A Supplement for Summer
Nice little article from “The Healthy Skeptic” on a supplement called “Heliocare”, which is a photoprotective extract from Polypodium leucotomos.
No supplement could ever replace the need for sunscreen, but the idea of sun protection in a pill isn’t as far-fetched as it may sound, says Dr. John Murray, a professor of medicine in the dermatology department at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C.
…There is solid evidence from the lab and human trials that extracts of Polypodium leucotomos — Heliocare’s active ingredient — can offer at least some sun protection, says Dr. Salvador Gonzalez, a dermatology researcher at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City who has co-authored at least 17 studies on the plant.
For example, he co-wrote a study published earlier this year that found that a Polypodium leucotomos extract blocked skin-damaging enzymes and helped build up collagen in human skin samples exposed to UV rays. Gonzalez is a paid consultant for Industrial Farmaceutica Cantabria S.A., the Madrid-based parent company behind Heliocare.
“It’s important to keep in mind that Heliocare is not a magic bullet against sunburn,” Gonzalez says. He estimates that the supplement provides a sun protection factor of 3, which would put it roughly on par with a weak sunscreen. It’s certainly not enough to completely prevent sunburn, he adds, but any burns would be slower to develop and less severe.
Although Heliocare was introduced in the US in late 2005, I wasn’t aware of it until recently (can’t keep tabs on everything, I guess). But now that I do know, I’m kinda intrigued. As someone who’s a whiter shade of pale, and “of a certain age”, obviously, photoaging is a concern. Fortunately, as a kid, I had a face full of freckles that I positively loathed (I grew up in California, where even, golden tans – NOT freckles – were “in”), so I took to sunscreens with a vengeance to keep them at bay. Thus, my skin’s in pretty good shape, overall (there are occasionally fringe benefits to adolescent stupidity). Nonetheless, since I don’t slap the stuff on everytime I walk out of the house, I probably could use a little extra protection.
…And the studies do look promising (ex. here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17254039 ).
So I’m game to give Polypodium leucotomos a shot. Fortunately, I don’t have to lay in a two month supply of Heliocare…the Life Extension Foundation has an equivalent product (Fernblock) that provides – and costs – half as much…perfect for a sample. I ordered some earlier in the week. It’s supposed to arrive today – just in time for a weekend trek to the coast. We’ll see how it goes.
