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Written by Katherine Barrington, Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach
Cellulite affects many men and more than 90% of women at some point in their lives. Though cellulite might not be medically dangerous, it can affect your physical appearance as well as your confidence. Having a high percentage of body fat can increase the appearance of cellulite, but people who are lean and in shape can also develop it. In fact, some of the most common causes of cellulite are related to diet. Keep reading to learn about the nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to cellulite as well as dietary tips to help reduce it.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “you are what you eat,” but many people fail to understand just how much their diet affects their body. Not only does your diet influence your metabolism and your body fat percentage, but it also affects your skin. In fact, deficiencies of certain nutrients can lead to a reduction in collagen production which, in turn, can have a negative impact on your skin.
When your body doesn’t produce enough collagen, your skin loses some of its elasticity and it is more likely to show cellulite. Here is an overview of the top three nutritional deficiencies likely to cause an increase in the production or appearance of cellulite:
A deficiency in Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can cause you to develop a condition called scurvy. Symptoms of scurvy include anemia, exhaustion, and swelling – it can also lead to skin-related symptoms such as petechial hemorrhaging and hyperkeratosis. The human body is incapable of synthesizing Vitamin C, so it must come from the diet – rich natural sources of this vitamin include citrus fruits, berries, melon, kiwi, and certain green vegetables like spinach, cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.
The recommended daily intake of Vitamin C is 90mg for adult men over 18 and 75mg for adult women over 18. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may require more. Vitamin C is important for cellulite reduction because it helps the body produce collagen and it plays a role in red blood cell repair. It also acts as an antioxidant to protect your skin cells against free radical damage. Collagen helps your skin maintain its elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles as well as cellulite.
Found in many fruits and vegetables, antioxidants help to protect your cells against free radical damage – they also help your skin to maintain its elasticity. Free radical damage to your skin cells can weaken the dermis, increasing the appearance of dimples and wrinkles. There are many different types of antioxidants, but the best for your skin are polyphenols, bioflavonoids, and certain vitamins including A, C, and E. Polyphenols like pectin and ellagic acid help to neutralize toxins and restore the natural pH balance in your skin – they also help with fat metabolism which may reduce cellulite. Antioxidant-rich foods that also contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) may protect against tissue damage caused by inflammation.
Technically a micronutrient, magnesium may be the most abundant mineral in the body and it plays a role in more than 300 different enzymatic reactions. A deficiency in magnesium can lead to a number of side effects including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. As the deficiency worsens, symptoms may become more serious – you might develop numbness or tingling, muscle cramps, seizures, changes in personality, abnormal heart rhythm, and hypocalcemia or hypokalemia. In terms of how magnesium affects your skin, it plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen to help your skin maintain its elasticity. Magnesium can be one of the most important elements for cellulite reduction. The recommended daily intake of magnesium is 400mg for men 18 to 30 years, 420 mg for men over 31 years old. For women aged 19 to 30, recommended intake is 310mg – it increases to 320mg for women over 31 years of age.
If you suspect that you are suffering from a magnesium deficiency, or if simply want to reduce cellulite, magnesium supplements might help. There are a number of different types of magnesium supplements, some of which are better for nutritional purposes and others for the purpose of reducing cellulite. Magnesium oil is the best supplement to reduce cellulite because it offers transdermal benefits – it bypasses the digestive system and targets the connective tissues for growth and repair. It may also help with detoxification to reduce the size of cellulite pockets and may reduce overall fluid retention as well. To use transdermal magnesium oil for cellulite, buy the purest you can find and rub it into the affected areas on your thighs, buttocks, and stomach as well as your arms and the back of your legs. You’ll get the best results if you continue the treatment for 30 to 60 days.
There is no miracle cure for cellulite, but making sure that your body gets enough of collagen-boosting nutrients like Vitamin C and antioxidants can definitely help. If you are looking for a treatment that will help to reduce cellulite, transdermal magnesium oil might be just what you need.
Magnesium for Cellulite Reduction
~ Written by Katherine Barrington, Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach
