Zeaxanthin-based dietary supplement and topical serum improve hydration and reduce wrinkle count in female subjects.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Antioxidants.

Free radical components (reactive oxygen species or ROS) or lipid peroxide (LPO) is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of accelerated skin aging when prolonged oxidative stress occurs.

The use of antioxidant-related therapies such as nutraceuticals is of particular interest in restoring skin homeostasis.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults and older adults, women only.

Subjects were divided into three groups: two tests (skin formula 1 - oral product alone (ZO-1), skin formula 2- oral product with topical product (ZO-2 + ZT)), and one placebo control.

Key parameters measured were as follows: fine lines, deep lines, total wrinkles, wrinkle severity, radiance/skin color (L, a*, b*), discolorations, and skin pigment homogeneity.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized and placebo-controlled study.

Because people in this Antioxidants study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Antioxidants, giving a reference point.

The study consisted of a washout visit, baseline (randomization), week two (2), week four (4), week six (6), week eight (8), and week twelve (12).

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Administration, Cutaneous, Antioxidants, Dietary Supplements, Serum, Skin, Skin Aging and Water.

Author keywords: anti-inflammatory, carotenoids, nutricosmetics, nutrition, oxidative stress and zeaxanthin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and placebo-controlled study of Antioxidants.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 7 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2016 (Journal of cosmetic dermatology), a journal based in England.

More context: all human trials.