Amino acids help restore cracked, flaky, or dry skin and maintain overall skin health. They work much better than any other fancy ingredient you might have heard of. This article explains the benefits of amino acids, how to use them, and their potential side effects. Keep reading to know more. Amino acids also play a role in maintaining overall skin health and appearance. These amino acids can be segregated into two major categories:

Essential Amino Acids

Essential amino acids are those not produced by the body. You can only get their benefits from eating certain foods or supplements. Examples of essential amino acids include leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, histidine, threonine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and valine. They are found in animal meat (beef, poultry, seafood), animal products (dairy, eggs), and certain high-protein plant foods (nuts, legumes, soy products, and beans) (2).

Non-Essential Amino Acids

Non-essential amino acids are produced by the body. These include alanine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, serine, proline, glycine, and tyrosine. Most healthy adult bodies make these amino acids naturally (3). Amino acids are a natural part of the skin and help keep it hydrated and supple. They also make up collagen, which is a part of various connective tissues, muscles, and tendons. Collagen is also present in the skin (4). In the next section, we discuss the key benefits of amino acids for the skin.

Key Benefits Of Amino Acids For The Skin

The key benefits of amino acids in skincare include promoting cellular repair, increasing skin moisture, stimulating collagen production, etc. We have further elaborated on these benefits below.

Hydrate The Skin

The skin’s top layers contain amino acids that help keep the skin hydrated. They also help treat skin dryness, acne, and rough texture (5).

May Protect Skin Against Damage

Amino acids help protect skin by promoting cellular repair, boosting hydration, and offering antioxidant protection (6).

May Enhance Water Retention

Amino acids, used in conjunction with other ingredients, plump the skin by helping boost moisture. It is believed that amino acids, when used with hyaluronic acid, may help fight the signs of aging (7).

Help Build Collagen

Studies suggest that amino acids help restore collagen synthesis that otherwise would have been impaired by UV radiation (8).

Help Smooth Fine Lines

Amino acids may help make the skin firmer and diminish fine lines and wrinkles (9). Their ability to promote collagen production may also have a role to play here.

Promote Cellular Repair

Amino acids are easily absorbed from topical creams and help stimulate collagen production. Certain amino acids also reduce inflammation and promote skin repair (10). These are the major benefits of using skin care products with amino acids. That said, these acids may also cause certain side effects.

Side Effects Of Using Amino Acids

Amino acids usually work well for most skin types and are generally safe. However, do exercise caution while introducing them to your skincare routine. Perform a patch test before using the product. Stop use if you observe any reaction. The next section will discuss the ways to use amino acids for better, healthy-looking skin.

How To Use Amino Acids For Smoother Skin

The safest and easiest way to reap the benefits of amino acids is through your diet. You may start consuming various dietary sources of amino acids. Protein also contains all nine essential amino acids. These complete proteins include meat, fish, eggs, poultry, and dairy. Essential protein options for vegans include buckwheat, soybeans, and quinoa. In addition, amino acids must also be an essential part of your daily skincare regimen. The most common source of amino acids is facial creams, especially those meant for sensitive areas (like the area around the eyes). If you want to introduce facial creams rich in amino acids to your skincare routine, start with a moisturizer or eye cream. Some of the amino acids to look for in skincare include lysine, arginine, histidine, glycine, and leucine (8). Do amino acids tighten skin? Yes, amino acids can help soothe and firm the skin while minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. Can you mix vitamin C and amino acid? You can use vitamin C and amino acids together in your skincare routine. Do amino acids help with skin elasticity? Yes, amino acids boost the production of your skin’s natural collagen and elastin, resulting in increased firmness and improved elasticity. Can I leave amino acids on my face overnight? Yes, you can leave amnio acids on your face overnight to let them absorb and get time to work on your skin as you sleep.

Sources

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Check out our editorial policy for further details. Protein and Amino Acidswww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/ Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acidshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557845/#:~:text=Of%20these%2020%20amino%20acids,Tryptophan Amino acidshttps://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002222.htm#:~:text=Nonessential%20amino%20acids%20include%3A%20alanine,proline%2C%20serine%2C%20and%20tyrosine.&text=Conditional%20amino%20acids%20are%20usually,times%20of%20illness%20and%20stress. Collagen: The Fibrous Proteins of the Matrixhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/5 Effect of amino-acid intake on physical conditions and skin state: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trialhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6667387/ Antioxidative, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Aging Properties of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms in the Protection of Skin-Aginghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31013795/ The role of hyaluronic acid and amino acid against the aging of the human skin: A clinical and histological studyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33090687/ Importance of amino acid composition to improve skin collagen protein synthesis rates in UV-irradiated micehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3351609/ Antioxidative Skin anti-aging strategieshttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/ Nutritional support for wound healinghttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14653765/