This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 100 outdoor workers living in a polluted urban European area (Milan) receiving either 250 mg/day of commercially available polyphenol-enriched dietary supplement (Zeropollution^® from Monteloeder) of 4 standardized herbal extracts: Olea europaea leaf, Lippia citriodora, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Sophora japonica or placebo for 12 weeks.

The results indicate that the dietary supplement improved all clinical and biochemical-monitored parameters: total antioxidant capacity on saliva (FRAP), the oxidative damage on skin (lipoperoxides content), skin moisturization (corneometer), transepidermal water loss (tewameter), skin radiance and colour (spectrophotometer), skin elasticity (cutometer), skin sebum content (sebumeter), and the skin roughness (image analysis), in both Caucasian and Asian individuals. Some of the positive effects such as decreased wrinkle depth, increased elasticity and firmness, improved skin moisturization and transepidermal water loss, and reduced dark spots pigmentation were statistically significant as early as 2 weeks of product consumption.

In conclusion, the oral intake of this four-plant based supplement could be considered a complementary nutrition strategy to avoid the negative effects of environmental pollution exposure on skin.

Nobile V, Schiano I, Peral A, Giardina S, Spartà E, Caturla N. Antioxidant and reduced skin-ageing effects of a polyphenol-enriched dietary supplement in response to air pollution: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Food Nutr Res. 2021 Mar 29;65.

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