Feeling your summer-best through food supplementation

Summer is upon us which means extra time outside doing sports, picnicking with family and friends and doing all those outdoor activities that we missed in the winter. While this is great for feeling good, the UV exposure and air pollution can wreak havoc on our skin.  

Why are UV rays bad for my skin? 

The beautiful yellow sun rays include ultraviolet (UV) rays which we cannot see with our naked eyes. UV light is capable of penetrating our skin cells and damaging their DNA. Although our cells are capable of mitigating some of that damage, not all of it can be repaired. This can, in turn, lead to the cells turning cancerous.   

Exposure especially to UV radiation, namely UVA (315-400 nm) and UVB (280-315 nm), is a major risk factor for melanoma (skin cancer) development (Sample A, He Y-Y 2018). It was estimated that skin melanoma accounted for 4% of all new cancer diagnoses in Europe in 2020 (ECIS). It also accounted for 1.3% of all deaths due to cancer. This made it the sixth most frequently occurring cancer. 

Repeated UV-induced skin damage can also lead to inflammation and oxidative stress (Sample A, He Y-Y 2018).   

Risk factors for melanoma 

Freckling, fair complexion, and skin which burns rather than tans at sun exposure, are well-established risk factors (østerlind A 1992). 

Is there a solution other than sunscreen? 

Sunscreen is, of course, the most important way that we can protect our skin. Sunscreen containing minerals like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide reflect UV rays away from our skin (MD Anderson Cancer Center). Whereas, organic (I.e., Carbon-containing) sunscreen ingredients form a thin protective film that absorbs UV radiation before it penetrates the skin.   

Sunscreen, however, needs to be broad spectrum (able to block both UVA and UVB), applied every two hours and be water-resistant if you are jumping into the water. Since most of us slip on these rituals, our skin can still get damaged. 

The rest of this blog post will, therefore, offer suggestions on food supplements that can benefit you. The powerful ingredients mentioned here, can help combat oxidative stress and maintain skin hydration and elasticity even in the hottest of summers. 

Food supplements to be summer-ready 

Glutathione can reduce skin spotting and brighten skin 

Found ubiquitously in almost all living plant and animal cells, glutathione is extremely important for detoxification and has potent antioxidant properties (Sinha R et al. 2018).  

Importantly for summer, it has been proven that glutathione supplementation reduces spotting of the skin when exposed to the sun (Dilokthornsakul W et al. 2019). It can also brighten tanned skin and maintains the elasticity of skin.  

Several scientific studies have demonstrated the positive effects of liposomal glutathione supplementation (Sinha R et al. 2018, Zeevalk GD 2010). Bioavailability studies with our own liquid liposomal glutathione formulation have indicated that plasma glutathione levels increased by almost 64-times as compared to a non-liposomal formulation. 

Talk to us today about adding glutathione to your all-season product portfolio.

Iron repairs UV-induced DNA damage 

You already know that iron is important for red blood cell synthesis and oxygen transport in our blood. But did you know that it is also important for DNA replication and repair (LPI-Iron)? This is especially important in the summer because the repeated exposure to the UV rays of the sun can cause DNA damage.   

Iron also possesses other vital functions such as antioxidant, healing and immune functions (LPI-Iron).  

Our liquid liposomal iron formulation was found to be 398-times more bioavailable than a traditional form of iron supplementation (capsule/tablet)! Our highest so far!  

Contact us to find out how you can add this highly bioavailable supplement to your summer portfolio! 

Quercetin to prevent skin aging 

In our botanicals blog post we already mentioned that quercetin’s year-round benefits include anti-allergy, anti-inflammation and anti-hypertension properties. Additionally, quercetin can help prevent cell- and DNA-damage due to free radicals. This was demonstrated to be especially useful in preventing UV-induced photoaging of human skin (Shin EJ et al 2019).   

The skin-reparative properties of quercetin are enhanced in liposomal formulations. This is because liposomal encapsulation increases the solubility, permeability and stability of quercetin (Chen KTJ 2020).  

Vitamin A may repair sun-damaged skin 

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. Its active forms in the body are retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid (LPI-vitamin A). A Vitamin A deficiency is associated with an increased susceptibility to infections, as well as to skin disorders. 

Dermatologists especially recommend vitamin A therapy for age spots and a blotchy/ruddy complexion (AAD). This is because, vitamin A can increase epidermal thickness and collagen production (Kong R et al. 2016). This can, in turn, cause a reduction of wrinkles.  

Additionally, vitamin A contributes to iron metabolism (EFSA), which as outlined above, also has functions that can help repair sun-damaged skin.   

Ask us why we recommend liquid liposomal vitamin A supplementation. 

Sun care supplement market watch 

All of the supplements that we have outlined in this article conform to 2020’s leading claims on sun care products: Antioxidant and no parabens (Euromonitor 2021). 

The leading claims in the global beauty and personal care market in 2020 were natural, hydrating and no parabens (Euromonitor 2021).  

Since PlantaCorp’s products conform to all these claims, it would be worth it for you to bring our liposomal summer supplements into the market.  

Talk to us today to discuss your co-development opportunities. 

Key takeaways 

• Antioxidant, no parabens, natural and hydrating were the leading global beauty and sun care supplement claims in 2020.  
• PlantaCorp’s liposomal products conform to all these claims. 
• Glutathione can reduce skin spotting and brighten skin. Its bioavailability is enhanced by liposomal encapsulation 
• Quercetin can help prevent aging by preventing cell- and DNA-damage due to free radicals. 
• Dermatologists recommend vitamin A therapy for age spots and a blotchy/ruddy complexion. 
• Iron possesses vital functions such as antioxidant, healing and DNA-repair functions. 

References

1. Sample A, He Y-Y. Mechanisms and prevention of UV-induced melanoma. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2018; 34: 13– 24. 
2. ECIS – European Cancer Information System   
3. østerlind A (1992) Epidemiology on Malignant Melanoma in Europe, Acta Oncologica, 31:8, 903-908. 
4. MD Anderson Cancer Center 
5. Sinha R, Sinha I, Calcagnotto A, Trushin N, Haley JS, Schell TD, Richie JP Jr. Oral supplementation with liposomal glutathione elevates body stores of glutathione and markers of immune function. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 Jan;72(1):105-111. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28853742/ 
6. Dilokthornsakul W, Dhippayom T, Dilokthornsakul P. The clinical effect of glutathione on skin color and other related skin conditions: A systematic review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2019; 18: 728– 737. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocd.12910 
7. Zeevalk GD, Bernard LP, Guilford FT. Liposomal-glutathione provides maintenance of intracellular glutathione and neuroprotection in mesencephalic neuronal cells. Neurochem Res. 2010 Oct;35(10):1575-87. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20535554/ 
8. LPI-Iron. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/iron#DNA-replication-repair 
9. Shin EJ, Lee JS, Hong S, Lim TG, Byun S. Quercetin Directly Targets JAK2 and PKCδ and Prevents UV-Induced Photoaging in Human Skin. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Oct 23;20(21):5262. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/21/5262 
10. Chen KTJ, Anantha M, Leung AWY, Kulkarni JA, Militao GGC, Wehbe M, Sutherland B, Cullis PR, Bally MB. Characterization of a liposomal copper(II)-quercetin formulation suitable for parenteral use. Drug Deliv Transl Res. 2020 Feb;10(1):202-215. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31482519/ 
11. LPI-vitamin A. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-A  
12. AAD(American Academy of Dermatology). How dermatologists treat sun-damaged skin (aad.org) 
13. Kong R, Cui Y, Fisher GJ, Wang X, Chen Y, Schneider LM, Majmudar G. A comparative study of the effects of retinol and retinoic acid on histological, molecular, and clinical properties of human skin. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2016 Mar;15(1):49-57. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26578346/ 
14. EFSA-Nutrition and health claims.  https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/labelling_nutrition/claims/register/public/?event=search  
15. https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/article/2021/12/21/beauty-trends-2022-emea-region-include-skin-health-menopause-and-refills-says-cosmeticsdesign-europe 
16. Euromonitor 2021. https://www.euromonitor.com/article/world-market-for-beauty-and-personal-care-2