Functional Foods in Dermatology

Summary

This narrative review synthesises evidence for functional foods—whole foods conferring health benefits beyond basic nutrition—in dermatological applications. The authors document documented benefits in skin barrier function, wound healing, photoprotection and hormonal regulation, and discuss potential molecular mechanisms involving oxidative stress reduction and UV protection. The authors acknowledge that most evidence derives from small-scale human studies or animal models, and call for larger-scale, rigorously designed human trials to establish this field more firmly.

Regional applicability

The review is not geographically specific and addresses functional foods in dermatology at a general level. Findings and recommendations would be applicable to United Kingdom dermatological practice and consumer health, though the review does not address UK-specific dietary guidelines or health service contexts.

Key measures

Skin barrier function, wound healing, photoprotection, oxidative stress markers, visible and histologic skin changes in response to UV radiation, photo-carcinogenesis outcomes

Outcomes reported

The review documents dermatological benefits of functional foods including enhanced skin barrier function, improved wound healing, photoprotection, and hormonal regulation. It identifies molecular mechanisms by which foods combat oxidative stress and reduce skin changes from UV radiation.

Topic tags