Vitamins are essential for our bones, cell growth and offer maximum support to the skin. Our lips are sensitive and require vitamins to prevent them from drying and becoming chapped. However, some vitamins if taken in excess may be harmful to the lips instead make the lips Chapped. Eating healthy is good for the lips as much as it is beneficial to the other parts of the body.

Causes of Chapped lips

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Deficiency of Vitamin B-2 is one of the causes of chapped lips. The mouth and lips develop sores. Therefore, for healthy lips include Riboflavin in your diet.

Sources of Vitamin B2

Sources – Spinach, beet greens, soybeans, Yogurt, eggs

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Riboflavin helps in the production of vitamin B3 needed for healthy skin. Insufficiency in dietary niacin may result in dry, cracked lips, dermatitis, and red swollen tongue and mouth. Supplies blood together with oxygen to the lip area while repairing damaged lips. Help retain their moisture on the lips, therefore, correcting chapped lips. Niacin eases pain emanating from the lips as a result of dryness and cracking.

Sources of Vitamin B3

Tuna, halibut, beef, poultry, pork, cereal grains, been, green vegetables, milk, Light meat chicken, beef, green beans, enriched pasta, broccoli, lentils, lima beans, eggs, coffee, yogurt, whole wheat bread, salmon, cheese and peanuts.

B6 (pyridoxine)

Deficiency in vitamin B-6 results in skin disorders such as dermatitis and cracks at the corners of the mouth.

Food sources of B6

Meat, whole grains, legumes, and green vegetables.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

Cobalamin vitamin repairs damaged lips. It also relieves the dryness of the lips speeding up healing progress. It moisturizes the lips. It lowers the risk of deficient vitamin anemia that prevents your lips from healing well.

Zinc

Symptoms that point to zinc deficiency include roughness, dryness of the skin, cracked lips and tongue. Zinc mineral improves our immune system and protecting the lips from the weather conditions that chap the lips. If you experience lip dryness at night, apply zinc oxide ointment to the lips before going to bed. Zinc heals cracks on the lips, supports growth of cells apart from hydrating the lips.

Sources of Zinc

Oysters, almonds, crab, chickpeas, beef, chicken meat, pork, milk, turkey meat, cheddar cheese, baked beans, lentils, fruit yogurt, almonds, peanuts and chickpeas.

Vitamin A

It contributes to the strengthening of the immune system and also protecting the lips from toxins, infections, pollutants and diseases that make the lips dry. It also aids in the production of soft tissues, promotes skin cell growth and assists in the production of sebum. It is responsible for natural oils produced by your sebaceous glands that prevent your lips from drying.

Sources of vitamin A

Dark-green leafy vegetables, collard greens, yellow-orange fruits and vegetables, beef, calf and poultry liver, eggs and dairy products, sweet potatoes, fortified cereals, broccoli, pumpkin, squash, carrots and mangoes.

Vitamin D

Humans produce Calcitriol (Vitamin D3). It is a topical cream effective in treating patients having psoriasis conditions. The disease causes cells to build up faster.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps in collagen synthesis due to its antioxidant properties. Oral admission of the vitamin can enhance the effectiveness of sunscreens that you apply to protect the skin from the harmful UV rays. It decreases the cell damage and helps with the healing process whenever you have wounds.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E protects against sun damage by absorbing harmful UV light just like vitamin C. You apply it topically. A product having both vitamin C and E increases the body's ability to curtail the damage caused by UV rays. Vitamin E also assists in the treatment of skin inflammation.

Fatty acids

A lack of essential fatty acids can also leave tissues dry and crinkly. Consume fatty acids through supplementation or eat bone broth to keep the skin supple.

Sources

Nuts, seeds, avocados and oily fish can assist in rectifying this problem, for upping collagen.

Nutrient deficiencies or excesses

Vitamin A is linked to dry skin and lips when consumed in excess. Vitamin A toxicity can be fatal. However, the unregulated taking of supplements increases the risk of toxicity.

Taking too many vitamin B12 supplements, may make you develop an allergy to cobalt, which causes dry lips with a crusted appearance.

If you consume, 100 milligrams or more of zinc per day can be toxic.

Conclusion

Taking care of our lips should be a vital part of our health regimen. It is, after all, a useful part of the body and defines our beauty. Our bodies are intelligent when it comes to handling nutrients from whole food. On the other hand, supplements can be toxic and overbearing on the body so take care when using such products. Vitamin deficiency leaves our bodies ripe for infection which results in cracking and chapping of our lips.

It is worth noting that some vitamins, when consumed in excess, are harmful to the lips and is likely to cause chapping and cracking example is vitamin A. Therefore, takes correct proportions so that you keep yourself healthy.

References:

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/lip-care-center/cure-chapped-lips-naturally.html

https://www.thebeautyinsiders.com/category/lip-care

Author's Bio: 

Sara Biston, a freelance article writer by profession. She has written numerous articles, online journals on health disorders, workouts, exercise and diet plans. She is also passionate about beauty and fitness. She has 6 years of experience in health and medical writing for beauty and medical communication industries. She also holds an education in Psychology that complements her belief of inner health. Her mantra is "Change your life by changing your mind. Today is a new day!"