Each morning as I get ready for my day, I apply a daily moisturizer with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30. I go about my day often stopping to dab excess oil and shine off my face. So I thought to myself how nice would it be to have a sun block product in a pill? This would eliminate messy sunscreen lotion. I would not have to worry about sweating it off and having to reapply. How great would that be! So I started searching for a product that could provide all day protection against the sun. To my surprise I came across three products, HeliocarePill,  Heliocare and  SunPill.

All three products are touted as UV protection in an oral formulation that protects against solar skin damage from the inside out. All three dietary/herbal supplements contain an  antioxidant called Polypodium Leucotomos a species of tropical fern found in Central and South America. What we know about antioxidants is that they can protect against premature aging, loss of elasticity and wrinkling by reducing the amount of “free radicals” produced by the body from UV exposure. These “free radicals” are high energy molecules that bind with proteins and fat in our cells leading to cellular damage and skin cancer. Popular antioxidants include Lutein, Lycopene, beta-carotene,Vitamin C, E and A. In fruits and vegetables we look for bright blues, purples, oranges, and yellow coloring for the best source of antioxidant property.  For an indepth comparison of the exact amounts of antioxidant power contained in certain fruits and vegetables visit the McCormick Science Institute. 

The first product I came across is HeliocarePill. According to the manufacturer DoctorSolve Healthcare Solutions HeliocarePill is the “first oral sun protection not only clinically but microscopically proven to fight against UV induced damage…and provides cell protection in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) and protect skin DNA.” HeliocarePill contains three natural ingredients beta-carotene, green tea and the fern extract Polypodium Leucotomos. In this product each capsule contains 240mg of Polypodium Leucotomos plus beta-carotene and green tea extract. In terms of price HeliocarePill ranges from $49.59 to $120.00 depending on the package quantity. The recommended daily dose is one capsule a day with the option to take an additional capsule at noon if you expect to be under extensive sun exposure. According to the manufacturer this trio of antioxidants starts working within 30 minutes of taking the first dose.

The next product is called Heliocare. Now this was a bit confusing at first but after careful research I realized that Heliocare is different from HeliocarePill. This product is marketed by Aero Pharmaceuticals and like Heliocare Pills contains 240mg of Polypodium Leucotomos. However, this is the only ingredient. The website incorporates a testimonial from a Harvard Medical School doctor that states that “Heliocare can “mop up” the free radicals before they damage important cellular proteins… Although there are other oral antioxidants for the skin, including vitamins E and C, Polypodium Leucotomos seems to work synergistically with the endogenous system. For this reason, taking Polypodium Leucotomos is more effective.” In addition the website offers varies clinical studies and scientific research on the possible uses, effectiveness and photo protective properties of Polypodium Leucotomos. Reading through this website, I must admit that there is lot of information to support the use of Heliocare, far more than the other websites. The recommended daily dose is one capsule with a glass of water or juice. It also works within 30 minutes and 2 capsules may be taken if prolonged sun exposure is expected. This product costs $62.99 for a bottle of 60 capsules.

SunPill is perhaps the most readily available of the three because it has gained retail establishment in the sun care isles of CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. It is marketed towards the “golfer, swimmer, hiker, tennis player…for outdoor sports and enthusiasts.” Its price is $19.95 for a bottle of 30 tablets to be taken once a day in the morning or two tablets daily for all day activities like going to the beach or an amusement park. Although, it also contains Polypodium Leucotomos the website does not disclose the quantity per tablet. I found the website to be one big advertisement with no clinical research information, no company information or contact number, only email communication.

Both Heliocare and HeliocarePill clearly state that neither product is a total solution for sun protection. In fact both products recommend that for optimum protection you should continue to use a daily topical sunblock lotion in addition to Heliocare and HeliocarePill. Although these products work from “the inside out” ultimately, they are not sunscreens. As revolutionary as these products may be they are not a substitute for good sunscreen and protective clothing. I appreciate the fact that by taking oral sun protection it will work to protect every inch of my skin, I will still be able to reap the Vitamin D benefits of the sun unlike sunblock and most importantly I can not rub or wash it off. In the Dermatological community there are many Physicians that have been and continue to recommend these products especially for those with fair skin or easily burn.  I believe that these products best serve as an adjunct to sunscreen lotion and perhaps as an investment in the future health of our skin.

Did You Know …That the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements has changed the recommended daily requirement for Vitamin D from 400IU to 1000IU?

Delores Sasu B.S., Rph.

In June of this year on ABC World News with Charles Gibson the herbal supplement Red Yeast Rice was a featured segment. In the segment Charles Gibson talked about the uses and benefits of the product in controlling high cholesterol. This is when I realized just how big this product had become. It was in 2004 when customers started coming to the pharmacy counter asking for this product. It was not an item readily stocked in store and after getting numerous requests for it I decided to special order the product. Needless to say, that I could not keep enough in stock. So what is Red Yeast Rice?

Red yeast is a Chinese herb produced from rice that is fermented with Monascus purpureus yeast. The supplement being sold today is the result of culturing the Monascus purpureus yeast over the rice at a carefully controlled temperature and growing conditions so as to increase the concentrations of chemicals that lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides. The end product is a collage of chemicals with varies health benefits as wells as some impurities and toxins. The truth about Red Yeast Rice is that the main chemical produced is in fact the same chemical found in prescription cholesterol lowering medications known as “statins.” Big name statins include Lipitor, Mevacor (Lovastatin), and Pravachol (Pravastatin) just to name a few. Red yeast rice supplements are most identical to the drug Lovastatin. So of course this so called “herbal supplement” has been effective in lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides. It is in fact a prescription drug. I have come across hundreds of patients that have quit their prescription medication in lieu of taking Red Yeast Rice. It works and it is significantly cheaper than any prescription “statin” on the market today.

The biggest safety concern is that hundreds of people have been and continue to take this product along with cholesterol lowering medication and other prescription medications that could result in drug interactions without knowing it. The adverse affects of “statin” drugs include but are not limited to severe muscle pain, muscle damage, kidney impairment and liver damage. So concomitant use of red yeast rice supplements with a “statin” or any prescription drug with similar side effects will increase the risk of kidney, liver and muscle damage. Red yeast rice should be treated as a statin drug with all the possible drug interactions, and side effects associated with this class of drugs. Last August the Food and Drug Administration issued a caution against using red yeast rice until detailed results from long term studies became available. In addition, the FDA deemed red yeast rice to be an unapproved drug because it contains a prescription only statin as the active ingredient. Consequently, the FDA issued warning letters advising certain manufacturers to stop selling and promoting the product. In response, several products on the market were reformulated and probably will have little to no affect on lowering cholesterol. It has been nearly a year since the warning and the majority of products on the market still contain the active chemical considered to be Lovastatin. The sell and popularity of the product obviously has not slowed down in the least. In fact some physicians are recommending it for their patients, and reputable news programs such as Good Morning America and ABC World News have featured the product.

If you have found a brand that works for you then stick with it because different brands contain different amounts of the active chemical. Keep in mind that “herbal supplements” are not required to contain what they say they contain in the amounts on the label. Stick with a nationally known brand and shop at a reputable location such as a GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. Contact your health care provider to inform him or her of the fact that you are taking red yeast rice. This is important for monitoring side effects and drug interactions as well as how well your total cholesterol is being controlled. Keep up with your product of choice in case it is reformulated somewhere down the road should the FDA decide to take on this product as being a public safety issue. There is nothing the drug maker Merck would love more than to have their product Mevacor sold over the counter in stead of red yeast rice. As of December 2007, the FDA advisory panel rejected the proposal to allow Merck’s drug Mevacor (Lovastatin) to be sold over the counter. But rest a sure that Merck will not stop there as long as sells of Mevacor continue to slide. We will have to wait and see what Merck comes up with next.

DID YOU KNOW?…Red yeast rice is used as food coloring for pecking duck?