Heliocare, a daily use antioxidant that helps maintain the skin’s ability to protest against sun damage and aging. It contains polypodium leucotomos (calaguala) extract (leaf). Living in Florida, sun over-exposure is always an issue. Heliocare might allow us to spend more time in the sun with less sun damage.

See what the internet is saying about polypodium leucotomos (calaguala).

DermNet NZ says this:

Polypodium leucotomos extract comes from a tropical fern plant grown in Central and South America. Native Americans have used the plant extract for centuries for the treatment of inflammatory disorders and skin diseases. Recently, clinical research has shown that it has antioxidant and photoprotective properties and taken orally provides protection against the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and other sources.

WebMD says:

Polypodium leucotomos is used to prevent certain skin problems including sunburn, eczema (atopic dermatitis), psoriasis, vitiligo, and skin cancer. It is also used for other cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

But, saying those things, I will tell you about my experience. After taking it for about four days, I had heart palpitations and anxiety. Thinking that I was just nervous about leaving my husband for a week while I was visiting my best friend, I stopped taking it and resumed taking it again at her house. Within a day, the same heart palpitations and anxiety returned. Once I stopped taking it, the symptoms were gone the next day.

While I was excited to perhaps be able to be in the sun a little more without the added sun damage, Heliocare is not going to work for me. I would advise anyone considering this or any other supplement to know what the potential side-effects are so that you can stop taking it should you have a reaction to it like I did.