1: Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Mar;71(3):795-8 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Carotenoids and carotenoids plus vitamin E protect against ultraviolet light-induced erythema in humans.
Stahl W, Heinrich U, Jungmann H, Sies H, Tronnier H
Institut fur Physiologische Chemie I and Biologisch-Medizinisches Forschungszentrum, Heinrich-Heine-Universitat Dusseldorf, Germany. wilheim.stahl@uni-duesseldorf.de BACKGROUND: Carotenoids and tocopherols, known to be efficient antioxidants and capable of scavenging reactive oxygen species generated during photooxidative stress, may protect the skin from ultraviolet light-induced erythema. beta-Carotene is widely used as an oral sun protectant but studies on its protective effects are scarce.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effects of oral supplementation with carotenoids and a combination of carotenoids and vitamin E against the development of erythema in humans.

RESULTS: Serum beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol concentrations increased with supplementation. Erythema on dorsal skin (back) was significantly diminished (P < 0.01) after week 8, and erythema suppression was greater with the combination of carotenoids and vitamin E than with carotenoids alone.

CONCLUSION: The antioxidants used in this study provided protection against erythema in humans and may be useful for diminishing sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

2: Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 2000 Feb;223(2):170-4 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Carotenoid supplementation reduces erythema in human skin after simulated solar radiation exposure.
Lee J, Jiang S, Levine N, Watson RR
Arizona Prevention Center, School of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724, USA.

Excessive exposure to solar radiation, especially ultraviolet A (UVA: 320-400 nm) and ultraviolet B (UVB: 290-320 nm) radiation, may induce UV-carcinogenesis and erythema in the skin. Although the protective effects of carotenoids against skin lesions are still unclear, beta-carotene has been proposed as an oral sun protectant. The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of the protective effects of oral alpha- and beta-carotene supplementation for 24 weeks on UVA- and UVB-induced erythema in humans. The present data suggest that supplementation with natural carotenoids may partially protect human skin from UVA- and UVB-induced erythema, although the magnitude of the protective effect is modest.

3. Mol Cell Biochem 1999 Apr;194(1-2):41-5 Related Articles, Books
Protection against UVB inactivation (in vitro) of rat lens enzymes by natural antioxidants.
Reddy GB, Bhat KS
Ocular Biochemistry Division, National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.

4: Ther Umsch 1999 Apr;56(4):225-32 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut
Prevention of ultraviolet ray damage: external and internal sunscreens
Grundmann JU, Gollnick H
Klinik und Poliklinik fur Dermatologie und Venerologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universitat Magdeburg.

Acute and chronic exposures to non-physiological doses of UV-light lead to a variety of changes of the skin. The most significant of these changes are a premature aging of the skin, UV-induced hyperkeratosis or atrophy, provocation of skin diseases and neoplasms of the skin.. It could also be shown that presupplementation with beta carotene combined with topical sunscreens are more effective than sunscreen cream alone. Therefore the use of such a combination for the general health of population at risk e.g. before UV-exposure would seem advisable.

5: J Photochem Photobiol B 1998 Jul 31;44(3):211-5 Related Articles, Books
Enhanced protection of human cells against ultraviolet light by antioxidant combinations involving dietary carotenoids.
Bohm F, Edge R, Lange L, Truscott TG
Department of Dermatology, Humboldt University (Charite), Berlin, Germany. boehm@rz.charite.hu-berlin.de

Antioxidants like beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid should be able to protect human cells against damage due to ultraviolet light. Cultured human fibroblasts have been irradiated with UVA or UVB light after incubation with the antioxidants or combinations of them. Our experiments show a protective effect of dietary antioxidants against human tissue cell damage by ultraviolet light.