The latest trend in wearable wellness is vitamin patches. Traditionally attained through eating a healthy, balanced diet or taking a supplement or gummy, vitamins can now be absorbed into the body via patches that stick to the skin.
Similar to pimple patches that have popped up on the faces of teens everywhere, vitamin patches are small, have cute designs and can be applied on most parts of the body, depending on whether or not you want to show off the design.
“Vitamin patches use transdermal delivery, meaning the nutrients are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream,” says Dr Najam U Saqib, specialist dermatologist at RAK Hospital. “The patch releases a controlled amount of the active ingredient over time. The skin acts as a semipermeable barrier so, for absorption to occur, the vitamin molecules must be small and lipophilic, or fat-soluble, or then designed in a way to penetrate the skin’s layers.”
Not a patch
The body absorbs vitamins taken orally or via an injection or drip differently to vitamins delivered via patches.
“Oral supplements are absorbed through the digestive system, which can reduce bioavailability due to metabolism in the liver, but this route is well studied and generally reliable,” says Dr Karima Arroud, consultant – functional medicine and aesthetics at Wellth. “Transdermal absorption avoids the digestive tract and liver metabolism, which could be advantageous for certain substances. However, for most vitamins, we lack strong evidence showing that patches deliver enough active vitamin to make a real difference.”
For those who can’t or don’t like taking vitamins in pill form, patches are an easier way to get their daily dose of vitamins, but Dr Jasmin Malek, consultant physician at Euromed Clinic Dubai, says the effectiveness of patches “depends on the type of vitamin and whether it can actually be absorbed through the skin. Some vitamins, especially the water-soluble ones including vitamin C and B12, do not absorb well this way.”
Food for thought
“If you’re eating a well-balanced diet and don’t have any deficiencies, you likely don’t need vitamin patches or any supplements, for that matter,” says Dr Meeth Sharad Atawane, specialist dermatologist at RAK Hospital. “More is not always better. Over-supplementation can lead to side effects or toxicities, especially with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, which are stored in the body.”
Vitamins may, however, be advised for pregnant women, those with specific dietary restrictions or health conditions, those who are not exposed to enough sunlight and for some as they age.
Dr Atawane adds: “If you have a known deficiency, dietary restrictions such as being vegan or gluten-free, or for those with specific health needs, patches may offer a convenient alternative to pills, but only under medical guidance.”
Sticking point
As vitamin patches are still relatively new to the wellness market, the science behind them lacks research and testing.
“Right now, vitamin patches seem more like a wellness trend than a proven health solution,” says Dr Malek. “They are not necessarily harmful, and some people might enjoy using them for convenience or aesthetics. But without strong evidence to show that they deliver nutrients effectively, they should not replace a good diet or targeted supplementation when needed. If you like the idea of them, that is fine; just don’t rely on them as your main source of vitamins.”
Dr Saqib adds: “Vitamin patches may be beneficial for certain individuals, particularly those who have gut absorption issues such as IBS, Crohn’s disease or gastric bypass patients; those who experience nausea or have difficulty swallowing pills; and those who want a slow-release, all-day supplement without multiple doses. That said, scientific evidence is still limited for many over-the-counter vitamin patches. The efficacy also depends on the formulation, skin permeability and patch placement.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The National’s picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
UAE group fixtures
Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran
Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait
Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed
WWE TLC results
Asuka won the SmackDown Women’s title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Dean Ambrose won the Intercontinental title against Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles
Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women’s Championship against Nia Jax
Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match
Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre
Natalya beat Ruby Riott in a tables match
Braun Strowman beat Baron Corbin in a TLC match
Sheamus and Cesaro retained the SmackDown Tag Titles against The Usos and New Day
R-Truth and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge by beating Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox
A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
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Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. “Let’s help others, but let’s take care of our own citizens first,” he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
More from Aya Iskandarani
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
