Product Review: Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water vs. Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants)
Americans’ concern about the nutritional value of what they eat is at an all-time high: about two-thirds of shoppers consider nutrition when they make a purchase, according to research from the Food Marketing Institute. But what value does drinking vitamin-enriched water have on the skin? And which to choose: Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water ($100/60 packets, Sephora.com) or Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants) ($60.00/24 bottles, grocery stores)?
Do vitamin supplements, such as those in drinking waters, benefit the skin?
Yes. According to Howard Murad, M.D., his Pomphenol Dietary Daily Supplement with pomegranate boosts sun protection by 25% “from the inside” out. According to Murad, most topical moisturizer ingredients are only able to enrich the stratum corneum, the uppermost layer of the skin. By taking supplements, Murad says that the lower dermal layer can be fortified with beneficial vitamins and nutrients. Studies confirm that blood levels of nutrients can be enriched via nutritional supplements and food, including a 1988 study by Roidt et. al., which found that serum [blood] levels of ß-carotene and serum a-carotene were weakly correlated with food and supplement frequency intake of vitamin A, ß-carotene, and other carotenoids. It seems that vitamins from vitamin-enriched water should provide no less benefit than vitamins from supplement.
Should I eat food when I drink vitamin-enriched water?
Yes, most definitely. It has been known for years that food enables vitamins to be absorbed more thoroughly into the bloodstream, as food increases the presence of digestive enzymes. A 2007 review in the Journal of Food Science confirms the importance of food on vitamin absorption, stating that, “even if complete disruption of cellular structure [of a particular nutrient] occurs, full absorption of the particular nutrient is not ensured and may depend on the presence and interactions with other food components.” However, recent research suggests that the type of food consumed, not just the presence of food, may help the body use vitamins more effectively. An interesting 1996 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that vitamin K absorption was about 1.5 times higher when taken with a fat source (butter) than without the fat source. The Journal of Food Science study also mentions examples which indicate that efficiency of the nutritive absorption depends on the food consumed; for instance, Brown and others (1997) indicated that fiber could decrease carotenoid absorption, while Rondini and others (2004) found good bioavailability of ferulic acid in the presence of bran.
At present, scientists are still developing the foods that should accompany each vitamin for maximum absorption. However, considering that food seems to increase nutrient absorption and some nutrients increase other nutrient absorption from food, consumers drinking Borba and Vitamin Water should still be advised to do so with food.
Are there any drawbacks to drinking vitamin water versus regular water?
Both vitamin water and regular water deliver the benefits of water to the skin, which include flushing or removal of harmful toxins, nutrient delivery, and increased energy, even though drinking water does not keeping your skin moist.
There are some drawbacks to drinking some types of vitamin water versus regular water. According to an article by CareFair.com, physicians tend to note that the vitamin-enriched water also tends to contain caffeine, calories, artificial sweeteners and additives. For the brands evaluated for this article, Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water is free of caffeine and calories, and contains only “natural flavors.” On the other hand, Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants) contains no caffeine or artificial sweeteners, but delivers 50 calories per 8 floz., or 125 calories per 20 oz. bottle, and 13 grams of sugar per 8 floz (32.5 grams per 20 oz. bottle, nearly the 40 grams recommended per day!). Consuming large quantities of this or any other sugar-enriched water may actually contribute to aging, as excess blood sugar has been found to contribute to the formation of aging advanced glycation end products via the Maillard pathway.
So, overall, are waters fortified with vitamins beneficial for the skin?
Most likely, yes, although the areas and degrees of improvement are still largely undetermined. Despite this, according to Nobel laureate Ferid Murad, author of The Wellness Solution, most people are vitamin deficient, and it is hard to get vitamins through a normal diet. As such, he recommends multi-vitamins and antioxidants via other sources, such as supplements.
Both Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water ($100/60 packets, Sephora.com) and Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants) contain antioxidants Açaí berry and vitamin C. However, due to the additional presence of vitamin E and green tea in sugar in Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water, as well as the sugar in Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants) ($60.00/24 bottles, grocery stores) I would personally choose the Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water, even though the Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants) contains an impressive B-vitamin complex.
Additionally, based on current research, I would drink this product with a well-balanced meal to maximize vitamin absorption. Product Rating (Borba): 8.5/10; Product Rating (Glaceau): 7/10.
Ingredients in Borba Age-Defying Skin Balance Water
WATER, NATURAL FLAVORS, DL-ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE, MAGNESIUM GLUCONATE, CITRIC ACID,GREEN TEA EXTRACT, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC, ASCORBIC ACID, GRAPE SEED EXTRACT, SUCRALOSE, SILICON DIOXIDE, NIACINAMIDE, CHAMOMILE EXTRACT, ACAI EXTRACT, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, ZINC PICOLINATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDRLCHLORIDE, RED LAKE 40, CALCIUM SULFATE DIHYDRATE, FD&C BLUE #1, VITAMIN B-12, SELENIUM AA COMPLEX, VITAMIN K-1.
Ingredients in Glaceau Vitamin Water: xxx (Triple Antioxidants)
Vapor distilled, deionized water and/or reverse osmosis water, crystalline fructose, citric acid, vegetable juice (color), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), natural flavor, berry and fruit extracts (acai, blueberry, pomegranate and apple), magnesium lactate (electrolyte), calcium lactate (electrolyte), monopotassium phosphate (electrolyte), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (B6), cyanocobalamin (B12)
