The Science

The Science

The research behind every capsule

Solamigo isn't a hopeful blend. Every active was chosen because published human research shows it helps skin stand up to the sun. Here's each ingredient in detail: what it is, the most striking finding, a plain English read on the studies, and a link to every paper so you can check it yourself.

How to read this page. The findings below come from published studies on each individual active, mostly at the doses shown in the research, not trials of the finished Solamigo product. They describe how these nutrients support normal skin function. Solamigo works alongside sunscreen, is not a sunscreen, has no SPF, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

01 Vitamin B3 · The DNA repair support

Nicotinamide

660 mg

One of the most studied nutrients for how skin handles sun exposure. It helps replenish the cellular energy (ATP) that UV burns through, and supports the skin's own machinery for repairing UV damaged DNA.

Vitamin B3 niacinamide powder

Molecular structure

C₆H₆N₂O
N O NH₂

The landmark trial · ONTRAC

In a phase 3 trial, new nonmelanoma skin cancers fell vs placebo over 12 months

100% Placebo 23% less Nicotinamide 0 Rate of new nonmelanoma skin cancers at 12 months (Chen et al., NEJM 2015)

23%

Fewer in the trial group

The benefit faded once people stopped taking it, which is exactly why Solamigo is built as a simple daily habit.

The ONTRAC phase 3 trial

Chen AC et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2015 · 386 high risk adults · 1,000 mg/day, 12 months

A large, gold standard randomized trial in people with a history of skin cancer. Daily nicotinamide led to ~23% fewer new nonmelanoma skin cancers and ~20% fewer precancerous sun spots versus placebo, with no notable side effects. The effect disappeared after stopping, so protection is tied to ongoing daily use.

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How it works: DNA repair

Surjana, Halliday & Damian · human keratinocyte study

At the cellular level, nicotinamide measurably improves skin cells' ability to repair UV induced DNA damage and helps prevent the energy crash UV triggers, the mechanism behind the clinical findings above.

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Important: the trial above used 1,000 mg/day in high risk patients. Solamigo provides 660 mg/day and is not a cancer treatment or preventive. We share this research to explain the ingredient, not to claim Solamigo reduces skin cancer.

02 Polypodium leucotomos · The category classic

Fern Extract

320 mg

A tropical fern extract and the most studied oral photoprotectant in the world. Decades of human research show it raises the skin's threshold for UV redness, so it simply takes more sun to make the skin react.

Polypodium leucotomos fern frond

Key actives

Phenolic acids
HO OH O OH

Healthy adults · 60 days

Far fewer people burned while taking fern extract vs placebo

8 Placebo 2 Fern extract Participants who burned during the study (Nestor et al., 2015)

More burned on placebo

Four times as many people burned without the fern extract, and the skin of those taking it needed more UV before it reddened.

Sunburn & UV threshold in healthy adults

Nestor, Berman & Swenson · J Clin Aesthet Dermatol · 2015 · 240 mg twice daily, 60 days

Four times as many placebo users burned (8 vs 2). The fern group needed more UV to redden the skin (a higher "minimal erythema dose") and showed less redness intensity. No safety issues over two months.

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UVB response & skin biomarkers

Clinical study · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Oral fern extract suppressed UVB induced redness within ~2 hours of taking it, and skin biopsies showed fewer sunburn cells and lower UV damage markers (such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers).

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Foundational mechanism: protecting the skin's immune cells

Gonzalez et al. · earliest oral PLE photoprotection work

Oral fern extract protected against acute sunburn and helped preserve Langerhans cells, the skin's immune sentinels that UV otherwise depletes. This is the study that established oral PLE as a genuine photoprotectant.

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03 The antioxidant powerhouse

Astaxanthin

6 mg

A marine carotenoid and one of nature's most potent antioxidants. It neutralises the free radicals UV generates, helping protect skin moisture, elasticity and texture over time.

Astaxanthin red carotenoid and microalgae

Molecular structure

C₄₀H₅₂O₄
OH O

16 weeks · wrinkle & moisture

Over 16 weeks, placebo skin worsened while astaxanthin held its ground

Worse Stable Week 0 Week 16 Wrinkle depth & moisture loss (Tominaga et al.)
Astaxanthin Placebo

6 mg

50% more than the leading drink

Solamigo delivers 6 mg of astaxanthin, half again as much as the 4 mg in the best known sun supplement drink.

UV protection in healthy people

Ito, Seki & Ueda · Nutrients · 2018 · 4 mg/day, 9 weeks · randomized, double blind

Daily astaxanthin raised the amount of UV needed to redden skin and reduced moisture loss in the UV exposed area versus placebo, with people reporting improvements in rough skin and texture.

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Wrinkles & elasticity over 16 weeks

Tominaga et al. · 65 women · 6 mg or 12 mg/day, 16 weeks

Placebo skin significantly worsened in wrinkles and moisture over the season; the astaxanthin groups did not, a protective "hold the line" effect. An inflammatory marker (IL-1α) rose in placebo but not at the higher dose.

View study

Astaxanthin, fern, nicotinamide, all in two capsules a day.

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04 The blue light & eye filter

Lutein + Zeaxanthin

10 + 2 mg

Carotenoids that deposit in the skin and the eye, where they act as internal "light filters." They're the reason Solamigo can speak to protection that goes beyond UV, into high energy visible and blue light, plus eye health.

Marigold and leafy greens, sources of lutein and zeaxanthin

Molecular structure

C₄₀H₅₆O₂
OH HO

Lutein photoprotection RCT

Daily lutein raised the skin's own UV threshold versus placebo

Baseline Placebo +22% Lutein Photoprotective activity (UV needed to redden skin)

+22%

Harder to redden

Plus measurably brighter, more even skin tone, at Solamigo's exact 10 mg + 2 mg doses.

Skin tone & UV redness, at our exact dose

Juturu, Bowman & Deshpande · Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol · 2016 · 10 mg lutein + 2 mg zeaxanthin, 12 weeks

At precisely Solamigo's doses, daily lutein + zeaxanthin reduced UV induced redness, raised the skin's UV threshold, and significantly improved overall skin tone and luminance: brighter, more even skin, plus better elastic recovery.

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Photoprotection & the eye connection

Lutein photoprotection RCT · plus AREDS2 eye research

Oral lutein delivered a ~22% relative rise in the skin's photoprotective activity vs placebo. Lutein and zeaxanthin are also the best studied carotenoids for eye health, the same nutrients used in the major AREDS2 eye study.

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05 The collagen guardian

Lycopene

10 mg

The red carotenoid from tomatoes, among the most efficient antioxidant carotenoids. It raises the skin's UV redness threshold and, at the gene level, dials down the enzymes that break collagen down.

Ripe tomatoes, source of lycopene

Molecular structure

C₄₀H₅₆

Dietary photoprotection

Oral lycopene cut UV induced redness over weeks of daily use

100% Placebo 40% less Lycopene Relative UV-induced redness (Stahl et al.)

40%

Less UV redness

And at the gene level, less of the MMP-1 enzyme that breaks down collagen, the link to long term photoaging.

Molecular protection: guarding collagen

Br J Dermatol · double blind crossover · 65 volunteers · lycopene rich complex

Oral lycopene reduced UVA induced expression of skin damage genes, including HO-1, ICAM-1 and MMP-1. Because MMP-1 is a key collagen degrading enzyme, this directly links lycopene to protection against photoaging.

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Dietary photoprotection over time

Stahl & Heinrich et al. · lycopene rich tomato products

Weeks of daily lycopene rich intake raised the skin's UV redness threshold, a real, if modest, layer of protection built from within and accumulating with consistent use.

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Every active on this page, at meaningful doses, in one daily capsule.

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06 Mixed tocopherols · The stabilizer

Vitamin E

15 mg

A fat soluble antioxidant that does two jobs: it works inside the skin's own antioxidant network, and it protects the carotenoids in the formula from oxidising, so the actives stay active in the capsule and in you.

Sunflower seeds and oil, source of vitamin E

Molecular structure

C₂₉H₅₀O₂
HO O

Part of the skin's antioxidant network

Fuchs & Kern, and related clinical work · vitamin E + C and UV inflammation

Vitamin E scavenges the lipid free radicals UV creates and is regenerated by vitamin C as part of the body's natural antioxidant defence. Research shows vitamin E and C together can modulate UV induced skin inflammation. In Solamigo, its primary job is twofold: antioxidant support for the skin, and keeping the astaxanthin and carotenoids stable so the whole formula stays potent.

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Formulated by biotechnologists

Built by the people who understand these actives at a molecular level

Solamigo was formulated by biotechnologists, led by our founder Olivia, who studied biotechnology in the UK. The brief was simple and strict: include only ingredients the research actually supports, at doses that matter, in forms the body can use. No filler, no padding, nothing added for show. The page above is the receipts.

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Findings on this page come from published human studies on Solamigo's individual active ingredients, not on the finished product, and describe how these nutrients support normal skin function. Doses studied may differ from those in Solamigo. Solamigo works alongside sunscreen, is not a sunscreen, has no SPF, and does not prevent skin cancer. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.