How effective are beauty power pills? Are they worth it?

It seems like almost every day there's some new product designed to help you look and feel better – and one of the latest of these are beauty pills, or supplements. We look at whether or not they are as effective as they claim – and how to get the most out of them.

In general, many of the creams or topical treatments you may hear mention of have questionable effects. You may have heard it debated as to whether your skin can actually absorb enough of the essentials from them, or whether they penetrate deep enough. One advantage of taking things in a pill form is that they are absorbed much more efficiently, leading to more guaranteed results. Of course, what these results are varying depending on what the pill contains.

What To Look Out For
You'll need to develop a bit of a sceptical mind as you scour through the beauty pills on offer. If you can get to grips with the basic ingredients, you can easily sort between the over-priced and the super-effective. In general, we recommend avoiding anything with:

Too much vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can lead to liver damage, as it's fat soluble and not easy for your body to get rid of excess amounts. You need around 0.6-7mg a day, and you shouldn't exceed 1.5mg a day. Bearing in mind your diet, you'll want to keep supplements contain this to ones with minimal amounts.
Too much niacin (otherwise known as vitamin B3). Whilst great for hair and nails, too much of it can lead to nausea and liver problems. You should avoid going over 500mg daily, but you should talk to your doctor amount specifics.
High amounts of iron unless suggested to take this by your doctor.

Another thing to avoid is ingredients that only seem to exist in that one product. Whilst this could lead to you missing out on a revolutionary product, it can also help you avoid getting something that doesn't work. Effective ingredients will be in many products, simply because they work – so if something isn't, you need to ask yourself why.

What Works
Once you've got these basic rules in mind, you'll want to figure out what works. Depending on what you're looking for, different supplements will fulfil different needs.

Sunflower/Safflower Oil is great for women concerned about dry skin. If your skin already tends to oily, you may find it increases this, but in general it will make your skin smoother, softer and more elastic.
Vitamin C is brilliant for older women, as it helps reduce wrinkles by increasing collagen production. This is one to look out for – any beauty pill targeting your skin, especially for your face, should contain it!

Starflower Oil is good if you've hit the menopause, as it can help with hormone regulation. This can help keep your complexion consistent, rather than suffering from redness, as well as helping with your confidence thanks to reduction of symptoms.
Silica can be great for women of all ages, especially those prone to acne or ezcema. In addition, it can help with the thinning of your hair and strengthen nails. However, you shouldn't seek out a supplement only containing this – you want it to be a small part of a larger one, not the focus.
Vitamin E is one to be careful with – again, you only need a small amount – but it's amazing at keeping your skin soft and elastic, helping prevent wrinkles and promote an even complexion.
Probiotics may seem an unusual one on this list, but if you're not taking them daily whether in yoghurt or pill form, it's worth starting. They can assist in digestion and having a strong immune system, both things that will help your overall appearance – with better digestion, you can make better use of other vitamins and minerals, and if you're not ill, you'll look much better!

As with anything, these all need to be taken alongside a healthy diet – think of them as boosts, rather than a solution. If you're eating healthily, these can push you just that bit further towards your goals, but if you're not, there's only so much they can do! If you're worried about any of these, just ask your doctor, as they'll be able to advise something that's right for you.

(Contributed by Edwards)