A poor diet can cause all sorts of problems in our bodies.
It may not be so surprising then that a lack of vitamins and minerals can be a cause of chapped lips.
So which vitamins and minerals does our body need to maintain optimal lip health? If you want smooth and healthy lips, you need to maintain adequate levels of the following vitamins: A, B-complex, C, E, and Iron.
All of these are necessary for the body to function properly, and a deficiency in any of these vitamins can result in chapped lips, among other things.
Vitamin A - Vitamin A plays a role mostly in the health of the eyes, however it does affect the skin as well.
A deficiency in this vitamin is known to cause blindness, night blindness, weakened immune system, chapped lips, and other nasty problems.
Because vitamin A is fat soluble, it is more difficult to get rid of excess amounts of it in the body, and so toxicity can also be a problem if too much is absorbed.
Be cautious to take only the amount necessary daily.
Vitamin B-complex - Vitamin B helps perform many functions in the body, ranging from skin and muscle tone to proper cell division and growth, and strengthening the immune system.
Out of all the vitamins that take the name of vitamin B, vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is probably one of the most important for optimal lip health.
A deficiency in riboflavin can result in chapped lips, angular cheilitis, and sore throat, among other things.
Vitamin C - A lack of vitamin C doesn't cause chapped lips in and of itself.
However, because it plays a vital role in the immune system, without a healthy amount of vitamin C the body is less able to fight off infection and bacteria that may cause chapped lips.
Vitamin C is also an antihistamine.
This means it helps fight off allergies.
This is great in and of itself, but since some allergies show themselves in the form of chapped lips, it's even better.
Vitamin E - Vitamin E is a versatile vitamin, playing many roles inside the body.
One of the things it does is aid in cell and skin repair.
Because our lips often go through a lot of stress, are exposed to the elements constantly, are bitten, torn, and sapped of moisture, it is easy for our lips to chap and crack.
However, without vitamin E, the process of repairing the damage done to our lips would be much longer and less effective.
Iron - Iron is necessary carrying oxygen throughout the body, and plays a role in cell growth as well.
A lack of iron in the blood can lead to a disease called anemia.
One of the tell tale signs of anemia is chapped lips.
Due to the lower oxygen levels in the blood, cells won't be as strong and nourished as they need to be, making it difficult to repair the damage done to the lips.
It is extremely important to recognize the necessety of vitamins and minerals in the body, not only for the health of your lips, but for your health in general.
If a deficiency of a vitamin or mineral is present for too long, chapped lips will likely be the least of your worries.
It is also worth noting that while supplements are good, it is better to find foods that carry these vitamins in them naturally.
The body will better absorb these than the synthetic compounds in supplements.
It may not be so surprising then that a lack of vitamins and minerals can be a cause of chapped lips.
So which vitamins and minerals does our body need to maintain optimal lip health? If you want smooth and healthy lips, you need to maintain adequate levels of the following vitamins: A, B-complex, C, E, and Iron.
All of these are necessary for the body to function properly, and a deficiency in any of these vitamins can result in chapped lips, among other things.
Vitamin A - Vitamin A plays a role mostly in the health of the eyes, however it does affect the skin as well.
A deficiency in this vitamin is known to cause blindness, night blindness, weakened immune system, chapped lips, and other nasty problems.
Because vitamin A is fat soluble, it is more difficult to get rid of excess amounts of it in the body, and so toxicity can also be a problem if too much is absorbed.
Be cautious to take only the amount necessary daily.
Vitamin B-complex - Vitamin B helps perform many functions in the body, ranging from skin and muscle tone to proper cell division and growth, and strengthening the immune system.
Out of all the vitamins that take the name of vitamin B, vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is probably one of the most important for optimal lip health.
A deficiency in riboflavin can result in chapped lips, angular cheilitis, and sore throat, among other things.
Vitamin C - A lack of vitamin C doesn't cause chapped lips in and of itself.
However, because it plays a vital role in the immune system, without a healthy amount of vitamin C the body is less able to fight off infection and bacteria that may cause chapped lips.
Vitamin C is also an antihistamine.
This means it helps fight off allergies.
This is great in and of itself, but since some allergies show themselves in the form of chapped lips, it's even better.
Vitamin E - Vitamin E is a versatile vitamin, playing many roles inside the body.
One of the things it does is aid in cell and skin repair.
Because our lips often go through a lot of stress, are exposed to the elements constantly, are bitten, torn, and sapped of moisture, it is easy for our lips to chap and crack.
However, without vitamin E, the process of repairing the damage done to our lips would be much longer and less effective.
Iron - Iron is necessary carrying oxygen throughout the body, and plays a role in cell growth as well.
A lack of iron in the blood can lead to a disease called anemia.
One of the tell tale signs of anemia is chapped lips.
Due to the lower oxygen levels in the blood, cells won't be as strong and nourished as they need to be, making it difficult to repair the damage done to the lips.
It is extremely important to recognize the necessety of vitamins and minerals in the body, not only for the health of your lips, but for your health in general.
If a deficiency of a vitamin or mineral is present for too long, chapped lips will likely be the least of your worries.
It is also worth noting that while supplements are good, it is better to find foods that carry these vitamins in them naturally.
The body will better absorb these than the synthetic compounds in supplements.
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