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Is Vitamin Deficiency Behind White Spots on Your Skin? Here’s what the experts say
White spots on your skin can be more than a cosmetic problem. Experts explain how deficiency of vitamins like B12 and D contribute to hypopigmentation.
Image – iStock
Photo: iStock
white skin spotswhatever is called hypopigmentation Or white spotsThere may be various causative factors. It can be caused by fungal infections, autoimmune conditions, genetic causes, and more. However, one reason that is often overlooked is lack of nutrition. According to experts, Dr Nishtha Patel, consultant dermatologist at Cosmoderma, and Kiran Bhatt, cosmetologist and vice president of Junosc, if patchy skin is associated with nutrient deficiencies, there are three main vitamins whose deficiency leads to this condition – Vitamin B12 , vitamin D And folic acid,
Here’s the reason:
vitamin b12 Shortage
Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin needed for good skin and its deficiency has been linked to dark spots on the skin. ,homocysteineAn amino acid, vitamin B12 is required for its metabolism inside the body. But in case of deficiency of this vitamin, homocysteine accumulates in the body and causes oxidative damage to cells, including melanocytesDamaged melanocytes can lead to vitiligo, says Bhatt.
Additionally, says Patel, vitamin B12 is required for the synthesis of methionine, which is a precursor to S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), which is an essential component. methylationMethylation is central to regulating gene expression including genes that support melanin production. Under conditions of Vitamin B12 deficiency, there is impairment in melanin synthesis and thus hypopigmentation.
vitamin D
This ‘sunshine vitamin’ is produced by the skin after exposure to the sun’s UV rays. Patel says: “Vitamin D has a direct positive association with skin health because the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, melanocytes, express receptors for vitamin D (VDR). The active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol, increases the growth and multiplication of melanocytes and thus stimulates melanin production.
Various researches have shown that individuals suffering from vitiligo have low levels of Vitamin D, which shows its importance. Treatment options include oral supplementation with vitamin D or topical application.
folic acid
According to Bhatt: “Vitamin B9 is also linked to the body’s methylation process and the synthesis of DNA. When there is a deficiency of folic acid in the body, the level of homocysteine in the body increases, which causes free radical damage to the body cells and melanocytes are destroyed. “The combination of vitamin B12 and folic acid has been shown to improve skin hypopigmentation in individuals suffering from vitiligo.”
White spots on the skin most often indicate an underlying cause and are the most commonly ignored factor. vitamin deficiencyThere is ample evidence linking deficiency of Vitamin D, B12 and B6 to vitiligo and thus their supplementation becomes primary.
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