Vitamin D is the only vitamin your body can synthesize, which means food is not the only natural source.

Your body produces provitamin D that’s transported and stored in your skin. Once your skin is exposed to direct sunlight, the UV rays break down provitamin D and turn it into previtamin D. 

The latter transforms spontaneously to active vitamin D3. The sunshine vitamin is then carried to all organs and tissues in your body. 

Almost every human cell has a receptor (VDR) for it, including the tissues in your skin (2). There, vitamin D stimulates your skin cells to produce more antimicrobial peptides such as cathelicidin. That’s a natural antibiotic that protects your skin from bacteria (3).

What is more, the sunshine vitamin regulates the activity of your immune system in your skin and may reduce the risk of autoimmune reactions.

Triggering the VDR also stimulates the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of skin cells (4). This process helps the skin repair itself and boosts its protective role as a mechanical barrier against irritants and pathogens.

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is extremely widespread. Research suggests that up to 77% of Americans are either deficient or insufficient in vitamin D (5).

What is more, the deficiency is so widespread all over the world that experts consider it a pandemic (6, 7). 

Therefore, medical doctors and scientists all agree that the best way to prevent vitamin D deficiency is to supplement (8).

Can vitamin D help other skin conditions?

Vitamin D and its metabolites are successfully employed in the therapy of several skin conditions such as psoriasis. The disease causes itchy, scaly, and dry skin.

The effects of the sunshine vitamin on the condition were first documented in 1985 when a patient with psoriasis improved significantly after taking a vitamin D supplement for six months (11).

Later, extensive studies showed that topical use of vitamin D3 for eight weeks was equally effective as the classic ditralin ointment (12).

Currently, a medication called calcipotriol, also known as calcipotriene, is safely and effectively used for the long-term management of psoriasis. That’s a synthetic derivative of the active form of vitamin D3 (calcitriol). 

Research has also shown that vitamin D may slow down skin aging thanks to its protective effects on cellular DNA and anti-inflammatory properties (13).

The scientists suggested that by reducing the rate of DNA damage and stimulating DNA repair in skin cells, vitamin D may prevent premature skin aging and even lower the risk for skin cancer.

Vitamin D supplementation appears to be a safe and effective method to reduce the severity of eczema due to atopic or contact dermatitis.

A meta-analysis of clinical studies with almost 600 patients reported that oral vitamin D supplementation could significantly improve symptoms of AD (14). 

What is more, taking a vitamin D supplement appears to be highly effective regardless of the severity of the condition.

One trial investigated the benefits of 1600 IU vitamin D per day in 60 patients with AD.  The researchers found out that the symptoms improved in all patients including mild, moderate, and severe atopic dermatitis (15).

Vitamin D also appears to enhance the effectiveness of standard therapies for eczema such as topical corticosteroids. 

For example, 12 weeks of combined therapy with 1600 IU of vitamin D per day was much more effective in reducing symptom severity than hydrocortisone therapy alone in 86 patients with atopic dermatitis (16).

Supplementation may also help other conditions that accompany AD, such as seasonal allergy and asthma. According to evidence, the vitamin may reduce the severity of asthma attacks (17).

Evidence on seasonal allergy is less robust, but vitamin D deficiency is quite common amongst those affected by hay fever.

How to pick up the best supplement for skin health?

Although vitamin D3 can provide numerous benefits for your overall and skin health, there are several things to consider when choosing a supplement.

First of all, taking vitamin D3 alone will increase your calcium levels, but it will not necessarily ensure that the mineral will go into your bones.

There is always a risk that calcium may go into your blood vessels instead, which speeds up the process of atherosclerosis and may increase your risk of heart disease in the long term.

Thankfully, there is a simple solution - adding vitamin K2 to the supplement. According to studies, a combination of vitamin D3 and K2 may have a synergistic effect on your calcium metabolism (24).

While vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, vitamin K ensures that the mineral is deposited in your bones and not anywhere else, which minimizes the risk for adverse reactions and side effects.

One of the best products made in the US that contain both fat-soluble vitamins is Vitamin D3 + K2 Complex by Nutririse.

Nutririse provides an optimal amount of vitamin D per single dose - 5 000 IU. The vitamin is combined with 100 mcg of vitamin K2, 210 mg of calcium, and 5 mg of black pepper extract (Bioperine).

Vitamin K is also a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a major role in controlling blood coagulation. The Bioperine content ensures that the product has the best absorption as the extract is known to boost the bioavailability of supplements.

The black pepper extract works by regulating liver metabolism, which reduces the neutralization and excretion of the vitamins and prolongs the time during which the vitamins are exposed to uptake and absorption in your gastrointestinal tract (25, 26).

Note: This article is for informational purposes only, and not intended for use as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any dietary supplement.