Protect your skin from sun damage

Multiple antioxidants -- the so-called "antioxidant network" is defined as the combined use of a few types of antioxidants for more effective use in preventing diseases. In this article, we will be looking at how multiple antioxidants can help to protect our skin from the hot sun.

Everyone believes that good suntan lotions reduce the amount of harmful ultraviolet rays in sunlight from reaching our skin. The latest study now claims that with antioxidant supplements, such as beta-carotene enhances even more the antioxidant level in the skin and at the same time increases higher sunburn resistance.

During a study, researchers supplemented human skin cells with a few combinations of antioxidants. These included vitamin E, vitamin C, beta- carotene, lycopene, and carnosic acid (an extract of the herb rosemary). When the human skin cells were exposed to ultraviolet rays, together with a control group of untreated cells, markers of skin damage (metalloproteinase 1 mRNA and heme-oxygenase 1) were measured and monitored by the researchers.

The results were very clear and positive. The antioxidants definitely worked more effectively when used in conjunction with other antioxidants in reducing damage levels after exposure to ultraviolet rays. To elaborate further, lycopene and beta-carotene by themselves did not protect against sun damage and even increased metalloproteinase 1 mRNA levels. However, when they were paired with vitamin E, there was a 100 percent protection against ultraviolet damage. When vitamins E, C and carnosic acid were used together, the effects were also protective. However, these formulations were not effective against heme-oxygenase 1 damage.

Source: Offord EA, Gautier JC, Avanti O, et al., "Photoprotective potential of lycopene, beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, and carnosic acid in UVA- irradiated human skin fibroblasts." Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2002; 32:1293-1303.

Protect your skin from sun damage ~ HGH Academy