Evaluation of Changes in Skin Carotenoid Scores in Medical Students Following a Dietary Supplement-based Intervention

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center42 enrolled

Overview

Skin Carotenoid Scores (SCS) are a biomarker of overall antioxidant status. This study extends an earlier study in which an increase in skin carotenoid scores (SCS) was observed in subjects who increased their intake of fruits and vegetables. The scores were determined using the Raman Spectroscopy. In that study subjects were assigned to one of four groups based on their baseline SCS. For unknown reasons, the groups with the highest and lowest baseline SCS failed to show an increase whereas the two intermediate groups did. One possible explanation might be that intakes varied more than expected and was not obvious due to self-reporting of intake of fruits and vegetables with different contents.

This current project will be an interventional, non-invasive study examining changes in skin carotenoid levels over time in individuals who increase their carotenoid intake by taking a dietary supplement containing a known amount of carotenoids. After a two-week control period eating their normal diet, forty medical students meeting study inclusion criteria will be asked to take a dietary supplement over an eight week period of time. Students will be given twin-sachet packets of LifePak Nano supplements containing five capsules (dry ingredients) and two CR-6 Liponutrient softgel capsules (liquid ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids and nanosized carotenoids). These will be taken twice a day with eight ounces of liquid at the morning and evening meal. SCS will be measured every 2 weeks. At the end of this period, the students will be asked to discontinue dietary supplement intake and follow their usual diet for 2 weeks then their SCS measured again.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 89 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Medical students must be willing to maintain the increased consumption of dietary supplements, two twin-sachet packets of seven (7) supplements twice per day, for the entire eight-week experimental period, to maintain the logs and to report at each of the times that measurements will be made. Individuals taking non-Pharmanex dietary supplements e.g. vitamins, minerals, herbals, and/or antioxidants will be asked to discontinue use at the time of the consenting to the study. Study supplements will replace all previous dietary supplements. 2. BMI between 20 and 29.9 3. Non-smoker, non-pregnant, non-lactating 4. No use of tanning beds or sunless tanning products during the study Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior participation in the previous study (L14 -128) 2. Individuals suffering from any chronic illness requiring ongoing medication, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, GI disorders or other metabolic disorders 3. Individuals allergic or intolerant to shellfish, 4. pregnant or lactating women, 5. smokers 6. individuals with BMI \> 30 7. Prior ingestion of LifePak Nano or other Pharmanex dietary supplements within the past 3 months. 8. SCS score less than 10,000 (\< 10,000)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in skin carotenoid scores (SCS)

Skin Carotenoid Scores (SCS) are a biomarker of overall antioxidant status. The purpose of this study is to measure changes in SCS in medical students taking dietary supplements over a 12-week period of time. SCS will measured using a Bio-photonic Scanner. This scanner non-invasively measures carotenoid levels in the skin using optical signals. By placing the palm of the hand in front of a low-energy blue light for less than two minutes, the scanner can determine the SCS.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Change in body weight

Weight will be measured on a calibrated balance scale over a 12-week period of time. Subjects will remove shoes, keys, cellphones, or other objects from their person before being weighed.