Abstract
In this work, the importance of dietary carotenoids in skin health and appearance is comprehensively reviewed and discussed. References are made to their applications in health-promoting and nutricosmetic products and the important public health implications that can be derived. Attention is focused on the colourless UV radiation (UVR)-absorbing dietary carotenoids phytoene and phytofluene, which are attracting increased interest in food science and technology, nutrition, health and cosmetics. These compounds are major dietary carotenoids, readily bioavailable, and have been shown to be involved in several health-promoting actions, as pinpointed in recent reviews. The growing evidence that these unique UVR-absorbing carotenoids with distinctive structures, properties (light absorption, susceptibility to oxidation, rigidity, tendency to aggregation, or even fluorescence, in the case of phytofluene) and activities can be beneficial in these contexts is highlighted. Additionally, the recommendation that the levels of these carotenoids are considered in properly assessing skin carotenoid status is made.
Highlights
Epithelial tissues like those that form the skin are essential to protect the human body from diverse aggressions
Exposure to UV radiation may lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a generic term used to refer to both oxygen radicals and some non-radical derivatives of oxygen, including term used to refer to both oxygen radicals and some non-radical derivatives of oxygen, including the deleterious singlet oxygen, 1 O2
Provitamin A carotenoids are key in the fight against vitamin A deficiency, a global health problem leading to different manifestations
Summary
Epithelial tissues like those that form the skin are essential to protect the human body from diverse aggressions. Some carotenoids can be consistently found in human plasma, milk, and various tissues, including the skin, with major carotenoids usually being lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, phytoene, and phytofluene [17] Apart from their role as natural colourants, carotenoids have been important in nutrition because some of them function as provitamin A, and evidence has accumulated over the last 30 years that carotenoids may contribute to decreasing the risk of developing various non-communicable diseases including several types of cancers, cardiovascular disease, and skin or eye disorders, among others [18,19,20,21]. Being the unique major dietary carotenoids absorbing maximally in the UV region and possessing other distinctive characteristics within the carotenoid family, research, and applications in the use of these carotenoids for the promotion of health and cosmetics is a live and expanding area recently featuring in the carotenoid field
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
