The Effect of Green Tea and Vitamin C on Skin Health

University of Manchester

Status: Completed

Conditions: Skin Cancer

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: Placebo capsule; Dietary Supplement: Green tea + vitamin C high dose

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01032031

BB/G005575/1

UKCRN 6911 (Registry Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

There is little information on the effect of oral bioactive compounds on human skin clinically despite evidence of a beneficial effect from laboratory studies. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of oral bioactive compounds (green tea and vitamin C) on the health of human skin by measuring markers of skin health directly and skin nutrient uptake.

Full description

There is little information on the effect of oral catechin, a nutritionally relevant bioactive compound, on skin health in humans in vivo despite considerable evidence for protective effects in experimental studies. Vitamin C is essential for skin health and stabilises catechins in the gut lumen. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight is a key environmental stressor impacting on skin health. Effects include acute inflammation and longer term photodamage.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the protective effect of catechin and vitamin C on UVR-induced inflammation.

STUDY DESIGN

(1) A double-blind randomised controlled nutritional study in 50 healthy volunteers. Volunteers will receive 3 months dietary supplement with high dose bioactive (n=25),or placebo (n=25).

The aim is to quantify the influence of catechin/vitamin C on:

1. UVR-induced inflammation
2. Leukocyte infiltration
3. Inflammatory mediators
4. Markers of photoageing
5. DNA damage
6. Bioavailability will also be assessed

(2) Bioavailability of catechin and vitamin C in skin and blood. Volunteers will receive active dietary supplement. Blood and urine samples will be taken over a period of 6 hours to determine blood bioavailability. Skin biopsies will also be taken to assess skin bioavailability. Volunteers will then receive 3 months of active dietary supplement followed by repeated sampling.

Enrollment: 95 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy adults
• Sun-reactive skin type I / II

Exclusion criteria

• History of skin cancer
• History of a photosensitivity disorder
• History of a generalised skin disorder
• Sunbathing (including sunbeds) in the past 3 months
• Pregnancy
• Taking photoactive medicine
• Drink tea > 2 cups/day
• Taking nutritional supplements

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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95 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Green tea + vit C high dose

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Green tea + vitamin C high dose

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Placebo capsule