Pomegranate
How Pomegranate Extract Helps Aging Skin
By Dr. Kristie
The popularity of the pomegranate fruit is growing rapidly as more people discover its unique health benefits. Pomegranates are a good source of polyphenols and other compounds that reduce inflammation and destroy free radicals. Preliminary studies show that the unique compounds in pomegranate fruit lower the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Sure, pomegranates are good for your “insides”, but special compounds found in this fruit could help you look more beautiful on the outside too - by reducing skin wrinkling and sun damage. What are the benefits of pomegranate for skin health and aging?
Pomegranate for Skin: Can It Make You Look Younger?
A compound in pomegranate may help reduce the breakdown of collagen, the protein that gives skin its useful vitality - and prevents wrinkling and sagging. Korean researchers isolated a component, called ellagic acid, from the pomegranate fruit and applied it to the skin of hairless mice.
When they exposed the mice to a dose of UVB radiation, which would cause sun damage, the mice didn’t experience the characteristic skin thickening that would normally occur. Not only that, but they didn’t have an increase in inflammatory cells that are a marker of skin damage and collagen breakdown.
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The ellagic acid from the pomegranate fruit seemed to protect the skin of these mice from the type of sun damage that could lead to premature aging and skin wrinkling.
Pomegranate Benefits for Human Skin Cells
When researchers applied ellagic acid in pomegranate directly to human skin cells and exposed them to UVB radiation, the collagen-producing cells, called fibroblasts, didn’t undergo the expected breakdown in collagen. At least in the laboratory, pomegranate has benefits for human skin cells as well. Could the ellagic acid in pomegranate be the key to naturally preventing wrinkles and sagging skin?
Pomegranate Benefits for Skin: The Bottom Line
Because of findings like this, more companies are adding pomegranate to their skin care products. Unfortunately, most contain only small amounts of the active compounds - probably not enough to have real benefits.
A better option is to buy pomegranate extract from a company like skinactives.com and add it to your favorite skin cream. This way you can get higher concentrations of ellagic acid and other health polyphenols that protect skin cells from the aging effects of the sun.
One word of warning. Only use pomegranate extract in conjunction with your regular sun protection. Pomegranate extract is not a substitute for sunscreen, but it may offer some additional protection against skin aging that a sunscreen can’t provide.
About the Author
She is a Medical Doctor with a concentration in Family Practice. She also has an undergraduate degree in both Biology and Psychology and masters in Clinical Pathology.
References:
Nutraingredients-USA website. "Pomegranate compounds show skin health potential"
Disclaimer: Articles not intended to Diagnose, Treat, Cure or Prevent Diseases.
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