Systemic antioxidants and skin health.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to review the current state of research on oral antioxidants, particularly comparing isolated nutraceuticals to whole-food sources, and their impact on skin health.
Results Summary
The study found that most research focuses on isolated antioxidant compounds rather than whole foods, suggesting a gap in understanding the benefits of physiologic doses from natural sources. It highlights potential harm from excessive isolated nutrient intake and advocates for more research on whole-food antioxidants.
Population
General population (not specified)
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
antioxidants | decrease | free radical damage | - | - | help fight | #1 |
antioxidants | increase | healthy skin | - | - | can help maintain | #2 |
antioxidants | neutral | intracellular signaling pathways involved in skin damage | - | - | affecting | #3 |
antioxidants | decrease | photodamage | - | - | protecting against | #4 |
antioxidants | decrease | wrinkles | - | - | preventing | #5 |
antioxidants | decrease | inflammation | - | - | preventing | #6 |
physiologic doses of antioxidants (obtained from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) | increase | skin health | the public | - | can have on | #7 |
physiologic doses of antioxidants (obtained from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) | increase | health in general | the public | - | can have on | #8 |
Most dermatologists agree that antioxidants help fight free radical damage and can help maintain healthy skin. They do so by affecting intracellular signaling pathways involved in skin damage and protecting against photodamage, as well as preventing wrinkles and inflammation. In today's modern world of the rising nutraceutical industry, many people, in addition to applying topical skin care products, turn to supplementation of the nutrients missing in their diets by taking multivitamins or isolated, man-made nutraceuticals, in what is known as the Inside-Out approach to skin care. However, ingestion of large quantities of isolated, fragmented nutrients can be harmful and is a poor representation of the kind of nutrition that can be obtained from whole food sources. In this comprehensive review, it was found that few studies on oral antioxidants benefiting the skin have been done using whole foods, and that the vast majority of current research is focused on the study of compounds in isolation. However, the public stands to benefit greatly if more research were to be devoted toward the impact that physiologic doses of antioxidants (obtained from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) can have on skin health, and on health in general.