More Complete Sun Protection

Nothing ages skin faster than the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.¹

Sun exposure causes DNA damage that leads to premature skin aging and increases the risk of skin cancer.^1-3

Daily sunscreen use is essential. But even this won't provide total protection.^2,4

An extract of a Central American fern called Polypodium leucotomos, when taken orally, helps prevent ultraviolet rays from damaging your skin and potentially increasing cancer risk.

This extract protects skin cells all over your body, from the inside out.

A clinical trial showed that taking Polypodium extract before UV exposure led to a striking 84% decrease in a UV-induced DNA mutation.⁵

Two additional oral compounds, Sicilian red orange extract⁶ and nicotinamide,^7,8 provide further protection against damage to exposure of sun's harmful rays.

Together, these ingredients can serve as a kind of "oral sunscreen." Used along with a topical sunblock, they provide all-day, whole-body protection.

Why Sunscreen Isn’t Enough

Getting too much sun can lead to sunburn, photoaging (premature skin aging), and skin cancer.

However, topical sunblocks and sunscreens cannot provide total protection because they:

• Don't protect the scalp or eyelids,
• May be rubbed or washed off by clothing or moisture/swimming,
• May be labeled incorrectly,⁹
• Don't protect areas of the body that UV rays reach by penetrating clothing,¹⁰
• Mostly shield against UVB rays (which are responsible for sunburns) but may not protect sufficiently against UVA rays (which promote DNA damage and skin aging)^9,11 and
• May contain potentially harmful chemicals.¹²

There's a way to protect against damage done by the sun comprehensively: with sunscreen, protective clothing, and a combination of three nutrients taken orally. These nutrients, in separate studies, have been shown to guard against the harm done by UV rays.

Polypodium Protects Against UV Radiation

Polypodium leucotomos is a tropical fern containing polyphenols that protect the skin against sun damage.

Preclinical research shows that Polypodium extract has the ability to:^13,14

• Inhibit harmful oxidative stress,¹³
• Increase glutathione, the body's natural antioxidant,¹³
• Reduce inflammation,^13,15
• Protect the skin's tissue, a barrier against infection and environmental toxins,¹⁴
• Inhibit the breakdown of elastin and collagen, proteins that keep skin firm and youthful looking,¹⁴ and
• Support the immune system's tumor surveillance, the ability to identify and destroy cancerous cells.^14,16

Based on these effects, scientists set out to test Polypodium leucotomos in humans.

Preventing DNA Mutations

DNA mutations are a main cause of skin cancer and one of the causes of prematurely aged skin. This led investigators to study the DNA-protective effects of Polypodium.

In a clinical trial, volunteers aged 29 to 54 took either 240 mg of Polypodium leucotomos extract or a placebo two times: eight hours and two hours before being exposed to ultraviolet rays.⁵

When exposed to a low dose of UV light:⁵

• Placebo participants had a 217% increase in a damaging DNA mutation, while,
• Polypodium-taking participants had a striking 84% decrease in that mutation.

When exposed to a higher dose of UV light:⁵

• The DNA mutation in the placebo group increased by a shocking 760%, while
• The DNA mutation in the Polypodium group increased by only 61%.

Another clinical study showed that a similar dose of Polypodium extract taken two hours and one hour before UV exposure helped prevent redness and reduced:¹⁵

• A DNA damage marker by 32%,
• An inflammation marker by 78%, and
• Tumor progression markers by an astonishing 85%-100%.

Sun Defense with Nicotinamide

Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3.

Preclinical and human studies show that, taken orally, it helps prevent UV-light-induced skin cancer by:^7,17-20

• Protecting against skin cancer mutations,^19,21
• Enhancing DNA repair,^17,18
• Reducing inflammation and skin pigmentation,^18,19
• Preventing skin immune suppression,^17,18,20
• Boosting skin barrier function,⁷ and
• Preventing cellular energy depletion and restoring these energy levels after UV exposure.¹⁹

A clinical study enlisted healthy adults at high risk for skin cancer. In those given 500 mg of nicotinamide twice daily for 12 months, the rate of new, non-melanoma skin cancers was reduced by 23%, compared to a placebo.²²

What You Need to Know

Protect Against Sun Damage

• The sun's ultraviolet radiation is a major cause of skin cancer and premature skin aging.
• Taken orally, an extract of a fern called Polypodium leucotomos prevents UV-induced, cancer-causing DNA damage and promotes DNA repair.
• Two other nutrients, nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) and Sicilian red orange extract, further boost sun protection.
• An oral combination of all three ingredients can decrease sunburn intensity and inflammation and protect against skin cancer and skin aging.
• Combined with a topical sunblock, these compounds can provide optimal whole-body sun protection

Red Orange Protects Against Sunburn

An extract derived from Sicilian red orange contains high levels of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which protect against UV-induced inflammation and oxidative stress.

A lab investigation showed that red orange extract:²³

• Reduced inflammatory markers,
• Inhibited cell damage, and
• Decreased skin cell death.

When human skin cells were treated with Sicilian red orange extract before being exposed to UV radiation:²⁴

• UV damage was prevented,
• DNA was protected,
• Oxidative stress was reduced, and
• Photoaging responses and inflammatory markers were decreased.

In a clinical study, volunteers took 100 mg of Sicilian red orange extract daily for 15 days and were regularly exposed to a solar lamp. The extract decreased redness and sunburn by 40% and skin pigment changes by 20%.⁶

The lifetime number of severe sunburns is closely correlated to skin cancer development, making this protection extremely significant.

Red orange, combined with Polypodium and nicotinamide, helps protect against the damage sun exposure can do.

Summary

The sun's ultraviolet rays accelerate skin aging and increase skin cancer risk.

Taken orally, an extract of a fern called Polypodium leucotomos protects against UV-induced DNA mutations and inflammation, while promoting DNA repair.

Nicotinamide and Sicilian red orange extract provide additional support for sun protection.

Combined with a topical sunblock, these three nutrients can maximize total-body sun defense for the skin.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

References

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