Comparison of two methods for noninvasive determination of carotenoids in human and animal skin: Raman spectroscopy versus reflection spectroscopy

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Background: The antioxidant status of the human skin provides protection against the destructive action of free radicals. Most antioxidants cannot be synthesized by the human organism itself, but have to be ingested with a healthy nutrition rich in fruit and vegetables. The Korean cuisine is known to be one of the healthiest worldwide. This binational study investigated the cutaneous carotenoid concentrations in German subjects, South Korean subjects and immigrant Korean subjects resident in Germany and examined whether dietary- and lifestyle-related differences are reflected in the cutaneous carotenoid concentrations. Methods: Measurements of the carotenoid concentrations of 714 healthy volunteers were performed using a non-invasive spectroscopic measurement system based on reflectance spectroscopy. Results: In the present study South Korean residents showed a significantly higher antioxidant status than both native German residents and Korean immigrants living in Germany (p < 0.001). The first generation of Korean immigrants to Germany over the age of 50 mostly preserved Korean dietary habits, showing significantly higher concentrations (p < 0.001) than the German-born second and third Korean generations under the age of 50. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that a healthy nutrition alone does not provide a high antioxidant status unless the stress exposure can be reduced simultaneously.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carotenoids were measured as marker substances for the antioxidant status of the human skin [35,36]. It has been shown that antioxidative substances form protective chains in the skin, protecting each other from the destructive effects of free oxygen species [36].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antioxidants in Asian-Korean and Caucasian Skin: The Influence of Nutrition and Stress

Jung

Darvin

Chung

et al. 2014

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“…Results are displayed as a value ranging from 1 to 12, expressed in arbitrary units. The skin scanner device was previously described in detail by Darvin et al [23]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, it was demonstrated that the carotenoids could represent marker substances for the whole antioxidant status of human and animal skin [23]. Recently, a skin scanner was presented which permits the qualitative and quantitative determination of carotenoid concentration in human skin non-invasively by reflectance spectroscopy [24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutaneous Carotenoids: The Mirror of Lifestyle?

Lademann¹,

Köcher²,

et al. 2014

Carotenoids could serve as marker substances of the antioxidant status of the human skin. In the present study, an optical skin scanner was used to analyse the carotenoid concentration obtained from 4 volunteers over a period of 13 days. The measurements were taken daily at different time points. In addition, the volunteers were asked to keep track of their daily nutritional behaviour and stress situations in a diary. It was found that the carotenoid values reflect clearly the nutritional behaviour and stress situations of the volunteers. While a steady, increased intake of fruit and vegetables resulted in a gradual increase in the dermal carotenoid values for several days, stressful situations entailed an immediate decline in these values. Although the impact of healthy nutrition on the antioxidant protection system is generally known and notwithstanding the small number of cases, the present study clearly demonstrates that the avoidance and/or reduction of stress is similarly important in order not to counteract or nullify the results achieved by healthy nutrition.

“…In the last decade, corresponding devices have been developed allowing the quick noninvasive determination of carotenoids in the skin [27,28]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol Consumption Decreases the Protection Efficiency of the Antioxidant Network and Increases the Risk of Sunburn in Human Skin

Darvin

Sterry

Lademann

et al. 2012

In recent years, epidemiological data has demonstrated that alcohol consumption is a risk factor for sunburn, melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. We hypothesized that if the concentration of the antioxidants in the skin has already decreased due to alcohol consumption, then an adequate neutralization of the free radicals induced by ultraviolet light cannot be performed. Based on this hypothesis, we determined the carotenoid concentration in the skin and the minimal erythema dose (MED) of 6 male human volunteers before and after consumption of alcohol or alcohol and orange juice combined. The results showed a significant decrease in the carotenoid concentration in the skin and the MED after alcohol consumption, but no significant decrease after a combined intake of alcohol and orange juice.