An Umbrella Review on the Prevention of Skin Diseases: Do Specific Nutrients Play a Protective Role?

Skin diseases affect a considerable proportion of the population worldwide, with a substantial impact on quality of life. The power of certain foods, beverages, and dietary supplements for the primary prevention of these diseases remains poorly understood and is not widely disseminated. The aim of this umbrella review was to evaluate specific nutrients in the primary prevention of skin diseases. Manuscripts were extracted from four online databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane) using keywords and MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms. The inclusion criteria were general populations and high-risk but disease-free individuals, food and dietary supplementation intake, their effects on the primary prevention of skin diseases, and systematic reviews or meta-analyses. When performing a further search, other studies were included, but manuscripts regarding risk factors and diets were excluded. A total of six studies were included in this umbrella review, which covered a period between 2001 and 2023 and included a total of 9,229 participants, either in utero or aged 0－80 years old. The preventive effect of green tea catechins on ultraviolet radiation-induced erythema was highlighted, as well as the role of Lactobacillus probiotics in infant atopic eczema. Finally, niacinamide supplementation reduced the incidence of basal and squamous cell carcinoma (the major subtypes of non-melanoma skin cancer). Despite the small number of studies identified, the emerging evidence provided some insights into the primary prevention of certain skin diseases and may serve as a foundation for future studies.