Effect of beta-carotene supplementation on the human sunburn reaction.

Abstract

Beta-carotene, a quencher of excited species such as singlet oxygen and free radicals, has been reported to protect against cutaneous photodamage, including sunburn acutely and photocarcinogenesis chronically. The present double blind placebo-controlled study examines the effect of beta-carotene supplementation on the human sunburn response and specifically on the induction of sunburn cells at the time of peak reaction intensity (24 h) after a single solar simulated light exposure 3 times the individually determined minimal erythema dose (MED). Administered orally either as a single 120 mg dose to dietarily restricted subjects or for 23 d as a daily 90 mg supplement to subjects on standard diets, beta-carotene increased plasma and skin levels of beta-carotene compared to both pretreatment levels and placebo-treated controls, but provided no clinically or histologically detectable protection against a 3 MED sunburn reaction. Thus, these data suggest that oral beta-carotene supplementation is unlikely to modify the severity of cutaneous photodamage in normal individuals to a clinically meaningful degree.

• Authors: M Garmyn, J D Ribaya-Mercado, R M Russel, J Bhawan, B A Gilchrest
• Journal: Experimental dermatology (Exp Dermatol) Vol. 4 Issue 2 Pg. 104-11 (Apr 1995) ISSN: 0906-6705 [Print] Denmark
• PMID: 7640875 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Free Radical Scavengers
• Radiation-Protective Agents
• beta Carotene
• Carotenoids

Topics

• Aged
• Apoptosis
• Carotenoids (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• DNA Damage
• Diet
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Free Radical Scavengers (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Keratinocytes (pathology, radiation effects)
• Radiation-Protective Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Sunburn (drug therapy, pathology)
• beta Carotene