Differential effects of dietary supplements on metabolomic profile of smokers versus non-smokers.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is well-known to associate with accelerated skin aging as well as cardiovascular disease and lung cancer, in large part due to oxidative stress. Because metabolites are downstream of genetic variation, as well as transcriptional changes and post-translational modifications of proteins, they are the most proximal reporters of disease states or reversal of disease states. METHODS: In this study, we explore the potential effects of commonly available oral supplements (containing antioxidants, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids) on the metabolomes of smokers (n = 11) compared to non-smokers (n = 17). At baseline and after 12 weeks of supplementation, metabolomic analysis was performed on serum by liquid and gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy (LC-MS and GC-MS). Furthermore, clinical parameters of skin aging, including cutometry as assessed by three dermatologist raters blinded to subjects' age and smoking status, were measured. RESULTS: Long-chain fatty acids, including palmitate and oleate, decreased in smokers by 0.76-fold (P = 0.0045) and 0.72-fold (P = 0.0112), respectively. These changes were not observed in non-smokers. Furthermore, age and smoking status showed increased glow (P = 0.004) and a decrease in fine wrinkling (P = 0.038). Cutometry showed an increase in skin elasticity in smokers (P = 0.049) but not in non-smokers. Complexion analysis software (VISIA) revealed decreases in the number of ultraviolet spots (P = 0.031), and cutometry showed increased elasticity (P = 0.05) in smokers but not non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Additional future work may shed light on the specific mechanisms by which long-chain fatty acids can lead to increased glow, improved elasticity measures and decreased fine wrinkling in smokers' skin. Our study provides a novel, medicine-focused application of available metabolomic technology to identify changes in sera of human subjects with oxidative stress, and suggests that oral supplementation (in particular, commonly available antioxidants, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids) affects these individuals in a way that is unique (compared to non-smokers) on a broad level.

An exploratory study to determine the association between assessed facial skin aging and plasma isoprostane levels in middle-aged Japanese women.

BACKGROUND: One of the central mechanisms of aging is hypothesized to be oxidative stress. Quantification of oxidative stress in human organ systems has been difficult. One of the best methods is using plasma isoprostane levels, which have been shown to reflect oxidative stress in multiple nondermatologic organ systems. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether severity of aging of human skin is associated with plasma isoprostane levels, specifically prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) and 8-iso-PGF2a while controlling for covariates such as body mass index, ultraviolet light exposure, diet, medication, supplement use, and stress levels. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Facial skin aging assessments performed by four blinded dermatologists were correlated with plasma isoprostane levels in 46 healthy, nonsmoking Japanese women aged 45 to 60. RESULTS: Individuals whose assessed skin age exceeded chronological age had mean plasma isoprostane levels of PGF2a and 8-iso-PGF2a that were higher than those whose skin age was assessed to be less than chronological age (p = .001 and .001, respectively). These results remained statistically significant when adjusted for confounding variables (8-iso-PGF2a, p = .02; PGF2a, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma isoprostanes as markers of accelerated aging of the skin merit further study.

Controlling reactive oxygen species in skin at their source to reduce skin aging.

Activity of an age-related, superoxide-forming, cell-surface oxidase (arNOX) comparing dermis, epidermis, serum, and saliva from female and male subjects ages 28-72 years measured spectrophotometrically using reduction of ferricytochrome c correlated with oxidative skin damage as estimated from autofluoresence of skin using an Advanced Glycation End products Reader (AGE-Reader; DiagnOptics B.V., Netherlands). By reducing arNOX activity in skin with arNOX-inhibitory ingredients (NuSkin's ageLOC technology), skin appearance was improved through decreased protein cross-linking and an accelerated increase in collagen.

Double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of green tea extracts in the clinical and histologic appearance of photoaging skin.

BACKGROUND: Green tea extracts have gained popularity as ingredients in topical skin care preparations to treat aging skin. Green tea polyphenolic compounds have significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and studies suggest that these extracts help mediate ultraviolet radiation damage. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a combination regimen of topical and oral green tea supplementation on the clinical and histologic characteristics of photoaging. METHODS: Forty women with moderate photoaging were randomized to either a combination regimen of 10% green tea cream and 300 mg twice-daily green tea oral supplementation or a placebo regimen for 8 weeks. RESULTS: No significant differences in clinical grading were found between the green tea-treated and placebo groups, other than higher subjective scores of irritation in the green tea-treated group. Histologic grading of skin biopsies did show significant improvement in the elastic tissue content of treated specimens (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Participants treated with a combination regimen of topical and oral green tea showed histologic improvement in elastic tissue content. Green tea polyphenols have been postulated to protect human skin from the cutaneous signs of photoaging, but clinically significant changes could not be detected. Longer supplementation may be required for clinically observable improvements.