{
  "id": "ferulic-acid",
  "idVersion": 1,
  "ingredient": "Ferulic Acid",
  "route": "topical",
  "grade": "limited",
  "gradeLabel": "Limited",
  "claim": "Small human studies found less UV-related redness and damage markers after four days with complete antioxidant combinations containing ferulic acid.",
  "caveat": "Ferulic acid was never isolated from the vitamin C, vitamin E or phloretin formulas. One human trial had 10 participants, another reported only a small sample, and the widely cited eightfold result came from pig, not human, skin. These formulas may complement sunscreen; they do not replace it.",
  "published": "2026-09-19",
  "sources": [
    {
      "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16185284/",
      "journal": "J Invest Dermatol",
      "year": 2005,
      "n": null,
      "design": "Porcine-skin study",
      "duration": null,
      "percentages": [
        "0.5%"
      ],
      "outcome": "formula stability, erythema, sunburn cells, thymine dimers",
      "finding": "Porcine-skin study: adding 0.5% ferulic acid stabilized the vitamin C and E formula and increased its reported photoprotection from about fourfold to about eightfold. This was pig, not human, skin and did not test ferulic acid alone.",
      "formulation": "15% L-ascorbic acid with 1% alpha-tocopherol, the same formula with 0.5% ferulic acid"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18603326/",
      "journal": "J Am Acad Dermatol",
      "year": 2008,
      "n": null,
      "design": "Human in-vivo study",
      "duration": "4 days",
      "percentages": [],
      "outcome": "erythema, sunburn cells, thymine dimers, p53, inflammatory cytokines",
      "finding": "Small human in-vivo study over four days: the complete vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid formula reduced several solar-simulated-radiation damage markers versus vehicle. The abstract did not report the sample size, and ferulic acid was not isolated.",
      "formulation": "15% L-ascorbic acid with 1% alpha-tocopherol and 0.5% ferulic acid, vehicle"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19146606/",
      "journal": "J Cosmet Dermatol",
      "year": 2009,
      "n": 10,
      "design": "Randomized human study",
      "duration": "4 days",
      "percentages": [],
      "outcome": "erythema, sunburn cells, thymine dimers, MMP-9, p53, Langerhans cells",
      "finding": "Randomized four-day human study in 10 participants: the complete vitamin C, ferulic acid and phloretin formula reduced several UV-related damage markers versus vehicle. Ferulic acid was not tested alone, and one author was affiliated with L’Oreal USA.",
      "formulation": "vitamin C with ferulic acid and phloretin, vehicle"
    }
  ],
  "peopleReport": null
}