skin quality.
He highlights the benefits of moderate sunlight exposure for skin and hormonal balance, while also warning against the risks of overexposure, which can lead to accelerated skin aging and increase the risk of certain cancers.
Dr. Huberman evaluates different sunscreen options, including physical, chemical, and mineral-based, and addresses concerns about the potentially harmful chemicals in some sunscreens. He underscores the necessity of regular comprehensive skin examinations to detect early signs of precancerous and cancerous growths.
He also looks at how nutritional choices and lifestyle changes can enhance skin appearance by reducing both localised and systemic inflammation and nurturing the skin's microbiome. Dr. Huberman also discusses effective anti-aging strategies, such as the use of ingestible or topical collagen, vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and retinol, along with innovative treatments like peptide therapies and red and far-red light phototherapies.
The episode concludes with an analysis of the causes and treatments for common skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, and psoriasis, highlighting various nutritional, skincare, and prescription strategies to manage these issues effectively.
It's quite comprehensive and his show notes link through to the cited studies and resources should you wish to investigate deeper.
My key takeaways from Huberman's podcast
At Skin Botanist, we believe that your skin health is a reflection of your overall health. Huberman's podcast reinforces the crucial link between immune health and the condition of our skin. Here are some of the key findings I resonated with:
Immune health and skin connection:
- The health of your skin is a direct reflection of your immune system’s health.
- A robust immune system leads to clearer, healthier skin, underscoring the need for internal wellness alongside external care.
Nurturing your skin microbiome:
- The skin's microbiome, often referred to as the microbiota, plays a critical role in protecting against pathogens and maintaining skin health.
- Just like gut microbiota, the skin microbiota needs a balanced environment to function optimally, affecting everything from skin moisture levels to its immune responses.
- Using harsh chemicals can disrupt this delicate balance, so it’s important to choose gentle, natural skincare products that support, not strip, this vital ecosystem.
Collagen and skin health:
- Incorporating hydrolysed collagen into your diet can improve skin elasticity and hydration.
- Huberman recommends 15g to 30g of collagen peptides daily, ideally combined with about 500mg of vitamin C to maximise absorption and effectiveness. I achieve this recommendation by including a scoop of collagen in my morning black coffee (with a wedge of grassfed butter!).
Bone broth for immune and skin health:
- Regularly consuming bone broth supports both gut health and immune function.
- The nutrients in bone broth help nourish the body and, by extension, enhance skin health.
- I've dealt with various autoimmune conditions throughout my adult life and long ago adopted bone broth into my daily diet. The wonderful Jo Whitton over at Quirky Cooking has been spreading the word about this 'liquid gold' for years now.
- Use lukewarm water when washing your face.
- Opt for unscented cleansers to maintain your skin’s natural defences and prevent irritation.
- And, finally, I'll add my own tip here - opt for oil-based skincare products to deeply moisturise and nourish the skin, reinforcing its natural barrier, and promoting a healthy, radiant complexion by locking in moisture and delivering beneficial nutrients directly to the skin’s layers.
If you don't have 2.5 hours up your sleeve to tune into the podcast, you can navigate directly to the topics of interests by the timestamps provided on the episode page.
Demand more from your skincare: More purity. More transparency. More results. It starts by staying informed.
Jessica
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