Although catching the sun’s rays is a pleasant experience, the consequences can be very serious for skin health and beauty. The sunlight is an ultraviolet ray (UV). According to the WHO, prolonged exposure to UV rays can have acute and chronic effects on the skin, eyes and the immune system.

Sun exposure can lead to sunburn, reduce the immune system, and even cause skin cancer (carcinoma or melanoma).

Beyond its health effects, irresponsible sun exposure leads to wrinkles, reduced skin elasticity and dark spots.

UV rays can be divided into 3 categories depending of their wavelenghs : UVA, UVB et UVC, respectively from 400 to 100 nanometers. More than 95% of radiation are issued from UVA and the last part is from UVB. The UVC have the shortest wavelenghs and are completely filtered by the ozone layer and never reach the earth surface.

Thus, UVA and UVB exposure is the main cause of harmful effects on skin.

UVB rays have medium lenghwaves and an important biological activity. There are more intense than UVA. Sunburn is mainly caused by UVB rays that damage the outer skin layer (epidermis). UVB rays are responsible for sun tan and postponed sunburns.

UVA rays have a longer lenghwave. UVA rays cause premature skin ageing. It make up a major part of the sun’s UV radiation and penetrate more deeply in the skin, reaching the dermis. Although UVB rays are the main factor implicated in skin cancer, UVA rays also play a non-negligible role in its development.¹

The use of sunscreen is the best-known method to protect the skin from UVA and UVB rays, its application is, however, frequently inadequate. Most (80%) sun exposure occurs during daily activities (and not during deliberate sunbathing during vacation or sunny days). Less than half of people use an adequate quantity of sunscreen or apply it correctly. Moreover, applying sunscreen is a nuisance and can be affected by water, perspiration and friction.²

NutroxSun™ thus offers an effective alternative solution to protect the skin against UV rays and supported by clinical results.

1.WHO. < http://www.who.int/uv/health/fr/ >

2. Monteleoder. Presentation of NutroxSun. Mars 2017

Several studies have demonstrated the health benefits of NutroxSun™, including an in vitro study, a pilot study and a clinical study.

First, an in vitro study (Pérez-Sanchez et al., 2014) investigated the protective effects of the blend of rosemary and grapefruit extracts against UVB rays on skin. It demonstrated photoprotective effects at the cellular level.

1.Cellular protection

NutroxSun™  protects keratinocytes from cellular death caused by UVB.

Keratinocytes were treated with grapefruit extract alone, rosemary extract alone, or NutroxSun™. Cell viability was measured after irradiation of cells with UVB at 800 J/m² and 1200 J/m². NutroxSun™ significantly increased the protection of cells compared with the irradiated control without the addition of any extracts. After UVB irradiation at 800 J/m², the viability of cells treated with NutroxSun™ at 100 µg/mL was 70% with compared with 40% or 13% for cells treated with grapefruit or rosemary extracts at 50 µg/mL, respectively.

Similarly, after UVB irradiation at 1200 J/m², the viability of cells treated with NutroxSun™ at 100 µg/mL was 60%, compared with 13% or 5% for grapefruit or rosemary extracts at 50 µg/mL, respectively. Together, the two extracts have a synergistic effect and the protection provided by NutroxSun™ increases with its concentration.

2. Intracellular antioxidant

NutroxSun™ inhibits the ROS generation of UVB exposed cells.

The in vitro study also highlighted the antioxidant effect within the cell. The antioxidant role of the diterpenes found in rosemary and that of the flavonoids in grapefruit have been shown in cellular and animal studies. The formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), markers of oxidation caused by UVB, was measured using a DCFH-DA probe and fluorescence counts (Perez et al.). There was a significant decrease in ROS in cells treated with Nutroxsun™. Again, the ability of Nutroxsun™ to inhibit ROS formation increases with its concentration.

3. DNA protection

NutroxSun™ inhibits DNA damages caused by DNA on cells with less strand breaks. This result is shown thanks to comet assay and cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay (CBMN assay).

Source : Perez-Sanchez A. Protective effects of citrus and rosemary extracts on UV-induced damage in skin cell model and human volunteers. J Photochem Photobiol. 2014; B 136:12-18.

A clinical study confirmed these results.The study carried out by Nobile et al. (2016) is divided into two parts: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study lasting two months  with 90 femmes and a shorter cross-over study lasting 7 days

The main goals are :

• assess the short term and long term photoprotective effect of NutroxSun™ against UVB rays and UVA rays
• assess if a dose-effect relation exists by testing different concentration of NutroxSun™

Regarding the photoprotective effect, the short-term ability of NutroxSun™ to decrease skin redness (caused by UVB) was studied. The long-term ability of NutroxSun™ (2 months) to protect the skin from the sun was also assessed:

• using MED measurements to evaluate the protection against UVB rays;
• by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, to evaluate the protection against UVA rays (effects were measured at 0, 4 and 24 h after exposure to UVA after 15 days, 1 month and 2 months of NutroxSun supplementation).

On the short term, measured skin redness decreased more quickly after only two days of NutroxSu™ supplementation at a dose of 250 mg. NutroxSun™ thus has a rapid effect on redness.

For the long-term study, 90 women with different skin phenotypes showing signs of intrinsic ageing as well as photoageing received a dose of 100 mg, 250 mg or a placebo for 90 days.

The graph belows shows the MED evolution compared to t = 0 in NutroxSun™ and placebo groups.

After only two weeks of supplementation, the MED value increased significantly in the supplemented group (+ 15.20%). Intake of 100 mg of NutroxSun™ increased MED to about 29.80% after two months of supplementation (Figure 2).

NutroxSun™ 100 mg intake increases significantly protection from UVB.

Moreover, the base level of MDA (T= 0 h, no exposure) decreased significantly for supplementation at doses of 100 mg and 250 mg. Similarly, the concentration in MDA decreased to about 20% with after 2 months of NutroxSun™ supplementation, regardless of the dose, after 4 h of exposure to UVA thereby demonstrating a photoprotective effect against UVA rays.

It shows that NutroxSun™ can also have a photoprotective effect against UVA.

In conclusion, scientific proofs on NutroxSun™ role in skin health are :

• cellular protection from death caused by UVB and UVA
• antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects
• decrease of skin redness and increase of MED : postponement of sunburn formation
• decrease of lipoperoxidation

The clinical study also sought to assess the effect of NutroxSun on the photoaging signs.

The markers studied are the depth of wrinkles measured using a 3D sensor and the gross and net elasticity of the skin measured using a cutometer.

Results show a decrease in the two signs of skin ageing: the depth of wrinkles (measured using a 3D sensor) and the gross and net elasticity of the skin. After 2 months of supplementation, wrinkle depth varied by 15%. Moreover, a self-administered questionnaire revealed the positive impressions of participants regarding skin tone evenness and brightness, the reduction of wrinkles and overall appearance. For example, 80% felt that their skin was better moisturized with NutroxSun™ supplementation.

These results corroborate the positive effect of NutroxSun™ on skin appearance with 100 mg minimum.