Oral Supplementation of Astaxanthin on Skin Photoaging, Hydration and Elasticity

Double Blind Placebo Controlled Oral Supplementation of Astaxanthin on Skin Photoaging, Hydration and Elasticity

This study is a double-blind placebo controlled study to assess whether oral astaxanthin can improve skin hydration, skin elasticity, improve skin pigmentation, and reduce facial redness.

Inclusion criteria:

• Females who are 30 to 55 years of age
• Half of the women will have Fitzpatrick skin type 1-3 and the other half of the women will have Fitzpatrick skin type 4-6

Exclusion criteria:

• Individuals with a known allergy to astaxanthin or other carotenoids (such as zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene).
• Individuals who are unwilling to discontinue carotenoid supplementation for at least 1 month prior to enrollment
• Individuals unwilling to restrict intake of foods like shrimp, salmon, mangos, carrots, and tomatoes during the study.
• New supplementation within 4 weeks with tocopherol
• Individuals who are unwilling to stay consistent with a facial cleansing regimen.
• Those who are unwilling to discontinue topical hydroquinone, retinoid or benzoyl peroxide for 2 weeks prior to enrollment
• Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Individuals who have changed any of their hormonal based contraception within 3 months prior to joining the study.
• Current tobacco smoker or a tobacco smoking history of greater than 10 pack-years