EVALUATION OF THE PHOTOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ORAL VITAMIN-E SUPPLEMENTATION

Background and Design: Solar-induced cutaneous damage is mediated part ly via oxidative pathways. Some evidence exists for a photoprotective role of antioxidants. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we examined the effect of a long-term, orally administered antioxidant ag ainst UV-induced epidermal damage. Healthy human subjects supplemented their usual diet daily with either 400 IU of oral vitamin E (alpha-to copherol acetate) or placebo over a 6-month period. Minimal erythema d ose and histologic response to threefold minimal erythema dose exposur e were determined at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months. Results: The min imal erythema dose did not vary substantially at the three time points within each treatment group or in the vitamin E-supplemented group vs the placebo group. The number of sunburn cells produced by a threefol d minimal erythema dose exposure was also not significantly different between the two groups. Of note, however, Vitamin E levels in plasma i ncreased only modestly and in skin biopsy specimens were unchanged fol lowing 1 month and 6 months of supplementation. Conclusions: No clinic al or histologic difference in the response to UVB could be detected b etween the placebo and vitamin E-supplemented groups. In this small st udy, daily ingestion of 400 IU of oral alpha-tocopherol daily does not provide meaningful photoprotection.