Orange Juice for Skin Health

Overseen By Yavuz Yagiz, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Florida

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Breast-feeding, Skin cancer, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 28 weeks

20 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Daily consumption of Orange Juice (OJ) protects skin against UV-induced damages and wrinkling, improves skin barrier function and overall skin health by decreasing oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein glycation. The positive effects of OJ on skin appearance are associated with improvements of the stratum corneum lipidomic and skin microbiome.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you stop taking any medication that might influence the outcome of the study.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Orange juice for skin health?

Orange juice contains antioxidants that can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are beneficial for overall health. Studies have shown that orange juice can improve antioxidant levels in the body and may help with conditions related to oxidative stress, suggesting potential benefits for skin health as well. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is orange juice safe for human consumption?

Orange juice is generally safe for human consumption and may have benefits like lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. However, high citrus juice intake might slightly increase the risk of skin cancer in people with high sun exposure, so it's important to consume it in moderation. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

How does orange juice as a treatment for skin health differ from other treatments?

Orange juice is unique for skin health because it naturally increases skin carotenoid levels, which are indicators of antioxidant status, through regular consumption. Unlike other treatments, it provides a natural source of antioxidants and carotenoids, which may improve skin health by reducing oxidative stress. ^{1 2 3 8 9}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for women with a specific skin type (Fitzpatrick skin type 2 and 3), weighing at least 110 pounds, and having a BMI between 18.5-29.9. It's not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with high fruit intake, frequent alcohol users, anyone with impaired fasting glucose, history of skin cancer or using certain medications.

Inclusion Criteria

My BMI is between 18.5 and 29.9.

I weigh at least 110 pounds.

Fitzpatrick skin type 2 and 3

Exclusion Criteria

Impaired fasting glucose

I take vitamin or mineral supplements.

I am not taking any medication that could affect the study results.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either Orange Juice or Placebo for 84 days, followed by a 28-day wash-out period, then crossover to the other treatment for another 84 days

28 weeks

Regular visits for assessments

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Orange juice
• Placebo juice (Fanta)

Trial Overview The study tests if drinking Orange Juice daily improves skin health compared to a placebo drink (Fanta). Researchers are looking at how OJ affects the body's defense against UV damage, wrinkles, and overall condition of the skin by studying changes in lipid composition and bacteria on the skin.

Participant Groups

Group I: Orange Juice then Placebo juice (SunnyD) Active Control 2 Interventions

Participants will be provided orange juice for 84 days in this arm. After 28 days wash-out period, participants will receive Fanta for 84 days.

Group II: Placebo (SunnyD) then Orange juice Active Control 2 Interventions

Participants will be provided Fanta for 84 days in this arm. After 28 days wash-out period, participants will receive Orange juice for 84 days.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Florida

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,428

Recruited

987,000+

Findings from Research

Daily consumption of red orange juice for 8 weeks led to significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and C-reactive protein, indicating its potential to lower inflammation and improve lipid profiles.

The study also found that red orange juice improved insulin resistance and reduced blood pressure in normal-weight and overweight volunteers, suggesting its beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome risk factors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Red-fleshed sweet orange juice improves the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Silveira, JQ., Dourado, GK., Cesar, TB.[2017]

All tested orange juices from five different Citrus sinensis varieties demonstrated significant antioxidant effects, primarily due to their total phenol content, while ascorbic acid played a minor role.

The antioxidant activity is influenced by both the structural features of the phytochemicals and their ability to interact with cell membranes, with pigmented juices showing higher efficiency linked to their anthocyanin levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antioxidant effectiveness as influenced by phenolic content of fresh orange juices. Rapisarda, P., Tomaino, A., Lo Cascio, R., et al.[2019]

Red-fleshed sweet orange juice (ROJ) and blond orange juice (BOJ) both showed cytotoxic effects on T acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells (Loucy), indicating their potential as chemopreventive agents.

BOJ was particularly effective, causing cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis through increased late apoptosis and necrosis, while ROJ primarily increased early and late apoptosis without affecting the cell cycle as significantly.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Chemopreventive Actions of Blond and Red-Fleshed Sweet Orange Juice on the Loucy Leukemia Cell Line. Dourado, GK., Stanilka, JM., Percival, SS., et al.[2019]

In a study with 16 healthy female volunteers, consuming 600 mL of blood orange juice daily for 21 days significantly increased plasma levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants, indicating its bioavailability.

The juice improved lymphocyte DNA resistance to oxidative stress, suggesting that blood orange juice may enhance the body's antioxidant defense system, although further research is needed to understand the long-term effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of blood orange juice intake on antioxidant bioavailability and on different markers related to oxidative stress. Riso, P., Visioli, F., Gardana, C., et al.[2021]

Chronic consumption of orange juice (OJ) significantly lowers systolic blood pressure and increases HDL cholesterol levels in overweight and obese adults, based on a systematic review of eight randomized controlled trials.

Despite these benefits, OJ consumption did not lead to changes in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, glucose, insulin, or inflammatory markers, indicating a selective impact on certain cardiovascular risk factors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does chronic consumption of orange juice improve cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Li, L., Jin, N., Ji, K., et al.[2022]

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials involving 639 participants found that orange juice intake significantly reduces total cholesterol levels and improves insulin sensitivity.

While orange juice showed positive effects on cholesterol and insulin resistance, the overall quality of the evidence was low to moderate, indicating that further well-designed studies are needed to confirm these findings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of orange juice intake on cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Motallaei, M., Ramezani-Jolfaie, N., Mohammadi, M., et al.[2021]

In a study of 56,205 postmenopausal Caucasian women over an average of 15.7 years, higher citrus consumption was linked to a slight increase in melanoma risk, particularly among those consuming citrus juice and spending more time outdoors.

Specifically, women with the highest intake of citrus juice (1+ servings/day) showed a 22% increased risk of melanoma compared to those with the lowest intake, highlighting the need for further research on the effects of citrus juice in relation to sun exposure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Citrus Consumption and Risk of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma in the Women's Health Initiative. Melough, MM., Wu, S., Li, WQ., et al.[2023]

Regular consumption of orange juice can increase dermal carotenoids, which are indicators of antioxidant status, with a 10% increase observed in individuals with higher initial skin carotenoid scores after 25 days of daily intake.

The study found that while skin carotenoid scores increased with juice consumption, they returned to baseline levels shortly after stopping intake, suggesting that consistent consumption is necessary for maintaining elevated carotenoid levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Regular consumption of fresh orange juice increases human skin carotenoid content. Massenti, R., Perrone, A., Livrea, MA., et al.[2015]

Orange juice (OJ) has potential cancer chemopreventive properties due to its effects on metabolic enzymes and its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antigenotoxic effects, although most evidence comes from in vitro studies rather than human trials.

There is limited evidence of OJ's effectiveness in humans, and further epidemiological and randomized controlled studies are needed to evaluate its chemopreventive effects while considering the variability in OJ composition.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Orange juice and cancer chemoprevention. Franke, SI., Guecheva, TN., Henriques, JA., et al.[2013]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Red-fleshed sweet orange juice improves the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. [2017]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antioxidant effectiveness as influenced by phenolic content of fresh orange juices. [2019]

3. Thailand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Chemopreventive Actions of Blond and Red-Fleshed Sweet Orange Juice on the Loucy Leukemia Cell Line. [2019]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of blood orange juice intake on antioxidant bioavailability and on different markers related to oxidative stress. [2021]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Does chronic consumption of orange juice improve cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. [2022]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of orange juice intake on cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. [2021]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Citrus Consumption and Risk of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma in the Women's Health Initiative. [2023]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Regular consumption of fresh orange juice increases human skin carotenoid content. [2015]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Orange juice and cancer chemoprevention. [2013]