Carotenoids in human skin and UV protection
What it found
Carotenoids taken in from the diet build up in the skin, and supplements or a carotenoid-rich diet gave moderate protection against UV in human studies.
They may also affect skin moisture, texture or elasticity, but few studies have looked at this.
What they found
Studies in people
Build-up in skin
Carotenoids taken in with the diet collect in the skin. The highest levels are found in the skin of the forehead and in the palms of the hands.
Levels rise with supplements
Blood and skin levels of carotenoids go up during supplementation.
UV protection in people
Several human intervention studies found that supplements or a carotenoid-rich diet protected the skin from UV. The protection was only moderate.
Combining with other measures
The moderate protection may add to UV protection when used alongside other measures.
Skin moisture and texture
Taking carotenoids has been suggested to benefit skin tissue and affect its moisture, texture or elasticity. Only a limited number of studies so far back up this claim.
What the authors conclude
“Although protection is only moderate it may contribute to UV protection in combination with other measures.”
Also in their conclusions
- They report that protection from carotenoids is only moderate but may contribute to UV protection in combination with other measures.
- They note that only a limited number of studies is available yet to substantiate the claim that carotenoids benefit cutaneous tissue and influence moisture, texture or elasticity of the skin.
How it was done
The skin shields the body from outside threats including solar radiation. Carotenoids have antioxidant properties and absorb UV, so they are used as photoprotective agents.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The protection seen in people was only moderate, so carotenoids alone are not a full substitute for other UV measures.
- The suggested effects on skin moisture, texture or elasticity rest on a limited number of studies, so they are not yet firmly established.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of Competing Interest Research of WS has been funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Project STA 699/3-1
- Authors work at
- Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Germany
The paper
- Title
- Carotenoids in human skin
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zerres S, Stahl W (2020). Carotenoids in human skin. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular and cell biology of lipids. doi:10.1016/j.bbalip.2019.158588PubMed 31838152DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error