Research Summary
Antioxidants play a critical role in maintaining healthy skin. While the antioxidant benefits of vitamins C and E are well known, the importance of the trace mineral zinc has often been overlooked. This article reviews the evidence supporting zinc’s antioxidant role in protecting against free radical-induced oxidative damage. Zinc protects against UV radiation, enhances wound healing, contributes to immune and neuropsychiatric functions, and decreases the relative risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
All body tissues contain zinc; in the skin, it is concentrated five to six times more in the epidermis than in the dermis. Zinc is required for the normal growth, development, and function of mammals. It is an essential element in more than 200 metalloenzymes, including the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, and it affects their conformation, stability, and activity. Zinc is also important for the proper functioning of the immune system, as well as for glandular, reproductive, and cellular health.
Abundant evidence demonstrates the antioxidant role of zinc. Topical zinc, in the form of divalent zinc ions, has been reported to provide antioxidant photoprotection for the skin. Two antioxidant mechanisms have been proposed for zinc: zinc ions may replace redox-active molecules, such as iron and copper, at critical sites in cell membranes and proteins; alternatively, zinc ions may induce the synthesis of metallothionein, a sulfhydryl-rich protein that protects against free radicals.
No matter how they work, topical zinc ions may provide an important and helpful antioxidant defense for the skin.
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