Overall skin tone and skin-lightening-improving effects with oral supplementation of lutein and zeaxanthin isomers: a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Figures & data

Table 1 Fitzpatrick scale

I	Very fair	Always burns, cannot tan
II	Fair	Usually burns, sometimes tans
III	Medium	Sometimes burns, usually tans
IV	Olive	Rarely burns, always tans
V	Brown	Rarely burns, tans easily
VI	Dark brown	Never burns, always tans

Table 2 Baseline characteristics (mean ± SD)

Details	Placebo	Actives
Age, years	37.6±6.0	36.0±7.8
Sex, M/F	3/18	4/23
BMI, kg/m^2	26.05±3.57	26.83±3.6
SBP, mmHg	114±11.13	111±12.19
DBP, mmHg	73±7.93	72±10.43
Heart rate (HR), beats per minute	70±10.92	67±10.55
Respiratory rate, breaths per minute	16±1.99	18±1.87
Oral temperature, °F	98.51±0.43	98.45±0.55

Abbreviations: M/F, male/female; BMI, body mass index; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; SD, standard deviation.

Figure 1 MED improved after lutein and zeaxanthin isomers (L/Zi) supplementation.

Notes: *Mean significant difference from baseline: placebo: P<0.0139 and **L/Zi (actives): P<0.0001.
Abbreviation: MED, minimal erythemal dose.

Table 3 An increase in L*, ITA, and decrease in b* observed after L/Zi supplementation indicative of skin lightening

Area	Placebo			L/Zi (actives)
	Baseline	Week 12	Difference from baseline	Baseline	Week 12	Difference from baseline
L*	62.02	62.59	0.57 (0.3216)	62.04	63.08	1.23a (0.0094)
b*	16.50	15.94	−0.56a (0.03)	16.22	15.35	−1.05a (0.0013)
ITA	35.91	37.79	1.88 (0.0754)	36.3	39.97	3.67a (0.0009)

Notes:

a Significance over baseline; P-value in parenthesis.

Abbreviations: ITA, individual typological angle; L, lutein; Zi, zeaxanthin isomers.

Figure 2 Significant increase in elastic recovery after supplementation with L/Zi.

Note: *P<0.05.
Abbreviation: L/Zi, lutein and zeaxanthin isomers.

Table 4 Subjective assessments for skin attributes (mean change from baseline)

Area	Placebo	L/Zi (actives)
Facial discoloration	−1.20	9.87a
Facial lines and wrinkles	7.75	4.87
Overall skin toneb	−8.20	7.04

Notes:

a Significant change from baseline. P=0.0927 over baseline (directional); placebo: P>0.5.

b Significant changes between the treatments.

Abbreviations: L, lutein; Zi, zeaxanthin isomers.

Figure 3 Potential mechanism of action of L/Zi.

Abbreviations: L/Zi, lutein and zeaxanthin isomers; DHI, dihydroxyindole; P-protein, pink-eyed dilution protein; TRP, tyrosinase related protein.