Because sunscreen alone cannot provide enough protection from UV-induced
•
and other environmental free-radical damage to the skin, additional protection of the skin from both UVA and UVB and from the oxidative damage of pollut- ants is essential to maintain healthy, young skin and to prevent precancers and cancers.
When formulated correctly, the topical antioxidants vitamins C and E not only
•
protect against UV-induced and other free-radical damage, they can also reverse previous photoaging.
The most protective formulation available today is a serum that contains vitamin
• C (l-ascorbic acid 15%) with vitamin E (a-tocopherol 1%) and ferulic acid (0.5%). Other formulations of vitamins C and E together in microsomes or in microemulsions show similar efficacy. Many other antioxidants and their combi- nations are currently being investigated and show great potential.
Because topical antioxidants are absorbed by the skin to become a reservoir of
•
protection that is not lost by washing or by perspiration, one application per day is sufficient to enhance the protection by sunscreen against acute sunburn and tanning as well as against chronic photoaging, precancers and cancers.
56 K.E. Burke
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Core Messages
Dietary carotenoid bioavailability is rather low in comparison to other macronutrients.
•
However, they are absorbed and distributed to hepatic and some extrahepatic tissues, including skin.
Co-consumption of dietary fat is essential for carotenoid bioavailability. In con-
•
trast, the presence of some other dietary constituents, such as fiber, may reduce carotenoid bioavailability.
Fruits and vegetables contain bioactive agents, including carotenoids, that protect
•
not only plants but also humans against solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage.
Only recently has the role of dietary bioactive agents in the photoprotection of skin started to be investigated and appreciated.
Systemic photoprotection via a dietary supply of carotenoids may contribute
•
significantly to skin health and complement the use of sunscreens in protecting the skin against the damaging effects of solar UV exposure.
However, the knowledge acquired so far about the role of dietary carotenoids in
•
photoprotection is still in its infancy and needs to be further investigated.
5.1 Introduction
In mammals, the skin is the largest organ system. Collectively and individually, all layers of the skin work toward the primary goal of protecting internal tissues and vital organs from day-to-day environmental challenges. Because of the presence of
M. Richelle (*)
Nestlé Research Center, Vers-Chez-Les-Blanc, PO Box 44, CH-1000, Lausanne, 26, Switzerland e-mail: [email protected]