Subjects who took a supplement containing tomato phytonutrients and rosemary extract experienced less UVB-induced erythema and a reduction in UVB-induced inflammatory cytokines (IL6 and TNF-alpha) compared to placebo. The double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, published March 5 in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, included 149 subjects randomized into two groups. Each group underwent a five-week washout followed by a 12-week treatment phase where they took a daily supplement that was either Lycoderm (15mg lycopene, 5.8mg phytoene and phytofluence, 0.8mg beta carotene, 5.6mg tocopherols from tomato extract and 4mg carnosic acid from rosemary extract) or placebo. The researchers performed MED determination, UVB irradiation, chromametry, biopsies and blood tests at the completion of each phase. They found that the supplement was well-tolerated and showed significantly better protection against UVB-induced erythema and inflammatory cytokines than placebo.
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