Say goodbye to wrinkles!


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Say goodbye to wrinkles!
By Shari Lieberman, PhD

Baby boomers are having a tough time growing old. They want to feel good so they can continue their active lifestyles. And they want to look good, too. They are keenly interested in the appearance of their skin.

What should you advise your patients about keeping their skin young, wrinkle-free and supple? In addition to the common sense of not smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke, advise them to use appropriate photoprotection, take supplementation and eat right.

PHOTOPROTECTION

One of the prime causes of skin aging is the sun. Some sun is necessary for healthy skin. (A number of studies have shown that lack of sun exposure may raise the risk of melanoma.) But doctors have told us for years that too much sun is dangerous. Despite marketing hype, sunscreens are not the clear-cut solution to keeping skin healthy.

Research has shown that although sunscreens delay sunburn, they do not necessarily prevent skin cancer. And certain sunscreens may raise the risk of skin cancer because they interact with ultraviolet (UV) radiation and actually cause oxidative stress to the skin.

Also, high SPF sunscreens give people a false sense of security. They stay in the sun longer without using any other type of protection (such as clothing or umbrellas).

What to do? Use antioxidants. Current research confirms that antioxidants are the best defense against skin damage, photoaging and skin cancer.

Your patients may benefit by using:

• Topical vitamin C. One of the most researched topical photoprotectants is vitamin C. It is a well-accepted, nontoxic, potent antioxidant capable of reacting with, and quenching, multiple reactive oxygen species. It also helps prevent free-radical damage to vitamin E to help keep it active.

• Antioxidant mixes. Animal experiments have shown benefits of topically applied vitamin E, beta-carotene, dihydrolipoate, liposomally encapsulated SOD (superoxide dismutase), glutathione, azide and superoxide dismutase. An antioxidant mix including BHT and vitamins E and C, as well as several other antioxidants, has been reported effective in photoprotection both in vitro and in vivo.

• Topical antioxidants plus sunscreen. Vitamin C and antioxidants plus sunscreen may be much better together than alone in protecting against UVB damage. Topical vitamin C may also be an effective anti-inflammatory agent.

More antioxidant benefits

In addition to skin protection, a number of different kinds of antioxidants —vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E, beta-carotene (and other carotenoids) as well as other plant compounds including polyphenols from green tea, silymarin (milk thistle) and proanthocyanidins such as those found in grape seed — can provide your patients with other benefits.

• Improved appearance. Many antioxidants can improve the appearance of aged skin.

In one study, 111 women between the ages of 35 and 45 applied a topical mixture, which included vitamin E, vitamin C, rosemary extract, N-acetylcysteine, ubiquinone (CoQ10), tocopherol cysteamine (vitamin E) and butylated hydroxytoluene, to their arms and faces over an 18-month period. Results showed reductions in lipid peroxidation on the skin, improved skin thickness and elasticity and a diminishing of lines and wrinkles compared with the placebo preparation.

In another study, researchers developed a new cosmetic formula containing 3 percent ascorbic acid based in an optimized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. This formulation demonstrated a good long-term stability of the active ingredient and of the emulsion itself.

Application of this new vitamin C delivery system resulted in a significant reduction of oxidative stress in the skin, an improvement of the epidermal-dermal microstructure and a reduction of fine lines and wrinkles in aged skin. These results were received within a relatively short period of product application.

• Increased pigmentation. Carotenoids reduce photosensitivity. At high oral intakes, carotenoids can tint the skin an orange-yellow color, which increases pigmentation and reduces the risk and damage of sunburn.

Researchers investigated, in 25 healthy individuals, the capacity of an antioxidant complex (AOC) containing lycopene and beta-carotene (carotenoids), plus alpha-tocopherol and selenium, to reduce UV-induced damage.

The AOC was administered orally each day over a period of seven weeks. After receiving AOC, subjects’ pigmentation was increased, and parameters of the epidermal defense against UV-induced damages were significantly improved. The oral intake of AOC provided a safe, daylong and efficient complement to photoprotective measures provided by topical and physical agents. AOC reduced the DNA damage leading to skin aging and skin cancers.

• Reduced wrinkle depth. Research is showing that CoQ10 as a topical agent renews skin and improves the parameters of skin aging, such as wrinkles.

CoQ10, like other antioxidants, declines when skin is exposed to sun or other factors that may increase oxidative stress. Researchers were able to demonstrate that CoQ10 penetrates the viable layers of the epidermis and reduces the level of oxidation measured by weak photon emission.

They also measured a reduction in wrinkle depth following CoQ10 application. It was effective against UVA-mediated oxidative stress and oxidative DNA damage and was also able to significantly suppress the expression of collagenase, which breaks down collagen. These results indicate that CoQ10 has the efficacy to prevent many of the detrimental effects of photoaging.

SUPPLEMENTATION

In addition to photoprotection, keeping your patients’ skin healthy requires addressing the changes it undergoes as it ages. These changes include alterations in collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans.

Vitamin C and glucosamine with amino acids, minerals and antioxidants, all help keep skin smooth:

• Vitamin C. This vitamin can be used orally as well as topically (for photoprotection). Topical and oral use of vitamin C can enhance collagen and elastin production, which help reduce wrinkles.

Vitamin C is also important in the collagen synthetic pathway, which maintains sound connective tissue.

• Glucosamine, amino acids, minerals and antioxidants. These supplements can improve the production of collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans in human skin.

A randomized, controlled, single-blind study was conducted with 53 female volunteers who were supplied with an oral supplement containing glucosamine, amino acids, minerals and various antioxidant compounds. Hydration properties of the skin as well as textural analysis of the women’s fine lines and wrinkles were assessed following five weeks of intake of the oral supplement. These results were compared with those of the subjects who took a placebo.

The study showed a statistically significant reduction (34 percent) in the number of visible wrinkles and a reduction (34 percent) in the number of fine lines in the group of women who took the supplement.

DIET

Diet — specifically the Mediterranean diet — can also have a significant beneficial effect on skin health.

Researchers have compared the appearance of skin in native Grecians who consumed a traditional Mediterranean diet (rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil and fish) to those who ate a more Westernized diet.

The researchers found that antioxidant nutrients in the fruits, vegetables and extra virgin olive oil, along with the omega-3 fatty acids in fish, were responsible for more youthful skin in subjects over the age of 60. They found a particular correlation between fish consumption and a more youthful appearance. Omega-3 fatty acids found in many fish are crucial to healthy and youthful skin.

How skin ages

In the skin, both normal and pathologic processes lead to the formation of oxygen radicals such as the superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide. The skin is bombarded by free radicals during UV visible radiation. The skin absorbs some of these free radicals, which can then damage DNA and skin cells.

Other pro-oxidants that react with the skin include ozone, industrial and automobile pollutants and a wide range of exogenous photosensitizers such as psoralens, coal tar products and many drugs. As these chemicals go through the blood, they absorb ultraviolet light, leading to formation of these oxygen free radicals.

UVA light (ultraviolet light with the greatest wavelength, 400 nm – 320 nm) is probably most often responsible for photoaging. The skin’s own antioxidant system seems to be susceptible to UV-mediated destruction.

Shari Lieberman, PhD,is a nutritionist and author of several books on nutrition, including The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book and Dare to Lose: 4 Simple Steps to a Better Body. She can be contacted through her Web site, www.drshari.net

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