Supplements to Keep Away Mosquitoes & Sunburn

The summer's sunny days and warm nights draws everyone outside to enjoy the season. However, it's also a time for the not-so-fun side of summer: mosquito bites and sunburns. Fortunately, we have lots of natural options when it comes to protecting ourselves from these nuisances.

Recently, I wrote an article about catnip being better than DEET in combating mosquitoes (see post), but to add more protection against the pesky bugs, you may want to up your vitamin B1 (thiamine) intake. One study found that taking 100 mg of vitamin B1 a day keeps mosquitoes away, says Dr. Julian Whitaker, a leading alternative medicine practitioner. Other studies have found that thiamine also reduces itching caused by bites. Since vitamin B1 is good for your overall health, according to Whitaker, it's a good supplement to add especially during the warmer months.

Additional supplements to have on hand during the summer season are beta-carotene and vitamin E. They're internal sunscreens, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The participants in the study all had fair skin and a tendency to burn. They were given a combination of 25 mg (40,000 IU) of beta-carotene with mixed carotenoids and 500 IU vitamin E for 12 weeks. The combined supplements had a synergistic effect in protecting the participants from burning when exposed to ultraviolet light.

But before you throw away your bottle of sunblock, you'll still need the added protection if you're heading out for a day in the sun. The antioxidants are helpful, but not effective enough for a full onslaught of ultraviolet rays.

When buying sunscreen, steer clear of the ones made with chemicals, and instead look for ones made of zinc oxide and topical antioxidants (see recent post for more information).

Enjoy the warm weather, but don't forget to take your vitamins too!

Sources:
www.drwhitaker.com
CNN - Antioxidants help protect against sun's rays, study says