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Effects of antioxidant supplementation on skin and serum carotenoids
Author(s) -
Zukley Linda M,
Nguyen Von,
Lowndes Joshua,
Smidt Carsten,
Angelopoulos Theodore J,
Rippe James M
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a145-a
Subject(s) - carotenoid , lutein , lycopene , antioxidant , chemistry , food science , vitamin , xanthophyll , medicine , zoology , biochemistry , biology
Raman spectroscopy (RS) has been used to determine human carotenoid status based on non‐invasive skin measurements. In this study, we compared RS with serum HPLC to monitor effects of a comprehensive dietary vitamin/mineral/antioxidant supplement (LifePak, Pharmanex). Fifty‐three healthy adults (age 55.4±8.4 yrs) were randomly assigned in a 42‐day double‐blind study to assess the effects of the dietary supplement (S: n=25) vs placebo (P: n=28) on serum carotenoids and antioxidant status. Serum carotenoids were determined using HPLC. Skin carotenoids were assessed using RS (Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner) using 473 nm excitation in stratum corneum layer of a standardized location on the palm. Significant increases (p<0.05) were observed with S for total serum carotenoids (2.48 ± 1.1 to 3.35±1.6 ìmol/L), serum β‐carotene (0.56 ± 0.3 to 1.26 ± 0.6 ìmol/L), lutein (0.29 ± 0.1 to 0.34 ± 0.1 ìmol/L), lycopene (0.94 ± 0.3 to 1.31 ± 0.4 ìmol/L), ascorbate (50 ± 23 to 85 ± 29 ìmol/L), α‐tocopherol (34 ± 9.4 to 54 ± 13 ìmol/L) and skin carotenoids (18353 ± 4827 to 25358 ± 5229 units). Only serum ascorbate changed in P (53 ± 24 to 67 ± 39 ìmol/L). Significant correlations (p<0.01) between total serum and skin carotenoids were observed in S (baseline: r= 0.73; day 42: r= 0.57) and in P (baseline: r= 0.91; day 42: r= 0.87). The significant correlations between serum and skin carotenoid levels suggest that RS may be useful as an effective non‐invasive tool to monitor carotenoid and possibly antioxidant status during dietary antioxidant interventions. Bioavailable carotenoids and other antioxidants were provided by LifePak.