Carotenoid Antioxidants: Nature’s Protector

May 20, 2004

Carotenoid Antioxidants: Nature’s Protector

The Great Salt Lake in Utah is turning pink.

A recent article in BBC World News reports that the lake’s color, although strange, has everything to do with science and survival. With water levels of this inland lake at a 30-year low, the salt load has reached a saturation point of 30 percent. This is 10 times saltier than seawater. In this very hostile and almost surreal environment, scientists are amazed to find that instead of death, the lake is in fact teeming with life.

The color of the lake and the fact that life continues to thrive in this adverse environment are closely related. Both are caused by carotenoid pigments (which are pink in this case) that the lake's microbes are producing to protect living organisms. Quite simply, carotenoid antioxidants at The Great Salt Lake are shielding the DNA of living organisms from salt and sun damage by providing a sort of built-in sunscreen.

This natural ability of carotenoids to protect living cells from free-radical damage (such as the sun, cigarette smoke, pollution, and other toxins) also occurs in humans all the time. As a metabolic defense against the dangers of free radicals, our bodies have the natural capacity to generate antioxidants. Certain foods in our diets—mainly fruits and vegetables—also contain antioxidants that can help defend against scavenging free radical molecules.

However, new research shows that our own natural production of antioxidants and the average diet may not provide sufficient antioxidant protection against a growing onslaught of free-radical invaders. For example, a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition found that taking a nutritional supplement containing beta-carotene, plus other carotenoids such as lutein and lycopene, may help protect the skin against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun (Journal of Nutrition, 2003;133:98–101). But our skin is not the only part of the body that is protected by antioxidants. Green tea, for example, delivers antioxidant protection at the cellular level.

What’s Your Skin Carotenoid Score?
Developed by doctors and physicists at a top U.S. research university, the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner is the world's first measuring tool for carotenoid antioxidant levels using Raman technology. Pharmanex® is the exclusive owner of this patented BioPhotonic Scanner technology. The scanning technology is available for use by the general public through the Pharmanex® network of independent distributors who specialize in health education and distribution of nutritional supplements.

LifePak®
LifePak® provides a full arsenal of antioxidant nutrients that help prevent free radical damage to DNA that occurs during the natural aging process. DNA is the genetic material inside the cell's nucleus and mitochondria (cell's energy powerhouses). Healthy cell DNA is necessary for normal cell rejuvenation and regeneration, which takes place constantly on a daily basis. LifePak® delivers comprehensive nutritional support to help improve your cell DNA's ability to withstand free radical damage.* In addition, it supplies catechins equivalent to four cups of green tea—making the antioxidant arsenal in LifePak comparable to no other multivitamin/mineral supplement available.

To read the BBC World News article, go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3725973.stm

To learn more about the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner, and to learn your Skin Carotenoid Score, go to
www.pharmanexscanner.com

To learn more about LifePak®, visit http://www.pharmanex.com/corp/product/lifepak/lifepak.shtml

To learn more about Pharmanex, go to www.pharmanex.com

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Pharmanex Study Correlates Skin Carotenoids to Overall Antioxidant Health

Pharmanex Study Correlates Skin Carotenoids to Overall Antioxidant Health
Tuesday August 5, 7:30 am ET

Research Presented at 15th International Symposium on Carotenoids

PROVO, Utah, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Scientists from Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS - News), presented results and consistency of findings from two large studies at the 15th International Symposium on Carotenoids in Okinawa, Japan. The research concludes that skin carotenoid levels measured with the Pharmanex® BioPhotonic Scanner correlate with, and are a good indication of, the body's overall antioxidant defense system. Carotenoids are pigments that are primarily found in fruits and vegetables and have been the focus of intense research to determine their importance in human health.

"The Pharmanex studies demonstrate that we are accurately measuring something meaningful with the Skin Carotenoid Score from the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner," said Joe Chang, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and executive vice president of product development at Nu Skin Enterprises. "The conclusions reached from this study are another validation of the ability of the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner to accurately depict an individual's overall antioxidant defense system."

Skin Carotenoids Correlate with Overall Antioxidant Status

An important finding from the Pharmanex study was a positive correlation between a person's carotenoid antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene, and levels of other important non-carotenoid antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E. The research concludes that skin carotenoid levels are a good marker for an individual's overall antioxidant status. Antioxidants are known to counter free radical damage resulting from a variety of sources, including exposure to pollution, cigarette smoke and sunlight, and being overweight.

Higher Antioxidant Levels Show Reduced Oxidative Damage

By measuring a biomarker of oxidative stress (urinary F2-Isoprostranes), study authors were able to demonstrate that higher skin carotenoid levels are associated with lower levels of oxidative damage. This suggests that a healthy antioxidant system offers greater protection from oxidative stress and can therefore promote better nutritional health.

BioPhotonic Scanner Measurements Correlate with Industry "Gold Standard"

Finally, skin carotenoids measured quickly and painlessly with the non-invasive Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner using Raman Spectroscopy were shown to be positively correlated with serum carotenoid levels measured by the conventional method of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which typically requires a blood draw and specialized analytical equipment.

"HPLC is the gold standard of carotenoid measurement, yet we've effectively shown that a non-invasive two-minute measurement with the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner is just as accurate," said Mark Bartlett, Ph.D., vice president of Pharmanex global research and development at Nu Skin Enterprises. "The BioPhotonic Scanner is an innovative business tool our distributors can use to definitively demonstrate that Pharmanex nutritional products make a difference for their customer's carotenoid status and potentially their overall antioxidant health."

Steve Wood, Ph.D., R.D., Pharmanex senior scientist at Nu Skin Enterprises, presented the research that was conducted in collaboration with scientists at several universities.

About the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner

More than 8 million people worldwide have been scanned during the past six years with the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner and are empowered to develop a personalized antioxidant defense strategy with an individual Skin Carotenoid Score (SCS). SCS-certified products Lifepak® nano and g3 are sold by Nu Skin distributors with a money-back guarantee. Utilizing non-invasive Raman Spectroscopy, the Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner is a unique tool that can very effectively demonstrate the bioavailability of carotenoid-containing supplements. Nu Skin Enterprises is the exclusive owner of the patented Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner technology and received the 2005 American Business Award for the Most Innovative Company in recognition of the scanner.

About the International Symposium on Carotenoids

The 15th International Symposium on Carotenoids was held June 22-27 in Okinawa, Japan. The International Symposium was founded in 1966 and every three years scientists gather for critical presentations and discussions in the fields of carotenoid research, such as organic and biological chemistry, physics, medical science, biology and industrial application. Recent interest in carotenoids as essential nutrients has diversified carotenoid research into new areas, especially nutrition and medicine. The International Carotenoid Society exists to provide support and encourage all areas of carotenoid science.

About Pharmanex Products

Pharmanex, the science-based nutritional supplement brand of Nu Skin Enterprises, helps people build healthier, more productive lives by providing safe and effective supplements. With more than 100 full-time scientists employing the 6S Quality Process at three international research centers, Pharmanex has grown to be a global leader in the nutritional supplement industry. Superior nutritional products, solutions products and weight management products are available worldwide. For more information, select your market at http://www.pharmanex.com.

The Company

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. is a global direct selling company operating in 47 markets throughout Asia, the Americas and Europe. The company markets premium-quality personal care products under the Nu Skin® brand, science- based nutritional supplements under the Pharmanex® brand, and technology- based products and services under the Big Planet® brand. Nu Skin Enterprises is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NUS." More information is available at http://www.nuskinenterprises.com.

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