Efficacy of micronutrient supplementation on skin aging and seasonal variation: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flow chart describing trial progress.

Note: Perfectil® Platinum; Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK.

Table 1 Mean minimum and maximum of weather temperature during the study period

Months	Mean minimum °C	Mean maximum °C
2008
October	+7.4	+16.4
November	−0.5	+5.6
December	−0.9	+3.8
2009
January	−4.0	+2.6
February	−3.6	+2.5
March	+1.5	+6.5
April	+6.7	+18.7

Table 2 Nutritional information for Perfectil® Platinum

Ingredient	Mean per two tablets	%RDA
Bio marine collagen (Cartidea™)	200 mg	–
Grape seed extract (95% proanthocyanidins)	15 mg	–
Pine bark extract (95% proanthocyanidins)	8 mg	–
Green tea extract	20 mg	–
Lycopene extract 5%	10 mg	–
Blackcurrant seed oil	50 mg	–
Alpha lipoic acid	40 mg	–
Coenzyme Q10	5 mg	–
Betacarotene	4 mg	–
Vitamin D3 (as D3 IU)	12.5 μg	250
Vitamin E (natural source)	50 mg	417
Vitamin C	90 mg	113
Thiamin (vitamin B1)	8 mg	727
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)	4 mg	286
Niacin (vitamin B3)	18 mg	113
Vitamin B6	10 mg	714
Folacin (folic acid)	400 μg	200
Vitamin B12	9 μg	360
Biotin	150 μg	300
Pantothenic acid	40 mg	667
Magnesium	100 mg	27
Iron	12 mg	86
Zinc	15 mg	150
Copper	1,000 μg	100
Manganese	0.5 mg	25
Selenium (yeast-free)	100 μg	182
Chromium	50 μg	125
Iodine (from purified sea kelp extract)	200 μg	133
Silicon	50 mg	–
L-cystine	20 mg	–

Note: Perfectil® Platinum; Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK.

Abbreviations: RDA, recommended daily allowance; IU, International Units.

Figure 2 Patient positioning for standard photography.

Figure 3 Visioscan® VC 98.

Notes: (A–B) The camera features a high resolution black and white video sensor and a ring shaped UV-A light source (proven to present no hazard to normal human skin) for uniform illumination of the skin. (C) Wrinkles appear dark in the image; scaliness is shown in bright pixels. The software calculates a variety of parameters like roughness indices, skin topography volume, anisotropy and corner density. Visioscan® VC 98; Courage and Khazaka, Cologne, Germany.

Figure 4 Reviscometer® RVM 600.

Notes: (A) Mechanism: two sensors are applied on the skin surface. One sensor is emitting the acoustic wave A; the other is the receiver B. The software measures the propagation velocity of acoustic shockwaves. (B) Scaled head positioned in 0–180°, 45–225°, 90–270°, and 135–315°-axis, fixed with a double sided adhesive ring. (C) The software calculates the mean value of the RRT (resonance running time) parameter over 4 axes. Reviscometer® RVM 600; Courage and Khazaka, Cologne, Germany.

Table 3 Subject demographic data

Parameter	Test group
	Active group (n=40)	Placebo group (n=39)
Average age, years	46.6 ± 5.4	46.4 ± 5.9
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	22.7 ± 2.1	23.4 ± 4.3
Menopause	14 (35%)	12 (30%)
Hormonal replacement therapy	3 (7.5%)	3 (7.65%)
Dry skin	17 (43%)	18 (45%)
Smoking history	7 (18%)	10 (25%)
Pack-years	7.5 ± 5.6	7.5 ± 5.1
Mininum	1.5	0.3
Maximum	15	15

Note: Average age, body mass index and pack-years are mean ± standard deviation.

Table 4 Results of instrumental assessments at T0, T4, and T5.5 in the active and placebo groups including statistical significance

Group	Perfectil® Platinum			Placebo
	Forearm	Hand	Face	Forearm	Hand	Face
Roughness, Rt (R1)
T0	–	–	0.303	–	–	0.303
T4	–	–	0.312a	–	–	0.321c
T5.5	–	–	0.295a	–	–	0.290c
Roughness, Rm (R2)
T0	–	–	0.256	–	–	0.254
T4	–	–	0.257a	–	–	0.262c
T5.5	–	–	0.243a	–	–	0.240c
Circular roughness, Rz (R3)
T0	–	–	0.201	–	–	0.199b
T4	–	–	0.200a	–	–	0.206b
T5.5	–	–	0.189a	–	–	0.187b
Microrelief indicator, Ra
T0	–	–	0.0443	–	–	0.0445
T4	–	–	0.0461a	–	–	0.0490c
T5.5	–	–	0.0439a	–	–	0.0430c
Microrelief indicator, Rp
T0	–	–	0.157	–	–	0.158
T4	–	–	0.154a	–	–	0.159a
T5.5	–	–	0.151a	–	–	0150a
SELS parameter, Ser (skin microroughness)
T0	–	–	0.27	–	–	0.25
T4	–	–	0.30a	–	–	0.29a
T5.5	–	–	0.25a	–	–	0.28a
SELS parameter, Sew (wrinkles)
T0	–	–	132.14	–	–	127.31
T4	–	–	120.71a	–	–	117.23a
T5.5	–	–	128.45a	–	–	123.90a
Viscoelasticity
T0	220.2c,*	158.3c,*	–	229.4d,*	170.1c,*	–
T4	214.4	147.4	–	214.1d,*	156.3	–
T5.5	201.9c,*	138.9c,*	–	204.5d,*	149.0c,*	–
Skin thickness
T0	1.09	1.10	–	1.09	1.13	–
T4	1.16b	1.07	–	1.13b	1.09c	–
T5.5	1.15b	1.07	–	1.13a	1.11c	–
Skin density
T0	97.56	76.30	–	99.77	75.26	–
T4	120.87b	107.08b	–	122.27b	106.13b	–
T5.5	130.50b	107.33b	–	125.81b	108.54b	–
Photographic scoring
T0	–	–	3.0	–	–	3.1
T4	–	–	3.0a	–	–	3.1a
T5.5	–	–	3.0a	–	–	3.1a

Notes:

a If P≥0.05, the result is considered nonsignificant

b if 0.01<P<0.05 the result is considered significant

c if 0.001<P<0.01 the result is considered very significant

d if P<0.001 the result is considered extremely significant

* nonparametric analysis of variance (Friedman’s test) did not identify a difference, but Dunn’s test confirmed results; values are expressed in surface units, calculated by Visioscan VC 98 software; values are expressed in contrast units, calculated by Visioscan VC 98 software; values are expressed in roughness units, calculated by Visioscan VC 98 software; T0, baseline; T4, after 4 months of treatment; T5.5, 6 weeks after termination of treatment. Perfectil® Platinum; Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK. Visioscan® VC 98; Courage and Khazaka, Cologne, Germany.

Table 5 Minimum/maximum ratio for nonexposed and exposed study zones at T0, T4, and T5.5 months in active (Perfectil® Platinum) and placebo groups, indicating anisotropia

	Perfectil® Platinum			Placebo
	T0	T4	T5.5	T0	T4	T5.5
Forearm	0.50	0.52a	0.56a	0.55	0.55	0.59
Hand	0.56	0.86b	0.69b	0.58	0.58a	0.64a

Notes:

a If P≥0.05 the result is considered nonsignificant

b if P<0.001 the result is considered extremely significant; T0, baseline; T4, after 4 months of treatment; T5.5, 6 weeks after termination of treatment. Perfectil® Platinum; Vitabiotics ltd, London, UK.

Figure 5 Skin relief, pseudoroughness Rt (R1) values at T0, T4, and T5.5 months in active treatment and placebo groups.

Notes: T0, baseline; T4, after 4 months of treatment; T5.5, 6 weeks after termination of treatment.

Figure 6 Minimum/maximum resonance running time ratio for nonexposed study zone at T0, T4, and T5.5 months in active treatment (Perfectil® Platinum) and placebo groups. The ratio is increased at T4 for the active group, indicating that anisotropia had decreased by this time (P=0.0579).

Notes: T0, baseline; T4, after 4 months of treatment; T5.5, 6 weeks after termination of treatment. Perfectil® Platinum; Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK.

Abbreviation: RRT, resonance running time.

Figure 7 Minimum/maximum resonance running time ratio for exposed study zone at T0, T4, and T5.5 months in active treatment (Perfectil® Platinum) and placebo groups. The ratio is increased at T4 for the active group, indicating that anisotropia had decreased by this time (P=0.0579).

Notes: T0, baseline; T4, after 4 months of treatment; T5.5, 6 weeks after termination of treatment. Perfectil® Platinum; Vitabiotics Ltd, London, UK.
Abbreviation: RRT, resonance running time.