Nutrition doctor reveals his secret recipe against premature skin aging

Berlin. With the right diet you can “pep up your skin,” says nutritionist Dr. Riedl. The key: an anti-inflammatory diet.

Beauty comes from within – this saying can be taken literally when it comes to our skin health. The most effective way to achieve flawless, radiant skin is diet. What we eat and drink every day inevitably influences how we look.

Diet also has a long-term effect on the skin. Many foods can Skin aging accelerate, while others can slow it down, says the nutritionist. For him, “a anti-inflammatory diet the best food against premature skin aging.” But what does that mean?

Our expert

Dr. Matthias Riedl is a nutritional doctor, diabetologist and medical director of Medicum Hamburg. He is also known as the nutrition doc. Since 2022 he has been running the podcast “This is how healthy nutrition works”.

Anti-inflammatory diet: Silent inflammation promotes skin aging

What many people do not know: “Aging is very strongly associated with silent inflammation and this is one of the levers with which we Reduce aging can,” says Riedl. In 2000, a researcher first introduced the term “inflammaging” – a combination of the English terms “inflammation” and “aging”. This describes the fact that chronic silent inflammation occurs with increasing age, which can be accompanied by cell changes, among other things.

According to Ried, a variety of factors promote inflammatory processes in the body, including stress, lack of sleep and lack of exercise. All of this causes aggressive oxygen compounds, the so-called free radicalsare formed. Too much of it can lead to oxidative stress, a condition in which cell damage and inflammation occur. Conversely, free radicals are also byproducts of inflammation. It’s a vicious circle: oxidative stress causes inflammation, which in turn fuels the oxidative stress.

Riedl believes that the biggest cause of silent inflammation is an incorrect diet. A meta-study from 2017 came to the conclusion that an imbalance in the intestinal microbiome can be a possible cause of inflammation. The intestinal flora is closely linked to the diet: if we do not eat a varied and balanced diet, the “good”, health-promoting bacteria in our intestines do not get any food. Since a large part of our immune cells are located in the intestines, poor intestinal flora has a negative effect on the body’s immune response.

Difference between acute and silent inflammation

Acute inflammation is a Defense mechanism of the body that is triggered by certain stimuli, e.g. pathogens, foreign bodies or injuries. The typical symptoms of inflammation include pain, redness and swelling. They are caused by messenger substances that, among other things, cause a stronger blood flow to the affected area and an increased sensation of pain.

We all know it from colds: if you have caught a virus, your nose swells up, your throat hurts and your tonsils turn red. The noticeable signs of inflammation are unpleasant, but they show that the body is in the process of repairing damaged or infected tissue. As soon as this is done, the inflammation subsides.

This must be distinguished from silent inflammationThey are not as noticeable as acute inflammations because they cause rather unspecific symptoms: increased susceptibility to infections, chronic fatigue or difficulty concentrating, for example, are difficult to trace back to a single cause. For this very reason, silent inflammations can remain undetected for years. This can create a breeding ground for cancer, but can also promote skin aging, as Dr. Riedl explains.

Younger skin in danger: sugar and fats cause inflammation on the skin

Deficiencies can arise quickly, and are not uncommon in Germany, says the nutritionist. But if the skin does not get everything it needs, a variety of problems can result: “The skin then becomes even more brittle, then eczema occurs, then inflammation may occur, as we know from psoriasis.”

What is anti-inflammatory nutrition?

The solution for skin problems and premature skin aging? For Riedl, it is the anti-inflammatory diet already mentioned. His recommendations are also in line with scientific findings: A review published in 2021 by German-Spanish researchers states that a diet based on anti-inflammatory foods has an effect on the aging process.

An anti-inflammatory diet consists of a positive list and a negative list of foods that you should (not) eat: “finished products are negative foods because they simply do not contain what we need.” This includes products that are already available ready to eat or only need to be heated up to be eaten, such as frozen pizza, instant soups, but also snacks and canned goods.

Such highly processed foods are often nothing more than empty calories. They provide little or no nutrients, but a lot Sugar and bad, saturated fats: “Sugar promotes the skin’s tendency to become inflamed.” This particularly affects people who are prone to acne. But not only convenience foods and sweets should be avoided for this reason, but also fruits with a very high sugar content, advises Dr. Riedl. The body does not differentiate between fructose and industrial sugar. In general, “foods with a high glycemic index“That is, foods that cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket have an inflammatory effect.”

Read here:These foods can help regulate blood sugar

There too animal fat are among the inflammation drivers, one should be careful with meat and dairy products. This applies especially to people with skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, psoriasis and rosacea.

Anti-aging diet: These foods keep your body and skin young

Foods with a high content of sugar and unsaturated fatty acids should be avoided as much as possible due to their inflammatory effects. Instead, more foods should be included in the diet that have anti-inflammatory properties and are important for skin regeneration.

According to nutritionist Dr. Riedl, we need three nutrients in particular:

Omega-3 fatty acids: “Fats are used as building blocks for new skin cells and as an important source of energy,” says Dr. Riedl. There is also evidence that a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids is associated with the formation of acne, as a recent pilot study by the University of Munich and the University of Miami has suggested.
Vitamin A: “We need it for cell division. Vitamin A is a very important substance, also for protecting the skin and mucous membranes from infections. We need it to fight off pathogens that try to penetrate the skin. If we have a deficiency, we are a little more vulnerable,” says Riedl.
Secondary plant substancesRedness, itching, pimples – if the skin reacts increasingly with inflammation, a lack of anti-inflammatory secondary plant substances could be the cause.

With a plant-based and natural nutrition you can meet your nutritional needs. Nuts alone contain everything the body needs, says Dr. Riedl. He also recommends vegetables, berries, pulses, fish and vegetable oils.

What you should eat for the sake of your health and what you should not eat (or only in moderation) – the following table summarizes all anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory foods:

Anti-inflammatory foods	Inflammatory foods
All kinds of vegetables	Highly processed products (e.g. pizza, instant noodles, canned goods)
Dark berries (e.g. blackberries or blueberries)	sweets
Avocado	Cake
legumes	Fruit juices
Eggs	White bread
Fish	Cornflakes and muesli
cocoa	Meat (especially red meat)
Nuts and seeds	Butter and margarine
Vegetable oils (e.g. olive oil, linseed oil)	Dairy products
Algae oil	Fried foods
(Mediterranean) herbs	Germ oils (e.g. wheat germ oil)

Nutrition doctor warns against purely vegan diet

According to the nutritionist, a strict vegetarian or vegan diet is not necessary at all, it can even be counterproductive. Anyone who completely avoids animal products can quickly Deficiencies Many animal foods are valuable sources of nutrients: fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and eggs contain a lot of vitamin A.

Sources

Falzone, L. (et al.): Inflammation and aging in chronic and degenerative diseases: Current and future therapeutic strategies, in: Frontiers in PharmacologyJan. 2023, Vol. 13.

Calder, CP (ua): Health relevance of the modification of low grade inflammation in ageing (inflammageing) and the role of nutrition, in: Ageing Research ReviewsNov. 2017, Vol. 40: 95-119.

Stromsnes, K. (et al.): Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Diet: Role in Healthy Aging, in: Biomedicines, 2021, Vol. 9(8): 922.

Guertler, A. (et al.): Deficit of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Acne Patients—A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study in a German Cohort, in: Life, 2024, Vol. 14(4): 519.