Carotenoids and skin aging: a review maps possible protective mechanisms
The review brings together human and animal research, but its abstract does not quantify visible skin benefits or identify a proven product.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review describes ways carotenoids may influence skin aging, including effects on oxidative damage, inflammation, and the skin’s structural support. It also discusses hydration and elasticity. However, the abstract combines human and animal evidence without separating their results, so it cannot establish how much a dietary or topical carotenoid would improve someone’s skin.
The studies differed in design and outcomes, preventing pooled analysis. The abstract gives no separate human effect estimates, treatment durations, or detailed bias findings, limiting conclusions about practical skincare benefits.
The focus was biological pathways
The authors describe antioxidant activity, changes in inflammatory processes, and pathways involving collagen and other skin-supporting components. These mechanisms help explain possible effects, but do not by themselves show a noticeable improvement in skin appearance.
Different routes and models were combined
Eligible studies examined carotenoids consumed through the diet or applied to skin, using both human and animal models. The narrative summary does not establish that these routes or individual carotenoids produce the same outcomes.
The original publication
Skin Aging and Carotenoids: A Systematic Review of Their Multifaceted Protective Mechanisms.
Stanescu C, Chiscop I, Mihalache D et al.
Nutrients · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40871623
- Record checked
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