Vitamins/Antioxidants after sunburn

[h90]

Before when I was younger I always ate high dose of Vitamin C, E and A (of course not harmful doses of A)+1 Aspirin. In the hope that these antioxidants help.

Does that help? Or is it just a placebo?

[attrayant]

Need clarification on your question: does it help what?

UV light is ionizing radiation and damages skin cells beyond the ability to repair, so they die off. There is nothing that I know of -either medication or nutrients - that can reverse this damage. I'm not sure what good an antioxidant would be as there's no free radicals resulting from a sunburn for them to counteract.

The best you can do is manage the pain and don't do anything to make it worse (don't allow the skin to dry out, don't apply ice). Apply cooling topical analgesics and seek out air conditioning.

I suppose aspirin might provide some minor relief from the pain, but I've always been disappointed with aspirin as it's never done anything noticeable for me.

Edited May 10, 2015 by attrayant

[h90]

Need clarification on your question: does it help what?

UV light is ionizing radiation and damages skin cells beyond the ability to repair, so they die off. There is nothing that I know of -either medication or nutrients - that can reverse this damage. I'm not sure what good an antioxidant would be as there's no free radicals resulting from a sunburn for them to counteract.

The best you can do is manage the pain and don't do anything to make it worse (don't allow the skin to dry out, don't apply ice). Apply cooling topical analgesics and seek out air conditioning.

I suppose aspirin might provide some minor relief from the pain, but I've always been disappointed with aspirin as it's never done anything noticeable for me.

I don't mean a very bad sunburn where the skin goes off. Just a light one where you get red and 1-2 days later it is good.

There is surely some oxidation and lots of free radicals. Surely antioxidants will help. Big question is, do they get there, isn't it too late already, is the effect even noticeable.....

Aspirin works anti-inflammation. As pain killer my experiences with Aspirin are mixed. Often very little results, but it helps on hangover well.

[h90]

Forgot to answer: Help what: speed up recovery.

(when I got burned riding the bicycle to be able to ride next day again)

[moe666]

Vit.c helps the immune system so should be taken as a regular regime. Couple of friend were burned very badly years ago it took 6 months for them to recover. The skin is the largest organ.

[attrayant]

Only if you're deficient. Vitamin C is water soluble and anything ingested in excess of what the body needs is quickly excreted (the half life of vitamin C in the body is only about 30 minutes, so it's either used, stored or dumped).

In a country with so many fresh fruit vendors roaming the streets, it's hard to imagine how somebody could have a vitamin C deficiency.

[h90]

Only if you're deficient. Vitamin C is water soluble and anything ingested in excess of what the body needs is quickly excreted (the half life of vitamin C in the body is only about 30 minutes, so it's either used, stored or dumped).

In a country with so many fresh fruit vendors roaming the streets, it's hard to imagine how somebody could have a vitamin C deficiency.

Normally I don't any fruits....Or not much.....Sometimes an apple or a home grown cucumber.....When on the bicycle sometimes a banana.

I don't buy from vendors on the street, if I can avoid it....

[AyG]

UV light is ionizing radiation and damages skin cells beyond the ability to repair, so they die off.

That's not really correct. UV is non-ionising radiation. It interacts with the DNA within cells to create unnatural bonds between two "letters" of the DNA (pyrimidine dimers). When an affected cell subsequently divides it has problems copying the DNA where these bonds are which can result in mutations in the divided cells. These mutations can turn the cell cancerous.

OP, you can forget about antioxidants. Complete waste of money. To quote the WHO:

"... no evidence that manufactured antioxidants have any positive effect in preventing disease... The literature had little evidence to indicate that supplementing the diet with antioxidants can prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological disorders, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer. In fact, some dietary supplements have negative effects, particularly at high doses."

Source: http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/evidence-informed-policy-making/publications/hen-summaries-of-network-members-reports/do-antioxidants-prevent-disease

[attrayant]

That's interesting. I've still got my physics textbooks from 30 years ago which classify UVB as ionizing but UVA as non. I don't even find UVC mentioned. Perhaps time to throw this book away. Upon further poking around I see both are now grouped into a nebulous new classification of "near ionizing". Not sure why it was thought the new classification was needed or useful.

[h90]

UV light is ionizing radiation and damages skin cells beyond the ability to repair, so they die off.

That's not really correct. UV is non-ionising radiation. It interacts with the DNA within cells to create unnatural bonds between two "letters" of the DNA (pyrimidine dimers). When an affected cell subsequently divides it has problems copying the DNA where these bonds are which can result in mutations in the divided cells. These mutations can turn the cell cancerous.

OP, you can forget about antioxidants. Complete waste of money. To quote the WHO:

"... no evidence that manufactured antioxidants have any positive effect in preventing disease... The literature had little evidence to indicate that supplementing the diet with antioxidants can prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurological disorders, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer. In fact, some dietary supplements have negative effects, particularly at high doses."

Source: http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/evidence-informed-policy-making/publications/hen-summaries-of-network-members-reports/do-antioxidants-prevent-disease

Well the WHO....I wouldn't trust them as well, there are plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive. It already used creditability when it speaks about "manufactured" as there is no difference in manufactured and natural one. The question is if it has some effect at sunburns.

[AyG]

Well the WHO....I wouldn't trust them as well, there are plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive. It already used creditability when it speaks about "manufactured" as there is no difference in manufactured and natural one. The question is if it has some effect at sunburns.

The use of the word "manufactured" is to distinguish between antioxidants consumed in the form of food as opposed to capsules and pills. This isn't a matter of "nature identical". Eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables is undoubtedly a healthy approach. However, there's no conclusive evidence that it's the antioxidants in the food that makes it healthful.

There are not "plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive" - at least there haven't been any well designed scientific trials in human populations that prove unequivocally that consuming additional antioxidants in the form of pills are positive. There are plenty that shows they are ineffective, though.

As for sunburn, given the mechanism of action of UV light, there's no scientific reason to assume that antioxidants would have any positive effect.

And as for "the WHO....I wouldn't trust them", that makes you sound ridiculous. They are basing their conclusions upon the best scientific evidence available, drawing upon the experience of eminent professionals. Who are you not to trust them when, even if you have a Ph.D. in a relevant subject, have only a fraction of their expertise in the matter?

[h90]

Well the WHO....I wouldn't trust them as well, there are plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive. It already used creditability when it speaks about "manufactured" as there is no difference in manufactured and natural one. The question is if it has some effect at sunburns.

The use of the word "manufactured" is to distinguish between antioxidants consumed in the form of food as opposed to capsules and pills. This isn't a matter of "nature identical". Eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables is undoubtedly a healthy approach. However, there's no conclusive evidence that it's the antioxidants in the food that makes it healthful.

There are not "plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive" - at least there haven't been any well designed scientific trials in human populations that prove unequivocally that consuming additional antioxidants in the form of pills are positive. There are plenty that shows they are ineffective, though.

As for sunburn, given the mechanism of action of UV light, there's no scientific reason to assume that antioxidants would have any positive effect.

And as for "the WHO....I wouldn't trust them", that makes you sound ridiculous. They are basing their conclusions upon the best scientific evidence available, drawing upon the experience of eminent professionals. Who are you not to trust them when, even if you have a Ph.D. in a relevant subject, have only a fraction of their expertise in the matter?

Google anthocyane and you get plenty of studies that claim positive effects. WHO if you read past things from them, you'll find that some things are more based on politics, pressure groups or lobbyists than on scientific facts. Of course not everything. As for UV light....no idea

[h90]

Vit.c helps the immune system so should be taken as a regular regime. Couple of friend were burned very badly years ago it took 6 months for them to recover. The skin is the largest organ.

6 months....that must have been a hell of a sunburn.....Even when I am stupid I don't get any that isn't good in 2, max 3 days. Most of the time I catch it that I am red on the next day but it is OK or almost OK one more day later.

But Thailand has the advantage that it is hot......lots of sun in cold environment is ignored more easy.....

[partington]

Well the WHO....I wouldn't trust them as well, there are plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive. It already used creditability when it speaks about "manufactured" as there is no difference in manufactured and natural one. The question is if it has some effect at sunburns.

The use of the word "manufactured" is to distinguish between antioxidants consumed in the form of food as opposed to capsules and pills. This isn't a matter of "nature identical". Eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables is undoubtedly a healthy approach. However, there's no conclusive evidence that it's the antioxidants in the food that makes it healthful.

There are not "plenty of studies that antioxidants are positive" - at least there haven't been any well designed scientific trials in human populations that prove unequivocally that consuming additional antioxidants in the form of pills are positive. There are plenty that shows they are ineffective, though.

As for sunburn, given the mechanism of action of UV light, there's no scientific reason to assume that antioxidants would have any positive effect.

And as for "the WHO....I wouldn't trust them", that makes you sound ridiculous. They are basing their conclusions upon the best scientific evidence available, drawing upon the experience of eminent professionals. Who are you not to trust them when, even if you have a Ph.D. in a relevant subject, have only a fraction of their expertise in the matter?

Google anthocyane and you get plenty of studies that claim positive effects. WHO if you read past things from them, you'll find that some things are more based on politics, pressure groups or lobbyists than on scientific facts. Of course not everything. As for UV light....no idea

Google alien abduction and you will find plenty of claims - Google will provide evidence of any point of view of any degree of absurdity.

The strength of the evidence determines the likelihood of the claim, not the fact that you can find the claim on Google.

There are few( if any ) reputable scientific studies that show positive effects of anti-oxidants, despite the theoretical plausibility of their health benefits.

Consumption of fruit being healthy does not provide evidence that it is the antioxidants within the fruit that is conferring the effect, since fruits and berries contain literally hundreds of biologically active compounds.

Only studies that use isolated anti-oxidants, preferably in a double blind study, can demonstrate beneficial effects. In the field I am most familiar with, cardiovascular disease, several good studies have been done with antioxidants, and somewhat to the researchers' surprise have shown no clear protective or ameliorative benefits.

Here is a clear statement of that fact in a recent review. The authors explain that many studies show that plasma concentration of antioxidants and vitamins is correlated with health benefits, but of course a person who has consumed lots of natural antioxidants in diet has also ingested hundreds of other substance in the fruits and vegetables they have eaten, and their plasma content of these has not been measured.

Whenever actual trials have been done by supplementing individuals diets with isolated antioxidants, directly testing the hypothesis that antioxidants are the responsible agents, the results are negative or actually worse:

"Evidence from the cohort studies in regard to dietary antioxidants also supported the protective effects of dietary vitamin E, vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenols on CVD risk. However, results from large randomized controlled trials did not support long-term use of single antioxidant supplements for CVD prevention due to their null or even adverse effects on major cardiovascular events or cancer."

This is from a free article: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3775238/

Wang Y, Chun OK, Song WO. Plasma and dietary antioxidant status as

cardiovascular disease risk factors: a review of human studies. Nutrients. 2013

Jul 31;5(8):2969-3004.

[AyG]

Google anthocyane and you get plenty of studies that claim positive effects.

I presume you mean "anthocyanin", the English term.

Looking at the top result in Google, from Wikipedia as it happens, in the section "Research on health benefits" I read:

General research

Richly concentrated as pigments in berries, anthocyanins were the topics of research presented at a 2007 symposium on health benefits that may result from berry consumption.

Cancer research

According to the American Cancer Society, there have been no studies in humans showing that any phytochemical supplement can prevent or treat cancer.

So, eating berries may have health benefits - It's "may", and nothing about pills there.

And no evidence they can do anything to prevent cancer.

The second article is an in vitro study so largely irrelevant.

The following 20 articles are either dictionary definitions or from non-scientific sources.

Not seeing the evidence for "positive effects".

[attrayant]

Google alien abduction and you will find plenty of claims - Google will provide evidence of any point of view of any degree of absurdity.

If somebody feel better after meditating under a crystal pyramid while wearing a copper bracelet, the next thing they'll probably do is go blog about it. That immediately gets indexed by Google and distributed around the world by the Internet, which is a force multiplier for ignorance.

It's human nature to detect correlation and immediately assume causation. Millions of years ago this probably conferred a slight survival advantage to our evolutionary predecessors, but today we want more than a slight advantage so the mere assumptions of causation are no longer satisfactory.

Humans are remarkably resilient and overwhelming majority of us will recover from the things that ail us. Unfortunately, whatever we happen do be doing at that moment is going to get the credit for it.

[h90]

Thanks everyone......

Short version is: maybe but most probably not......

So I'll use in future my wifes Alovera creme.....I don't think it helps but she has it in the fridge so it is nicely cool

[attrayant]

Don't your ice cubes taste funny? Mine taste like fish and face cream.

[ding]

NAC or N-Acetyl Cystine. Precursor for L-Cystine

Helps your body create glutathione, the king of anti oxidants.

http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/why-you-need-glutathione/

Brussel sprouts... if you can afford the damn things lately! We bought seeds and got the stalk & leaves only, no sprouts.

[h90]

Don't your ice cubes taste funny? Mine taste like fish and face cream.

We have an extra fridge/deep fridge for the hard staff, dried fish, fouled rotten fermented fish, special curries, all kind of other things that lived at some time which I can't identify. I don't even open that fridge.

If my wife would ever leave me I would seal it it with tape and put it away unopened....

No way we could make ice cubes without flavor in there....