Vitamins include any organic compound the body needs to function optimally and may not be able to synthesize in adequate amounts on its own. As scientists learn more about the anti-inflammatory benefits of organic compounds, many of these products find their way to retail vitamin stores carrying label claims you may find confusing. Pycnogenol, one such compound, is an antioxidant derived from pine bark. It has proven anti-inflammatory skin benefits as does vitamin D-3.
Skin Inflammation Dangers
According to the New Zealand Dermatological Society, some of the most common inflammatory skin diseases include eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. The June 2009 issue of "Archives of Dermatology" notes that inflammatory skin conditions accompany a higher risk of systemic disorders such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Psoriasis is now classified as an immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the skin. The common denominator between these relatively benign skin problems and life-threatening diseases is inflammation. Pycnogenol and vitamin D-3 are sometimes used to reduce skin inflammation.
Pycnogenol as an Anti-Inflammatory
According to the September 2009 issue of "International Immunopharmacology," pycnogenol dramatically inhibits the generation of two naturally occurring enzymes associated with a wide variety of skin inflammatory conditions and problems. These two enzymes are known as COX-2 and 5-LOX. Synthesis of these enzymes was almost completely suppressed in a study of participants who consumed 150 mg of pycnogenol for five days just before breakfast. At baseline, the volunteers' immune systems had quickly and profusely initiated production of the damaging enzymes under pro-inflammatory stimulation.
Pycnogenol for Skin Protection
Pycnogenol also protects skin from damage caused by inflammation. Exposure of skin to UV-light promotes inflammation by generating free radicals which damages skin cells and connective tissues. Subsequently immune cells are activated which generates more free radicals and other chemicals that destroy collagen and elastin. Altogether, the immune response does more harm to the skin than does UV exposure alone. A study published in the January 2006 issue of "Journal of Inflammation" reports that five days of pycnogenol supplementation at a dose of 200 mg was sufficient to reduce the inflammatory immune response by 15 percent.
Vitamin D3 as Anti-Inflammatory
Antimicrobial peptides, or AMPs, are chemicals in the skin that protect against infection. Cathelicidins are one of the most abundant categories of AMPS. In addition to providing infection-fighting properties, they also initiate the skin's inflammation response which brings on problems associated with an over-active immune response. Dysfunction of cathelicidin is implicated in the pathogenesis of rosacea and psoriasis as well as other types of dermatitis. Researchers reporting in the August 2008 issue of "Experimental Dermatology" discovered that vitamin D-3 is a major factor in regulating cathelicidin and suggest supplementation as a treatment modality for inflammatory skin diseases
References
- DermNet NZ: Inflammatory Skin Diseases
- "International Immunopharmacology"; The Anti-inflammatory Pharmacology of Pycnogenol in Humans Involves COX-2 and 5-LOX mRNA Expression in Leukocytes ; Raffaella Canali et al., September 2009
- "Journal of Inflammation"; Inhibition of Nf-κb Activation and Mmp-9 Secretion by Plasma of Human Volunteers After Ingestion of Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol); Tanja Grimm et al., January 2006
- "Experimental Dermatology"; The vitamin D Pathway: a New Target for Control of the Skin's Immune Response?; Jürgen Schauber; August 2008
- MedlinePlus: Medical Dictionary
- "Archives of Dermatology"; Association of Psoriasis With Coronary Artery, Cerebrovascular, and Peripheral Vascular Diseases and Mortality; Srjdan Prodanovich et al.; June 2009
