Oral Supplements and Photoprotection: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Nutritional Science
• Photobiology

Background:

• Nutritional components and supplements have demonstrated photoprotective effects in preclinical studies.
• Assessing the efficacy of dietary supplements for skin protection against UV radiation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review human studies on the photoprotective effects of various dietary supplements.
• To identify supplements with the strongest evidence for enhancing skin's defense against UV radiation.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of human studies published up to February 2023 from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases.
• Searched for studies using keywords related to dietary supplements (e.g., polyphenols, carotenoids, Polypodium leucotomos) and photoprotective outcomes (e.g., UV protection, UVA, UVB).
• Included 47 studies evaluating a range of supplements including carotenoids, polyphenols, Polypodium leucotomos, vitamins, and fatty acids.

Main Results:

• Polyphenols, carotenoid-based supplements, and Polypodium leucotomos (PL) demonstrated the strongest evidence for photoprotection.
• Flavanol supplementation showed dose-dependency, but this was not consistently observed for other polyphenols.
• Isolated vitamin or coenzyme Q supplementation had the weakest supporting evidence for photoprotective effects.

Conclusions:

• Dietary supplements may offer enhanced photoprotection, particularly for individuals with UV sensitivity.
• Current evidence is limited by small sample sizes and short study durations.
• Further research is required to establish optimal dosages and supplementation durations for effective photoprotection.