Why a super supplement could give you a glow

Each week our experts Dr AAMER KHAN and LESLEY REYNOLDS bring you the latest beauty news and anti-ageing advice

Has lockdown left you running on empty? Are you in need of a lift or simply want to get your glow back? The supplement market is booming and while taking them isn’t new, the technology and innovation going into them is.

The right mix of vitamins and minerals is crucial for health and they play an ever-increasing role in helping to fight the signs of ageing both physically and mentally. Here’s what to have on your radar. Before you take anything... Some supplements can affect other medications. Check with a GP or pharmacist before starting a course.

If you think you might be falling short in your diet, get advice from a nutritionist or health professional.

When taking different supplements check the label to make sure you are not overloading on certain ingredients. Ask your pharmacist for advice.

Always buy supplements from a reputable source.

MOOD BOOSTERS

The links between diet and mood are well documented. Look for ingredients such as B vitamins, which support the nervous system and can help you feel less tired.

■■Try: The Nue Co Mood Supplement, £30 (cultbeauty. co.uk) – a mood regulator designed to help reduce cortisol levels. With a cocktail of key vitamins to boost serotonin, dopamine and melatonin, including B■■vitamins and 100 per cent of your recommended daily vitamin D, it also boasts the anti-inflammatory ashwagandha plant. Helps reduce stress and stabilise moods while encouraging a sense of wellbeing.

If you only buy one thing this week…

SLEEP IMPROVER

Struggling to sleep? More than ever, you’re not alone. Research shows more than half of women have experienced sleeping problems during the past year. Magnesium is involved in the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls our sleep cycle.

It also plays an important role in supporting our bodily functions as well as having a calming effect.

During times of stress or anxiety it is rapidly depleted so a supplement may help you wind down and get a restful night’s sleep.

Tired, irritated and itchy eyes? Join the club. Research shows 80 per cent of us are suffering from dry peepers, but Peep Club’s new All-You-Need Dry Eye Kit, £85 (peepclub.co.uk) contains everything you need to relieve them.

It includes an eye wand that uses heat and a massaging motion to gently stimulate and unblock the tiny glands that hydrate your eyes. There’s also a soothing coconut eye balm that doubles up as eye make-up remover and super soft, reusable bamboo pads for gentle cleansing.

■■Try: Together Night Time Marine Magnesium Complex, £12.99 (hollandandbarrett.com), contains a blend of five natural forms of magnesium and an extract to help produce melatonin. Take two capsules 30 minutes before bed.

SKIN REPAIR

After more than a year cooped up inside and wearing masks, our complexions are paying the price. A skin repairing supplement called astaxanthin can help put the bounce back.

A potent antioxidant, it helps repair skin from the inside out by helping keep it hydrated and dewy.

Astaxanthin protects the skin from free radical damage as well as the sun’s damaging UV rays. It also improves the elasticity of the skin, helping it to stay plump and wrinkle-free.

■■Try: Age Defy Green Beauty Astaxanthin, £34 (greenpeople. co.uk). It is 550 times stronger than vitamin E and 10 times stronger than beta-carotene. Wheatgrass, barley grass and spirulina all work to build, repair and maintain healthy skin.

BEAT THE BLOAT

If lockdown has left you feeling a little rotund it might be bloating that’s to blame. Look for probiotics and natural ingredients such as green tea to help reduce gastrointestinal inflammation. ■■Try: G Herbal Weight, £45 (gherbal.com). It’s part of a new range of natural super supplements that fuse together the best of nature and science. Indonesian herbs are known for their potent active ingredients and positive effects on the mind and body. Rich in antioxidants, it contains turmeric, exotic fruit garcinia cambogia and green tea to stimulate weight loss by boosting your metabolism, reducing gastrointestinal inflammation and blocking enzymes used to produce fats.

HAIRCARE

Lack of sleep, poor diet and reduced exercise can cause scalp issues and thinning hair.

To encourage new growth, a hair supplement containing biotin helps provide the body with additional nutrients to produce hair cells and give straggly locks a boost. Vitamin D can also help boost hair health.

■■Try: Hair Vitalics, £25

(hairvitalics.com). Formulated by hair loss specialists at The Belgravia Centre, it is packed with zinc, selenium and biotin, said to prevent hair loss, keep hair follicles lubricated, encourage healthy thyroid function and increase hair elasticity.

ENERGY BOOST

On the days when you are tired and struggling for motivation, a supplement can help re-energise you, increasing mental clarity and physical performance. Look for a combination of slow-release caffeine and vitamin B12, which helps create new red blood cells to allow energy to be released after you eat. As B12 is typically found in meat, fish and dairy, it’s not uncommon for those following a plant-based diet to be deficient. ■■Try: Pro Plus Ultra, £6.99 (proplus.co.uk). It contains a unique blend of performance ingredients, including slow-release caffeine that is clinically proven to provide a sustained energy release throughout the day, along with ashwagandha, a plant-based adaptogen to balance the mind and body as well as vitamins B6 and B12 to fight fatigue. ● For more of Lesley’s tips, visit lesleyreynolds.com