Photodynamic Therapy

Photosensitizers/Nutrient Depletion:

  • BiotinBiotin: Based on human evidence, isotretinoin (Accutane?) may reduce biotinidase activity (10325581).
  • CarnitineCarnitine: Human evidence indicates that isotretinion therapy may decrease L-carnitine (L-car) blood levels in patients with cystic acne (10642057). L-car supplementation might treat liver and muscular side effects of the drug. Another human study, however, indicated that isotretinion therapy had no effect on carnitine levels (2958078).
  • LycopeneLycopene: In clinical study, consumption of tomato paste containing lycopene with pasta and olive oil was associated with increased serum lycopene levels and a 40% reduction in skin erythema caused by ultraviolet (UV) light, when compared to controls (11340098). In another clinical study, skin levels of lycopene were decreased after exposure to UV light (7616301).