title: Multiple spatially resolved reflection spectroscopy to monitor cutaneous carotenoids during supplementation of fruit and vegetable extracts in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A nutrition rich in fruit and vegetables and a healthy lifestyle become more and more important in the industrial countries to counteract oxidative stress and promote health. For many years, it has been possible to control human cutaneous carotenoids noninvasively by resonance Raman spectroscopic systems and by spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten volunteers took a commercially available fruit and vegetable extract daily for a time period of 5 weeks. A second group served as control group and did not take any supplements (10 volunteers). To monitor the status of the cutaneous carotenoids noninvasively, an optical sensor based on multiple spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy was applied once a week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study could demonstrate that the intake of the supplement significantly increase the cutaneous carotenoid values of the young adults by 50%. The control group without any supplementation showed also significantly increased values, ie, by 10%, which might be due to the fact that their lifestyle was controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results illustrate that a biofeedback by measuring the skin carotenoids could improve the lifestyle of young adults and that a regular consumption of fruit and vegetables directly or as a drink can increase the concentration of cutaneous carotenoids significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Meinke
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Lohan
authors.affiliation: Opsolution GmbH, Kassel, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Köcher
authors.affiliation: Opsolution GmbH, Kassel, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Darvin
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lademann
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D002338:Carotenoids
keywords: antioxidants; healthy diet; optical sensors; resonance Raman spectroscopy; skin