Colorless Carotenoids for Antiaging Inside and Out

Natural colorless carotenoids are beneficial for antiaging and health benefits, according to IBR Ltd., a manufacturer of colorless carotenoids for both ingestion and topical treatments. The oral PhytoflORAL TP product and topical IBR-CLC and IBR-TCLC products are derived from NON-GMO algae and tomatoes that do not contain lycopene. In his presentation at the International Marine Biotechnology Conference (IMBC) in Eilat, Israel, the company’s chief scientist, Etienne Soudant, discussed "Phytoene and Phytofluene: Two Colorless Bioactive Molecules and the Most Important Carotenoids for the Skin.”

Soudant discussed key benefits of the colorless carotenoids (CLCs) for the prevention of aging and photoaging: they reduce UV damage by absorbing light in the UV range, prevent ROS formation, reduce light energy from UV to the visible range, and reduce sunburn and damage to DNA. In addition, they are reportedly excellent quenchers of ·OH, preventing lipid-peroxidation and have anti-inflammatory as well as collagen formation properties. The CLCs are reported to inhibit collagenases formation and stimulate collagen formation through their inhibition of MMP-1 expression in normal human keratinocytes.

The company reported that bioavailability studies of CLCS showed a dramatic increase in phytoene and phytofluene after the ingestion of tomato juice and that daily intake of tomato extract increased phytoene and phytofluene levels in plasma and lymphocytes and significantly reduced (~42%) oxidative stress-induced DNA damage.

These colorless carotenoids are found in skin and in its horny layer at a relatively high concentration (38% of the total carotenoids) and therefore have the potential to play an important role in skin protection. In addition, a significant and increased reduction of UV induced erythema is observed with increasing intake amounts of phytoene and phytofluene. More findings show that carotenoid levels in healthy skin are dramatically higher than their levels in skin with keratosis pilaris, acne and psoriasis.

Applications for the carotenoids, according to the company include antiaging skin care and protection against UV damage. CLCs reportedly can also function as actives for skin whitening, evening skin complexion and tone. The company demonstrated how colorless carotenoids can protect the skin via several important mechanisms: UVA and UVB absorbance; trapping hydroxyl radicals, the most destructive free radicals that exist; reducing inflammation; and inhibiting and/or preventing skin tumor development.