Skin damage: Boost your vitamin A levels this summer

If you live just a few miles north of Quito, Ecuador, the equator may run right through your back yard. In that case, you probably get enough daily sun exposure to qualify as one of the least vitamin D deficient people on Earth.

The downside: You might easily get too much sun.

Last week, in the e-alert 'Soak up the sun - in small doses' (21/6/05), I told you about research that indicates the amount of sun exposure we need in order for the body to manufacture adequate amounts of vitamin D. And in that same e-alert I noted the three nutrients that relieve stress to the skin (vitamins C and E, and folic acid) and could even help prevent the development of skin cancer.

But for many, the time for initial precaution has long passed; the sunburn they experienced as children in Ecuador, or any spot on the globe where sunshine is abundant, laid the groundwork for precancerous lesions. For these folks the nutrients mentioned above are still very important. But if another vitamin is added, there's a chance that skin cancer can still be avoided.

Covering the spread
When skin is damaged by occasional sunburn the stage is set for the development of actinic keratoses (AK) later in life. AK shows up as lesions that are precursors of the two most common types of cancer: nonmelanoma squamous cell or basal cell cancer.

According to the charity Cancer Research UK, more than 69,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year and many more cases go undiagnosed.  Of the diagnosed cases, 2,000 die each year.

But a new study demonstrates that if you're one of the thousands who have AK skin damage, you may substantially lower your risk of developing skin cancer by increasing your intake of vitamin A.

In the journal Clinical Cancer Research, American scientists at the Arizona Cancer Centre, University of Arizona (UA), note that a previous study conducted at UA showed that vitamin A supplements significantly reduced the risk of squamous cell skin cancer in patients with moderately severe AK. The vitamin A dose used in that study was 25,000 IU. So the UA team designed another study to test higher doses for both safety and efficacy.

Nearly 130 subjects with severely sun-damaged skin on their forearms were divided into four groups to receive daily doses of 25,000, 50,000, or 75,000 IU of vitamin A, or a placebo. Biopsies were conducted on the damaged skin of each patient before the study period began, and again one year later at the end of the study.

The effects of vitamin A supplementation were dramatic:

* Placebo subjects: 25 percent had less skin damage when their pre-test and post-test biopsies were compared
* 25,000 IU subjects: 65 percent had less skin damage
* 50,000 IU subjects: 81 percent had less skin damage
* 75,000 IU subjects: 79 percent had less skin damage

Needless to say, the researchers concluded that 50,000 IU of vitamin A is the maximum daily dose required for the most effective protection for sun-damaged skin. No significant toxic reactions were reported in any of the four groups.

It's an A thing
Vitamin A is essential to the health of your eyes, bones, skin and immune system. Growth and healing also benefit from the antioxidants that this key vitamin supplies. Here are some vitamin A basics:

* Fruits and vegetables with orange and yellow colouring, and green leafy vegetables contain beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A
* The body poorly converts beta-carotene into vitamin A
* The best source of vitamin A is animal products, such as eggs and liver
* Cod liver oil is an excellent natural source of vitamin A
* The problems with vitamin A toxicity are associated with supplements of synthetic vitamin A taken in high doses

Studies show that smokers with a high intake of beta-carotene are at greater risk of developing lung cancer. As for just about everyone else, it's almost impossible to overdo vitamin A consumption, according to US HSI Panellist Dr Allan Spreen. In fact, Dr. Spreen tells me there are only about two-dozen recorded cases of people who took too much vitamin A and suffered any distress whatsoever. Dr. Spreen suggests that 10,000 IU of beta-carotene vitamin A per day is adequate for most people.

If you have questions about vitamin A, consult with your doctor or a dependable nutritionist to determine a dosage that's right for you.