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Health News Archive 423 - Skin
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Lutein Increases Skin Hydration and Elasticity

Lutein, a carotenoid known to be involved in eye health, has been found to also play a role in skin health.

Presenting at the September 2006 Beyond Beauty Conference in Paris, lead researcher Professor Pierfrancesco Morganti, professor of applied cosmetic dermatology at the University of Naples, Italy, explained that both oral and topical lutein improves skin hydration, elasticity and lipid content.

Although lutein has been extensively investigated for its role in guarding against age-related macular degeneration, some earlier studies also have shown that a daily lutein supplement may increase the skin's natural antioxidant system and protect against damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This is the first study to investigate lutein for more specific effects on the skin.

The study included Italian female volunteers aged 25 to 50. Researchers divided the subjects into four test groups - oral lutein, topical lutein, both oral and topical, and placebo.  They administered 10 mg/day of oral lutein and/or 50 ppm of lutein in a topical formulation for 12 weeks.

Results indicated that oral lutein supplementation increased skin hydration by 38 percent, skin elasticity by 8 percent, and the level of superficial lipids by 33 percent compared to placebo. Lutein also decreased oxidation of lipids by 55 percent, indicating it could help the lipids in skin from deteriorating due to free radical damage.

Volunteers who received both oral and topical lutein experienced a 60 percent increase in hydration, a 20 percent increase in elasticity and a 50 percent increase in skin lipids.

According to the researchers, a major international peer-reviewed journal has accepted an article about the study, which is expected to be published in the coming months.

Source: Morganti P, et. al. Clinical evidence for lutein and zeaxanthin in skin health, part 1: comparison of placebo, oral, topical and combined oral/topical xanthophylls treatments. Presented at the Beyond Beauty Conference, Paris, France, September 12, 2006.

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