Clearer Skin, Naturally: The Vitamin A Connection
Skin always tells the truth about what’s happening inside. As we age, cell turnover slows, stress leaves its mark more easily, and the skin loses some of its natural radiance. Topicals can help, but lasting, bigger changes often depend on whether the body is receiving vitamin A in a form it can truly use.
That’s where whole-food liver sources stand out as a real source of support to enhance your skin health, no matter what season of life you’re in.
🎧 Prefer to Listen?
Reading’s great, but sometimes it’s nice to just listen in. So we turned today’s blog into a conversation. Our two AI sidekicks, Max and Chloe, break down today’s blog so you can listen on the go!
Why Real Vitamin A Changes the Skin from the Inside Out
Retinol is essential for renewing skin cells, supporting barrier strength, and keeping texture smooth. But the body doesn’t respond the same way to every form of vitamin A. Synthetic versions can work on the surface, while bioavailable retinol from food works far beneath it.
At first, you might not notice there is a difference between synthetic and bioavailable sources of vitamin A, but over time, it becomes noticeable. Especially when the body finally has enough to keep turnover moving comfortably.
Bioavailable Retinol and Acne Recovery: The Key to Healthy Skin
Some people watch breakouts calm within just a few weeks after adding beef liver to their routine. Retinol helps regulate sebum, guide keratinization, and support the skin’s immune balance—three pathways often disrupted in persistent acne. Research continues to confirm retinol’s role in improving acne outcomes.
Food-based retinol differs from isolated supplements because it comes with natural cofactors that help the body recognize and use it. That’s why so many people are sharing the same results and experiencing the same drastic changes: nothing worked until their nutrient stores were finally restored. Years of stubborn breakouts sometimes fade once the body has what it needed all along.
Encouraging Firmness, Puffiness, and Smoothness
Beef liver offers more than retinol. It delivers copper, B vitamins, and a range of amino acids that the skin relies on for collagen formation and tissue repair. Copper, in particular, plays a key role in elastin and collagen cross-linking—two processes linked to firmness and wrinkle depth.
Many people notice puffiness diminish because these nutrients help regulate inflammation and fluid balance. Texture often smooths out, too, echoing what research shows about retinoids and dermal remodeling. When the skin finally receives consistent, absorbable nourishment, it starts to act younger. The result isn’t dramatic like a cosmetic procedure. You won’t have instant overnight results, but what you will get is natural, steady, and surprisingly visible changes to your complexion and skin’s appearance.
Enjoy a Gentle Way to Bring Retinol Back Into Your Routine
Formula No. 06 takes the intensity of beef liver and pairs it with herbs that make digestion comfortable digestion. Slippery elm, yarrow, and other botanicals help the gut receive nutrients without overwhelm, while grass-fed beef organs provide balanced amounts of retinol and peptides. It’s an effortless way to support brighter skin from within.
Try Formula No. 06 Today to Boost Your Skin Health
Feed your skin from within with natural ingredients. With 100% grass-fed beef organs and herbs that are backed by science, you’ll start to see changes that will enhance your skin’s natural glow.
Join the waitlist now to be first in line to try Formula No. 06 from Sarenova and experience how bioavailable nutrients reshape clarity, glow, and long-term skin health.
💡 Key Takeaways
Skin health reflects what’s happening inside the body, and vitamin A plays a central role in how skin renews and repairs itself.
Bioavailable retinol from whole foods works differently than synthetic vitamin A, supporting deeper, longer-term skin changes.
Beef liver delivers retinol with natural cofactors, helping calm breakouts and support balanced oil production.
Nutrients like copper, B vitamins, and amino acids support collagen, firmness, and smoother skin texture over time.
Pairing grass-fed beef organs with gut-soothing herbs helps the body absorb skin-supportive nutrients without digestive stress.
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(AI-generated conversation and transcript)
[00:00:00] Max: The skin is, it's a fascinating organ, isn't it? Yeah. We often treat it as, you [00:00:05] know, a surface problem. Something where we just apply solutions on top.[00:00:08] Chloe: Right. A canvas.
[00:00:09] Max: Exactly. A [00:00:10] canvas, yeah. But the fact is the skin is almost always broadcasting what's happening [00:00:15] with your internal health.
[00:00:16] Chloe: Hmm.
[00:00:17] Max: You shared an exceptional stack of research with [00:00:20] us all pointing to this idea that lasting skin radiance, [00:00:25] it's not achieved externally, it's built from within.
[00:00:28] Chloe: That really is the fundamental takeaway [00:00:30] from all this material. It's just so easy to get caught up in the topical race. You know, the latest cream, the [00:00:35] newest serum, of course. These sources, they highlight a foundational truth. [00:00:40] As we navigate aging and as our stress levels go up and as cell turnover naturally slows down [00:00:45] the quality of our skin in the long run, it depends entirely on having those core [00:00:50] nutritional resources, specifically whether the body's getting vitamin A in a form, it can [00:00:55] actually truly use.
[00:00:56] Max: That sets our mission perfectly. Now we're doing a deep dive into that critical connection between [00:01:00] internal nutrition. Specifically bioavailable Vitamin A and getting that [00:01:05] long-term Skin Health Act low. And we're focusing on the whole food evidence you sent us. So [00:01:10] let's start with the big distinction in the world of, uh, anti-aging and skin repair.[00:01:15]
[00:01:15] Max: Retinol is the undisputed superstar. I mean, it's everywhere. It is. It's the [00:01:20] key active and countless topicals, prescription retinoids, they can literally [00:01:25] revolutionize skin structure. Yeah. So if we have these powerful external tools, [00:01:30] why does your source material insist that internal support is the true [00:01:35] foundation?
[00:01:36] Chloe: It's a great question. It's because the skin is fundamentally a [00:01:40] manufacturing site. And retinol, which is the preformed active version of Vitamin A, is basically [00:01:45] the master blueprint for that factory, the
[00:01:47] Max: Luke, for nothing. It's
[00:01:47] Chloe: essential for, well, for everything triggering the [00:01:50] renewal of skin cells, maintaining the strength of the skin barrier, making sure the surface texture stays smooth.
[00:01:54] Chloe: [00:01:55] But the insight that really changes the game, and this is your aha moment for this deep dive, is [00:02:00] that the body's response to vitamin A is highly specific. It's all based on its source.
[00:02:04] Max: Okay. Can you [00:02:05] elaborate on that distinction? It sounds like you're saying a synthetic vitamin, a [00:02:10] molecule, even if it's chemically similar, is treated differently by our body than one from a [00:02:15] whole food source.
[00:02:15] Chloe: Precisely. That's exactly it. Think of synthetic vitamin A, [00:02:20] the kind you often find in isolated supplements as a raw component delivered to the body [00:02:25] without an instruction manual. Mm-hmm. It can certainly get into the system and it might even provide some [00:02:30] surface level benefits. Yeah. But when vitamin A is ingested from whole Foods, like [00:02:35] liver for example, it arrives packaged with all its natural co-factors, enzymes, [00:02:40] carrier proteins, things that the body cells immediately recognize.
[00:02:43] Max: So the food-based version is [00:02:45] already in the exact format. The cell needs to accept it. It's like a complete system, not [00:02:50] just a spare part.
[00:02:50] Chloe: Exactly. When you use topicals, you're addressing the surface [00:02:55] symptoms. You're, you're polishing the outside of the factory. Right. When you ingest bioavailable [00:03:00] retinol from a whole food, you're stocking the supply chain and optimizing the machinery inside the [00:03:05] factory.
[00:03:05] Chloe: That bioavailable retinol works far, far beneath the surface.
[00:03:09] Max: And [00:03:10] I imagine the difference isn't noticeable immediately.
[00:03:12] Chloe: No, not always,
[00:03:13] Max: but the long-term impact [00:03:15] on your cellular storage must be profound. I mean, if you're trying to build deep, consistent reserves [00:03:20] for skin health, that lasts for years. This distinction between synthetic and bioavailable is.[00:03:25]
[00:03:26] Max: It's critical,
[00:03:26] Chloe: it becomes incredibly clear over time. The body, you know, it [00:03:30] prioritizes nutrient use based on survival. Mm. If you have limited usable vitamin A, it's [00:03:35] going to your vision, your immune system, your major organs first. The [00:03:40] skin is usually last on the list. Ho in
[00:03:42] Max: line?
[00:03:42] Chloe: The last in line. Always. So the [00:03:45] difference becomes really apparent.
[00:03:46] Chloe: Only when your nutrient stores are finally restored enough to keep that cell [00:03:50] turnover running comfortably for the skin, that's when it moves from survival mode to [00:03:55] thriving. And your sources were crystal clear that whole food, liver sources stand out as the superior, most [00:04:00] concentrated source for achieving this.
[00:04:02] Max: Okay, so let's unpack this. Where does this internal [00:04:05] support really shine? The material you sent spent a lot of time linking [00:04:10] bioavailable retinol specifically to acne recovery, and that is such a [00:04:15] common, frustrating, long-term challenge for so many people.
[00:04:18] Chloe: This is probably the most compelling use [00:04:20] case detailed in the research.
[00:04:21] Chloe: Persistent acne is often less about, say, external [00:04:25] bacteria and more about internal imbalances and how the skin is processing and regenerating itself. [00:04:30] Retinol supports three specific pathways that when they get disrupted, lead directly to those [00:04:35] persistent breakouts.
[00:04:36] Max: So what are those three key pathways?
[00:04:38] Chloe: So first retinol helps regulate [00:04:40] sebum production. Too much sebum or sebum, that's too thick is a primary driver of [00:04:45] blocked pores.
[00:04:45] Max: Right. Makes sense.
[00:04:46] Chloe: Second, and this is where it gets a little technical. It [00:04:50] guides the process of keratinization.
[00:04:52] Max: Let's pause on that one. Keratinization. It's a dense term [00:04:55] if you haven't heard it.
[00:04:55] Max: It sounds intimidating. Yeah. Why is guided keratinization so important for clear [00:05:00] skin?
[00:05:00] Chloe: It's just the process where skin cells mature and move up to the surface to eventually shed. [00:05:05] But in acne prone skin without enough usable retinol, that whole process gets [00:05:10] confused,
[00:05:10] Max: like fused, how
[00:05:11] Chloe: the cells mature incorrectly, they become sticky and they don't shed [00:05:15] properly.
[00:05:15] Chloe: This creates what's called hyperkeratinization, and that leads to the cellular [00:05:20] debris that clogs the follicle. That's your black head or your white head. Ah. When [00:05:25] bioavailable retinol steps in, it normalizes that cellular communication and makes sure the cells [00:05:30] mature and shed smoothly preventing those plugs from ever forming.
[00:05:33] Max: So we're not just drying out [00:05:35] the surface, we are regulating the factory floor to make sure fewer defective cells are created [00:05:40] in the first place.
[00:05:40] Chloe: Exactly. And the third pathway is that it supports the skin's local [00:05:45] immune balance. It helps manage the inflammatory response that turns a tiny clog into a [00:05:50] painful, visible breakout.
[00:05:51] Max: Which brings us back to the co-factors you mentioned.
[00:05:54] Chloe: It does [00:05:55] because isolated synthetic supplements, they try to solve the problem with just one molecule, [00:06:00] but food-based retinol comes with that full team of natural co-factors that help the body recognize [00:06:05] it, absorb it, and use it optimally. It's like having the perfect key, but also the [00:06:10] specific lubricant you need to turn the lock smoothly.
[00:06:12] Max: That's a really compelling point.
[00:06:14] Chloe: Yeah. [00:06:15]
[00:06:15] Max: A common question people have with any dietary changes, how quickly should I expect to see [00:06:20] results? The sources mentioned some anecdotal evidence of breakouts calming within just a [00:06:25] few weeks. Is that a realistic timeline?
[00:06:27] Chloe: That's a great question, and we always have to manage expectations.[00:06:30]
[00:06:30] Chloe: While some people do see a rapid drop in active inflammation because the skin's immune system gets [00:06:35] supported pretty quickly, the real structural changes, you know, the actual regulation of [00:06:40] sebum and keratinization, that takes time. Yeah. Generally six to 12 weeks of consistent [00:06:45] intake. Yep. But the key insight is that when people see those initial rapid improvements, it [00:06:50] often signals a profound preexisting deficiency.
[00:06:53] Chloe: The body was just starving [00:06:55] for usable vitamin A.
[00:06:56] Max: So when it finally gets what it needs,
[00:06:57] Chloe: the stubborn issues, those [00:07:00] recurring frustrating breakouts, they often just fade. Because the core [00:07:05] nutritional deficit has finally been corrected.
[00:07:07] Max: That really reframes the whole narrative, doesn't it? It shifts [00:07:10] from I have a chronic skin disease to, I have a chronic nutritional deficiency.
[00:07:14] Chloe: Precisely, [00:07:15] and that's the power of this research.
[00:07:17] Max: Now, here's where it gets really interesting for me, the synergy [00:07:20] of whole food sources.
[00:07:20] Chloe: Hmm.
[00:07:21] Max: Beef liver offers so much more than just retinol, right?
[00:07:24] Chloe: [00:07:25] It's a nutrient ecosystem. Absolutely not a solo act.
[00:07:28] Max: So what are the supporting players [00:07:30] doing for say. Skin rejuvenation, firmness, elasticity
[00:07:34] Chloe: well [00:07:35] beyond the vitamin A.
[00:07:35] Chloe: B liver delivers highly functional amounts of copper, a whole suite of B [00:07:40] vitamins and a broad range of bioavailable amino acids. These components all [00:07:45] work together to provide a kind of structural support that no single vitamin could ever [00:07:50] offer alone.
[00:07:50] Max: Let's break those down. We often hear about amino acids and B vitamins for energy, [00:07:55] but what are they doing for skin structure specifically?
[00:07:57] Chloe: The skin relies so heavily on both. [00:08:00] The specific amino acids in liver are the raw predigested materials the body needs for [00:08:05] collagen synthesis and tissue repair. They're the bricks and mortar, okay, and the B vitamins, [00:08:10] especially B three, B five, and B six are essential co-enzyme. They ensure [00:08:15] the cellular metabolism needed to make that collagen is running efficiently.
[00:08:18] Max: So they power the [00:08:20] building process. You
[00:08:20] Chloe: can have all the raw materials in the world, but without the B vitamins acting as the [00:08:25] energy sparks, the repair mechanisms just slow right down.
[00:08:28] Max: What about copper? [00:08:30] Copper doesn't get the same press as retinol or vitamin C, but the source is implied. It's a [00:08:35] structural necessity.
[00:08:35] Chloe: Oh, copper is an absolute powerhouse, particularly when we're talking about skin [00:08:40] firmness and fighting against. Sagging and deep wrinkles. Copper plays a key role in [00:08:45] elastin and collagen, cross-linking,
[00:08:46] Max: and if I remember our previous dives, cross-linking is the [00:08:50] process that gives tissue, its tensile strength.
[00:08:52] Max: Ah, it's snapback quality
[00:08:54] Chloe: that's spot [00:08:55] on. Think of collagen as individual ropes. Cross-linking is what ties those ropes together [00:09:00] into a thick, strong cable network. Copper is essential for the enzymes that make that [00:09:05] happen. So if you support the integrity of the cross-linking, you are directly supporting the [00:09:10] skin's inherent structure and firmness, you're literally making the dermal layer stronger from the [00:09:15] inside out.
[00:09:15] Max: And your source is noted as surprising. Side benefit to this?
[00:09:18] Chloe: Yeah. A
[00:09:19] Max: reduction in [00:09:20] puffiness. Exactly. Is that related to the copper? B vitamins as well.
[00:09:23] Chloe: It is. A lot of people see [00:09:25] puffiness diminish because these nutrients together help regulate fluid balance and [00:09:30] inflammatory processes throughout the body.
[00:09:32] Chloe: You're getting this broad spectrum anti-inflammatory [00:09:35] support that a topical approach just can't match.
[00:09:38] Max: You get that texture [00:09:40] smoothing. The dermal remodeling.
[00:09:41] Chloe: Exactly, which aligns perfectly with all the established science on [00:09:45] retinoids, but you're delivering it with a full spectrum of co-factors and structural builders.[00:09:50]
[00:09:50] Chloe: When the skin finally receives this consistent absorbable nourishment, it truly [00:09:55] begins to act younger.
[00:09:56] Max: So we've established this internal approach is incredibly effective because of [00:10:00] its synergy, but let's address a concern for the listener. Whole food liver is [00:10:05] incredibly nutrient dense, especially in retinol.
[00:10:08] Max: What do the sources say about the [00:10:10] potential risks of nutrient overload or toxicity for a new user? That's a valid [00:10:15] sticking point for anyone starting this.
[00:10:16] Chloe: That's a crucial question. The sources address this by [00:10:20] really emphasizing the difference between isolated megadose, synthetic supplements, and [00:10:25] just consuming whole foods, whole foods.
[00:10:27] Chloe: Particularly from grass fed organs are [00:10:30] generally balanced. The nutrients are provided in natural ratios that the body [00:10:35] recognizes and can regulate far more effectively than isolated high doses.
[00:10:38] Max: That makes sense. The body's [00:10:40] absorption mechanisms are designed to handle food, not a chemical isolate.
[00:10:43] Chloe: Precisely. And the [00:10:45] sources also reviewed strategies for Gentle incorporation, which led to an example of a specific [00:10:50] formulation model. I think they refer to it as Formula number oh six as a way to deliver these powerful [00:10:55] nutrients comfortably.
[00:10:55] Max: Ah, so the reference to Formula number oh six in the research wasn't a [00:11:00] product plug.
[00:11:01] Max: It was used as a model to show how someone might overcome that density [00:11:05] challenge.
[00:11:05] Chloe: That's right. It was a practical example, rooted in the research framework. The model [00:11:10] formulation used 100% grass fed beef organ, so you get that balanced retinol and [00:11:15] peptide load, but critically it paired those organs with botanicals like slippery [00:11:20] elm and euro.
[00:11:21] Max: And what do those do?
[00:11:22] Chloe: These are herbs traditionally known for soothing the digestive [00:11:25] tract. The goal was to aid comfortable digestion, making sure the gut could [00:11:30] receive and absorb these powerful nutrients without the shock or overwhelm. That can sometimes happen when you [00:11:35] introduce something so nutrient dense.
[00:11:36] Max: So it's all about ensuring maximum bioavailability [00:11:40] without compromising comfort.
[00:11:41] Chloe: Absolutely. The research synthesized here suggests that [00:11:45] the goal isn't a quick fix. It's a long-term strategy to feed the skin from [00:11:50] within with natural science-backed ingredients to reshape its clarity, its glow, and [00:11:55] its long-term health, and that means understanding that the results will be natural, they'll be steady, [00:12:00] and they'll be surprising in their depth, but not dramatic, like a cosmetic procedure.
[00:12:04] Chloe: It's an [00:12:05] investment in your cellular foundation. So if we connect all this back to the bigger picture, this [00:12:10] whole deep dive really highlights a fundamental principle one that's often overlooked. [00:12:15] Prioritizing whole food, bioavailable nutrient sources, and actively restoring your core [00:12:20] nutrient stores. It can achieve long-term systemic skin health improvements [00:12:25] that topical solutions on their own simply cannot reach.
[00:12:27] Max: The external appearance is an honest [00:12:30] reflection of your internal supply chain.
[00:12:31] Chloe: That's a perfect way to put it,
[00:12:32] Max: A fantastic synthesis. So for you, the [00:12:35] learner, the key takeaways from this deep dive are clear focus on sourcing bioavailable retinol, [00:12:40] not just the synthetic versions. Make sure you're getting those crucial co-factors, especially [00:12:45] copper for collagen and elastin cross-linking.
[00:12:47] Max: And finally, reset your [00:12:50] expectations for natural steady progress. Not a sudden transformation. Which [00:12:55] leads us to our final provocative thought for you to carry forward. Consider the full implication that what [00:13:00] appears to be a chronic stubborn skin problem, something you might think requires aggressive [00:13:05] intervention, may simply be a profound nutritional deficit that your body is needed fixed all [00:13:10] along.
[00:13:10] Max: If years of persistent, frustrating breakouts can fade, once the body's fundamental nutrient [00:13:15] stores are restored, what other common everyday ailments might actually be solved? Not by [00:13:20] treating the symptom, but by restoring those core nutrient stores. Think about the ripple effects of true [00:13:25] whole food nourishment.
[00:13:25] Max: Until next time.
