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TLDR: We apply a first principles approach to the mechanisms of sunburn and assess ingredients based on four criteria: (1) Research support , (2) Need for supplementation , (3) Bioavailability , and (4) Minimal Effective Dose (MED) .
10 min. read
Written by
Guang Jin
Published
Fri, 20Sep 2024
The First Principles of Sunburn: What Causes It, and How Can It Be Prevented?
Sunburn happens when your skin is overexposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UV radiation damages the DNA in skin cells, leading to inflammation and the familiar redness and discomfort. Over time, repeated exposure to UV radiation without proper protection can lead to long-term skin damage, premature aging, and even skin cancer.
To prevent sunburn, two key approaches are required:
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Physical Protection: Using sunscreen, clothing, or seeking shade to minimize UV exposure.
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Biological Defense: Supporting your body’s natural antioxidant defenses to combat the oxidative stress caused by UV radiation.
While physical protection is important, the thin layer of sunscreen we typically apply can reduce the actual SPF level, and many of us forget to reapply regularly or cover all areas of the body. That's why it's crucial to focus on the next line of defense: biological support through antioxidants and nutrients that help fortify your skin from within.
Certain nutrients and compounds can boost your body's ability to protect against sunburn at a cellular level by acting as antioxidants, reducing inflammation, or directly supporting skin health. Antioxidants act like generous donors, giving up electrons to neutralize harmful free radicals generated by UV radiation—much like pouring water on paper that's about to catch fire.
The complication arises because antioxidants have preferential accumulation in certain tissues, depending on the type of compound and even your genetics. This means not all antioxidants work equally well for everyone. That’s why we focus on ingredients that offer the highest probability of working for most people, delivering high levels of efficacy in protecting your skin.
1. Supplements That Can Help – And Those That Are Just Fads (Research Support)
In today's market, there are countless supplements claiming to transform your skin into a powerful barrier against UV damage. Some of the commonly touted ingredients include Polypodium Leucotomos , Nicotinamide , Astaxanthin , Hyaluronic Acid , L-Glutathione , Punica granatum (Pomegranate extract), Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E , Cysteine (N-acetyl), Gluco-oligosaccharides , Inulin , Bovine Collagen Peptides , Beta-carotene , Resveratrol , and Diindolylmethane .
However, the key question is which of these supplements are backed by strong research or at least a few human studies? Some of them are very promising. For instance, Polypodium Leucotomos and Nicotinamide have been studied extensively in clinical trials, showing solid evidence of their ability to protect against UV-induced DNA damage and reduce inflammation, providing real benefits for sun protection.
On the other hand, ingredients like Diindolylmethane (DIM) and Gluco-oligosaccharides have very limited or no substantial human research supporting their use for skin protection or UV defense. While some studies available for both may seem promising at first glance, a deeper look often raises questions about how well the tests are controlled, the mechanisms behind the results, and the overall efficacy. Adding such ingredients to a supplement may seem appealing, but it often leads to a higher price due to proprietary blends, and marketing that leave our consumers with unnecessary anxiety.
This doesn’t mean these ingredients are useless—they can be effective for other well-researched use cases. But when it comes to UV protection and skin health, the current evidence just isn’t strong enough to warrant their inclusion.
2. The Need for Supplementation: What You Get from Your Diet and What You Don’t (Bio-availability)
While supplementation can be beneficial, it's essential to recognize that not all nutrients require additional intake. Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant and supports skin health, but most people already get sufficient amounts through their daily diet. In fact, Vitamin C deficiency in the U.S. is relatively rare, affecting only about 7 - 14% of the population. This is largely because more than 50% of adults use some form of supplementation, with multivitamins and Vitamin C being among the top five most commonly consumed supplements. Additionally, Vitamin C is frequently found in foods like fruits, vitamin-infused beverages, and even as a preservative (ascorbic acid) in many processed products.
Should we include it in our UV protection supplement? No, because over-supplementation can lead to excessive amounts that the body doesn’t need.
In contrast, astaxanthin , which is found in salmon, is much harder to obtain in adequate amounts from diet alone. Research shows that farmed salmon contains around 3-6 mg of astaxanthin per kilogram (with wild salmon often having hugely variable levels). To get just 3 mg of astaxanthin—the amount typically used in research studies—you’d need to consume roughly 500-600 grams of farm salmon, depending on the species.
Can you realistically eat half a kilogram of salmon every day? And even if you could, would you want to?
3. Bioavailability: How Much Your Body Can Actually Use?
Even if a supplement contains the right ingredients, its effectiveness depends on bioavailability —how much of the nutrient your body can actually absorb and utilize. This is influenced by factors like the compound's structure, genetics, and fascinatingly even your gut microbiome. For example, seaweed fiber is often less bioavailable to Americans due to differences in gut bacteria, while the Japanese, who traditionally consume more seaweed, tend to have the necessary microbes for better absorption.
In the world of skin supplements, bioavailability is crucial. Take hyaluronic acid —commonly promoted for enhancing skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Its bioavailability is largely determined by the molecular weight of the compound. If the molecules are too large (greater than 1,000 kDa, ideally less than 50K Da ), it can't be absorbed by the body effectively, limiting its effectiveness.
Our UV protection pills are formulated with the most bioavailable forms of ingredients, ensuring your body can use them effectively.
4. Minimal Effective Dose: Why "just in case" is a pointless cost
One key principle in supplementation is the minimal effective dose (MED) —the smallest amount of a substance required to produce the desired effect. Many companies add a long list of ingredients to their products "just in case", but often fail to include them at doses high enough to make a meaningful impact.
A common example is L-Glutathione , a critical antioxidant for UV protection. While many supplements include it, they often contain amounts far below the effective range of 250 mg , which has been shown in clinical studies to deliver real results. To reach that dose through diet alone, you'd need to consume roughly a kilogram of vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and avocados — a volume that only Bryan Johnson does.
But we go beyond just measuring dietary intake. We take into account what your body already produces and understand the complex factors, like stress, that can affect this. For instance, stress can reduce your body’s natural L-Glutathione production by as much as 40%, making it even harder to maintain optimal skin performance. That’s why we’ve factored in the nuanced balance of what your body can naturally produce under varying conditions, ensuring our UV protection pills provide the right supplementation to meet your needs.
By following research-backed dosages and considering real-world factors like stress, we ensure our formula delivers the effective dose for your skin.
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