Newly announced Harvard Medical School research - Postscripts - consumption of the antioxidant lutein - Brief Article

Nutrition Health Review, Spring, 2003

Newly announced Harvard Medical School research indicates that consumption of the antioxidant lutein--found in such dark-green, leafy vegetables as spinach and kale--protects the skin against some of the damaging effects of the sun known as ultraviolet (UV) light.

"Lutein has been widely recognized for its eye health benefits for several years, but our data [are] the first of its kind to suggest that lutein may have the potential to act as a preventative agent against UVB-induced skin cancer," said Dr. Salvador Gonzalez, leader of the research team. "In addition, these data suggest that lutein protects the skin against damage caused by exposure to UVB light, further validating our position that lutein is a critical component to overall skin health."