Tune In: A Longevity Physician On How To Optimize Your Health Span & Skin Span

"There is low-level chronic inflammation that happens as a result of the aging process. And for some people that can smolder a little bit more and begin to affect people," says internal medicine physician and longevity specialist Anant Vinjamoori, M.D. In this episode of Clean Beauty School, I chat with Vinjamoori about the ways that low-level inflammation starts to show up in the body, including on the skin. 

As you can tell from listing to the episode, he's particularly passionate about the practical usage of emerging longevity research—including how folks can make small tweaks to their day-to-day lives that have a big impact on their overall health span. 

And one area that has a big impact is skin health: "One of the things that we've learned from research is that really taking care of yourself holistically is actually the best way to improve the health of your skin," Vinjamoori says. "It's about understanding nutrition, sleep, movement. There is a litany of research that shows that being really good with respect to these factors has a positive impact on your skin." 

The fitness and skin connection is one that's often misunderstood. For so long, there was a persistent myth that working can age one's appearance. (There's evidence that overexercise can affect the skin negatively.) The reality is that there's overwhelming research showing that moving the body is good for the skin. 

It can actually strengthen your mitochondria1 (the powerhouse of your skin cells and, well, every cell), improve circulation2, reduce stress3, and aid sleep4—all of which are great for skin health. There's even research that shows that resistance training can increase dermal thickness5 and smooth fine lines.

"One conversation I'm having a lot is encouraging people—including people who are otherwise active—to do more resistance training," says Vinjamoori. "People aren't doing enough of it, and it's really important. Muscle health is the currency of aging." 

You may not think metabolic health has much to do with skin health, but the two are closely linked. More specifically, poor metabolic health can lead to wrinkles and collagen loss. 

"When we have inefficient glucose processing or glycemic control, that excess glucose deposits into our tissues, including into the connective tissue underneath our skin, and it forms what is known as AGEs or advanced glycation end products," he explains. 

The skin's connective tissues are more commonly known as collagen and elastin, structural proteins found in the dermal layer that give skin firmness, bounce, and suppleness. Needless to say, it's very important for skin's appearance—and when damaged, it can result in fine lines, wrinkles, and so on. 

We talk a lot about antioxidant support in skin care but don't spend as much time on glutathione specifically. But as Vinjamoori notes, it's worthy of a deep dive into how it supports skin health. 

"Glutathione is an antioxidant that our cells make to clean up oxidative damage. Oxidative damage underpins all of aging," he explains. "Ordinarily, our bodies should be able to produce their own glutathione, but sometimes there is just so much damage that our own native systems are overwhelmed. That's where glutathione comes into play."