The Effect of Green Tea and Vitamin C on Skin Health

Overview

There is little information on the effect of oral bioactive compounds on human skin clinically despite evidence of a beneficial effect from laboratory studies. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of oral bioactive compounds (green tea and vitamin C) on the health of human skin by measuring markers of skin health directly and skin nutrient uptake.

There is little information on the effect of oral catechin, a nutritionally relevant bioactive compound, on skin health in humans in vivo despite considerable evidence for protective effects in experimental studies. Vitamin C is essential for skin health and stabilises catechins in the gut lumen. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight is a key environmental stressor impacting on skin health. Effects include acute inflammation and longer term photodamage. OBJECTIVE: To examine the protective effect of catechin and vitamin C on UVR-induced inflammation. STUDY DESIGN (1) A double-blind randomised controlled nutritional study in 50 healthy volunteers. Volunteers will receive 3 months dietary supplement with high dose bioactive (n=25),or placebo (n=25). The aim is to quantify the influence of catechin/vitamin C on: 1. UVR-induced inflammation 2. Leukocyte infiltration 3. Inflammatory mediators 4. Markers of photoageing 5. DNA damage 6. Bioavailability will also be assessed (2) Bioavailability of catechin and vitamin C in skin and blood. Volunteers will receive active dietary supplement. Blood and urine samples will be taken over a period of 6 hours to determine blood bioavailability. Skin biopsies will also be taken to assess skin bioavailability. Volunteers will then receive 3 months of active dietary supplement followed by repeated sampling.

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Locations (1)

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