A recent study has dropped some wild news: anthocyanins, the purple pigments in blueberries and grapes, can actually help repair skin damaged by UV rays.
In November, researchers from Shanxi University in China published some groundbreaking findings in Food, an international journal. The study shows that anthocyanins—found in purple fruits like blueberries and grapes—can seriously repair damaged skin caused by UV rays.
We all know sun exposure can damage our skin, causing dryness, rough patches, and annoying dark spots. It also zaps our skin’s elasticity (aka photoaging).
But here’s the thing: not all UV rays are the same. UV-A rays dive deep into your skin and cause inflammation while breaking down collagen and elastin. UV-B rays, however, focus more on the surface, messing with the outer layers of your skin.
Dermatologists often use retinoic acid (a vitamin A derivative) to treat photoaging. But there’s a catch: long-term use can lead to some not-so-fun side effects like skin irritation, redness, and peeling.
Looking for a more natural solution, the research team turned to anthocyanins. These water-soluble pigments are nature’s purple powerhouses, found in everything from flowers and fruits to veggies and grains. Think blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, cherries, and even purple sweet potatoes—all packed with anthocyanins that your skin loves.
The team went into full-on detective mode, scouring databases like Google Scholar and PubMed for keywords like “photoaging,” “natural aging,” “ultraviolet,” “skin,” and “anthocyanins” to compile their research.
They found that anthocyanins are like superheroes fighting against reactive oxygen species (ROS) that UV rays cause.
So what’s ROS? These are little troublemakers that attack your skin cells and cause damage. But anthocyanins swoop in, activating antioxidant enzymes that neutralize ROS, reducing oxidative damage and preventing skin cell death. And yep, both animal and human studies back this up.
An earlier study in Italy tested anthocyanins on 110 adults. Half of them got anthocyanin-rich extracts, and the other half got a placebo.
The results? The anthocyanin group saw improved skin antioxidant levels, less UV-induced damage, and less redness from the sun.
Meanwhile, in Korea, researchers found that applying rose extract (also full of anthocyanins) to people’s skin made it brighter. This was linked to a drop in matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), usually triggered by UV rays.
In Japan, 16 lucky participants who took anthocyanin-rich mulberry extract capsules for eight weeks saw a brighter skin tone and reduced redness.
Professor Wen Kang Jin’s team said their study solidly examines how anthocyanins help repair photoaged skin. However, they also pointed out that these compounds are tricky to extract and purify, so more research is needed on ways to obtain them in high purity.
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