[Beauty from the inside. Does it really work?].

Skin functions and healthy appearance depend on a sufficient supply of essential nutrients. The relationship between nutrition and skin has become a hot topic that is exciting researchers and clinicians worldwide. Intervention studies indicate that it is in fact possible to manipulate and to delay skin aging and to improve skin conditions through supplementation with selected nutritional supplements. It has been shown that diet-based anti-aging strategies are most effective when directed against extrinsic skin aging. New insights into the effects of orally-administered, biologically active molecules on skin functions have stimulated a continuously growing interest in the development of nutritional supplements and functional food products to benefit human skin. This article attempts to provide a briefly overview to some of the healthy and protective substances used as functional food.