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Tomato Phytonutrients Balance UV Response: Results from a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.
Groten, K, Marini, A, Grether-Beck, S, Jaenicke, T, Ibbotson, SH, Moseley, H, Ferguson, J, Krutmann, J
Skin pharmacology and physiology. 2019;(2):101-108
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over study indicated that a nutritional supplement named lycopene-rich tomato nutrient complex (TNC) can protect from UVA1-induced (340-400 nm) and UVA- (320-400 nm)/UVB-induced (280-320 nm) upregulation of molecular markers associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and ageing. OBJECTIVES in the current double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter study, we analyze whether a similar, synergistic carotenoid-rich TNC can protect from broadband UVB-induced threshold erythema formation assessed as increase in minimal erythemal dose (MED) reading, the intensity of erythema formation, and the upregulation of molecular markers associated with inflammation and immunosuppression, and whether this correlates with carotenoid blood levels. METHODS One hundred and forty-nine healthy volunteers were randomized to two groups and subjected to a 5-week washout phase, followed by a 12-week treatment phase receiving either 15 mg lycopene, 5.8 mg phytoene and phytofluene, 0.8 mg β-carotene, 5.6 mg tocopherols from tomato extract, and 4 mg carnosic acid from rosemary extract per day or placebo made from medium-chain triglycerides. At the end of each phase, MED determination, UVB irradiation, chromametry, biopsies, and blood samples were undertaken. RESULTS The active supplement was well tolerated. Interestingly, no significant difference was seen in the MED between the active-supplement and placebo groups, as determined by visual grading by expert assessors. Of note, the carotenoid-containing supplement significantly protected against UVB-induced erythema formation measured as Δa* after the intervention minus Δa* after the washout phase as compared to the placebo. Moreover, intake of the active supplement significantly protected against UVB-induced upregulation of IL6 and TNFα as compared with the intake of placebo. Lastly, carotenoid plasma levels were significantly increased. CONCLUSION This well-tolerated carotenoid-containing supplement significantly protected against UVB-induced erythema formation and upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines in healthy volunteers.
2.
Association Between Myopia, Ultraviolet B Radiation Exposure, Serum Vitamin D Concentrations, and Genetic Polymorphisms in Vitamin D Metabolic Pathways in a Multicountry European Study.
Williams, KM, Bentham, GC, Young, IS, McGinty, A, McKay, GJ, Hogg, R, Hammond, CJ, Chakravarthy, U, Rahu, M, Seland, J, et al
JAMA ophthalmology. 2017;(1):47-53
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Abstract
IMPORTANCE Myopia is becoming increasingly common globally and is associated with potentially sight-threatening complications. Spending time outdoors is protective, but the mechanism underlying this association is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE To examine the association of myopia with ultraviolet B radiation (UVB; directly associated with time outdoors and sunlight exposure), serum vitamin D concentrations, and vitamin D pathway genetic variants, adjusting for years in education. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional, population-based random sample of participants 65 years and older was chosen from 6 study centers from the European Eye Study between November 6, 2000, to November 15, 2002. Of 4187 participants, 4166 attended an eye examination including refraction, gave a blood sample, and were interviewed by trained fieldworkers using a structured questionnaire. Myopia was defined as a mean spherical equivalent of -0.75 diopters or less. Exclusion criteria included aphakia, pseudophakia, late age-related macular degeneration, and vision impairment due to cataract, resulting in 371 participants with myopia and 2797 without. EXPOSURES Exposure to UVB estimated by combining meteorological and questionnaire data at different ages, single-nucleotide polymorphisms in vitamin D metabolic pathway genes, serum vitamin D3 concentrations, and years of education. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Odds ratios (ORs) of UVB, serum vitamin D3 concentrations, vitamin D single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and myopia estimated from logistic regression. RESULT Of the included 3168 participants, the mean (SD) age was 72.4 (5) years, and 1456 (46.0%) were male. An SD increase in UVB exposure at age 14 to 19 years (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.71-0.92) and 20 to 39 years (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.62-0.93) was associated with a reduced adjusted OR of myopia; those in the highest tertile of years of education had twice the OR of myopia (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.41-3.06). No independent associations between myopia and serum vitamin D3 concentrations nor variants in genes associated with vitamin D metabolism were found. An unexpected finding was that the highest quintile of plasma lutein concentrations was associated with a reduced OR of myopia (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.46-0.72). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Increased UVB exposure was associated with reduced myopia, particularly in adolescence and young adulthood. The association was not altered by adjusting for education. We found no convincing evidence for a direct role of vitamin D in myopia risk. The relationship between high plasma lutein concentrations and a lower risk of myopia requires replication.
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Topical riboflavin attenuates ultraviolet B- and ultraviolet A-induced immunosuppression in humans.
Damian, DL, Matthews, YJ, Halliday, GM
Photodermatology, photoimmunology & photomedicine. 2010;(2):66-9
Abstract
BACKGROUND Riboflavin (vitamin B(2)) plays a key role in cellular energy metabolism. We have observed previously that nicotinamide (vitamin B(3)), which is also centrally involved in cellular energy restoration after UV irradiation, is highly immune protective in humans. We thus hypothesized that riboflavin might also confer immune protection. METHODS We irradiated healthy, nickel-allergic volunteers with narrowband UVA (385 nm) and UVB (300 nm) at separate sites on the lower back. These areas were treated with riboflavin solution or vehicle at 24 h and again at 30 min before UV exposure. Forty-eight hours after irradiation, volunteers were patch tested with nickel-containing Finn chambers, at both irradiated and nonirradiated sites, with and without prior riboflavin treatment. The resulting contact hypersensitivity reactions at each site were then measured 72 h later with a reflectance erythema meter in order to determine and compare the immune suppressive effects of each intervention. RESULTS We observed that low doses of both UVB and longwave UVA1 were immune suppressive in humans. Topical riboflavin conferred immune protection against both wavebands. CONCLUSIONS Riboflavin is immune protective in humans, and this may reflect the role of the B group vitamins in cellular energy restoration after UV exposure.