Vitamin D3 Influences Skin Aging

Skin aging is based on a complex and cumulative mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic factors resulting in the early appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and reduced elasticity. (1,3) The primary intrinsic factors include chronological aging, declining hormones and genetics. (1) Extrinsic factors include excessive ultraviolet light (UV) or sun exposure, smoking, pollution, inadequate nutrition, and poor skincare. These external factors are mostly within our control, however, continuous exposure of the skin to these environmental factors stimulates skin-damaging free radicals and contributes to premature aging. (4,5,6)

UV light exposure is the most harmful external factor and contributes to photoaging of the sun-exposed areas of the skin. Photoaging is characterized by dry and deep-wrinkled skin with a rough texture. (7) There are two types of UV light, UVA and UVB. UVA plays a major role in the aging process and represents more than 80% of the total daily UV radiation. UVA penetrates 5–10 times deeper into the dermis layer of the skin and causing more damage than UVB. (8) However, despite the bad rap UV has in causing premature skin aging, it does play a beneficial role in the regulation of many skin functions. (11) For example, UVB is required for vitamin D3 production in the skin, supplying more than 90% of the body’s vitamin D3 requirement. (12)

Vitamin D is a key nutrient that plays two key roles in the skin: prevention of premature skin aging and the skin‘s immune barrier.  Active forms of Vitamin D3 have been found to exert beneficial protective effects on the skin, which influence the process of premature aging and leads to a slowing of chronological skin aging and photoaging. This process occurs by assisting in the formation and maintenance of a healthy skin barrier function. (9,10, 13,14) This results in boosting the skin’s immunity to protect the skin against the skin damaging elements, including UV light, pollution, and microbes. (23)

While Vitamin D plays a significant role in both healthy skin aging and skin immunity, Vitamin D deficiency has become a problem in the general population worldwide and its deficiency has been linked to many proliferative and inflammatory skin disorders. (17,18) There are several factors that contribute to Vitamin D deficiency. Physiological factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), skin type, insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D, gut malabsorption; and environmental factors such as the winter season, inadequate sun exposure, and high latitude locations. (19, 20)

Sun avoidance and air pollution are the main factors leading to insufficient UVB exposure. However, with age, the capacity of the skin to produce vitamin D3 decreases (regardless of the season), and there is an increase in the degradation of its active forms. (22) It has been found that the concentration of the precursor of vitamin D3 in the skin declines approximately by 50% from ages 20 to 80 years. (22) Additionally, ozone and particulate matter (PM) can directly interfere with the skin’s production of vitamin D and there is increasing evidence that suggests smoking can also decrease Vitamin D3 serum levels. (21)

Oral administration of high-dose vitamin D3 shortly after UVB exposure has been found to rapidly reverse the photo-derived skin damage by decreasing the inflammation and inducing the repair mechanisms of the skin barrier function. (24) Active vitamin D3, in a dose-dependent manner, can promote antioxidative responses and reverse the UVB-mediated free radical production in skin cells reducing photoaging. (25)  Furthermore, research states that applying active forms of vitamin D3 topically for the prevention and treatment of premature skin aging can be effective.

In conclusion, Vitamin D3 plays an important role in protecting our skin and in the prevention of premature skin aging. Since Vitamin D3 deficiency is prevalent, it is important to have your blood serum levels checked regularly to ensure you are maintaining healthy levels. Supplementing your diet with oral Vitamin D3 and applying topical Vitamin D3, especially after sun exposure, can be a great addition to your antiaging skin regimen in order to maintain healthy skin.

References:

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6.     Mousavi SE, Amini H, Heydarpour P, Amini Chermahini F, Godderis L. Air pollution, environmental chemicals, and smoking may trigger vitamin D deficiency: Evidence and potential mechanisms. Environ Int. 2019 Jan;122:67-90. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.11.052. Epub 2018 Nov 30. PMID: 30509511.

7.     Fisher, G.J.; Kang, S.; Varani, J.; Bata-Csorgo, Z.;Wan, Y.; Datta, S.; Voorhees, J.J. Mechanisms of photoaging and chronological skin aging. Arch. Dermatol. 2002, 138, 1462–1470.

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9.     Scott JF, Das LM, Ahsanuddin S, Qiu Y, Binko AM, Traylor ZP, Debanne SM, Cooper KD, Boxer R, Lu KQ. Oral Vitamin D Rapidly Attenuates Inflammation from Sunburn: An Interventional Study. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Oct;137(10):2078-2086. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2017.04.040. Epub 2017 May 30. PMID: 28576736; PMCID: PMC5610950.

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19.  Holick M.F. Bioavailability of vitamin D and its metabolites in black and white adults. N. Engl. J. Med. 2013;369:2047–2048. doi: 10.1056/NEJMe1312291. 

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21.  Mousavi S.E., Amini H., Heydarpour P., Amini Chermahini F., Godderis L. Air pollution, environmental chemicals, and smoking may trigger vitamin D deficiency: Evidence and potential mechanisms. Environ. Int. 2019;122:67–90. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.11.052.

22.  MacLaughlin J., Holick M.F. Aging decreases the capacity of human skin to produce vitamin D3. J. Clin. Investig. 1985;76:1536–1538. doi: 10.1172/JCI112134. 

23.  Tremezaygues L., Sticherling M., Pföhler C., Friedrich M., Meineke V., Seifert M., Tilgen W., Reichrath J. Cutaneous photosynthesis of vitamin D: An evolutionary highly-conserved endocrine system that protects against environmental hazards including UV-radiation and microbial infections. Anticancer Res. 2006;26:2743–2748. 

24.  Scott J.F., Das L.M., Ahsanuddin S., Qiu Y., Binko A.M., Traylor Z.P., Debanne S.M., Cooper K.D., Boxer R., Lu K.Q. Oral Vitamin D Rapidly Attenuates Inflammation from Sunburn: An Interventional Study. J. Investig. Dermatol. 2017;137:2078–2086. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2017.04.040.

25. Chaiprasongsuk A., Janjetovic Z., Kim T.K., Jarrett S.G., D’Orazio J.A., Holick M.F., Tang E.K.Y., Tuckey R.C., Panich U., Li W., et al. Protective effects of novel derivatives of vitamin D3 and lumisterol against UVB-induced damage in human keratinocytes involve activation of Nrf2 and p53 defense mechanisms. Redox Biol. 2019;24:101206. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101206.