Hydrolysed collagen goes beyond just helping smooth out fine lines and wrinkles. Adding further evidence to collagen's strong scientific portfolio, a new clinical study revealed that supplementation with significantly contributes to improving the overall appearance of skin and hair in an ethnically diverse population.
Sitting underneath the skin’s outer epidermis layer, our dermis gives skin strength and firmness. As people age, the dermis changes structure because its collagen network breaks up and thins. At the same time skin fibroblast cells slow down production of the matrix that surrounds them, and degraded matrix components are not replaced fast enough. This leads to loss of skin elasticity, hydration and strength, causing visible sagging and wrinkle formation.
Thanks to the remarkable properties of collagen peptides, and their specific bioactivity, studies in humans have shown that collagen peptides improve skin hydration and dermal collagen density, reducing fragmentation of the dermal collagen network1, helping to reduce the signs of aging.
This new clinical study provides powerful evidence that supplementation with pure (Type I) collagen peptides reduces skin pore visibility and strengthens hair2.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 60 healthy Brazilian women, aged 45 to 60 years. During a set period of 90 days, participants received a 5g daily dose of collagen peptides from bovine origin. Results showed significant improvements in the overall appearance of the skin;
- A decrease in periorbital wrinkles (around the eyes) by 13% and nasolabial wrinkles (from bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth) by 10% and
- A reduction of the visibility of pores in the region of the cheekbones in 57% of the collagen-supplemented participants.
An increase of the density of the dermis, which contains the strength-providing collagen layer of the skin, following collagen supplementation, was at the basis of these observations.
This study also revealed a 13% increase in the mechanical strength of hair. (Mechanical strength is linked to improved properties of the hair cortex, which can be especially beneficial for aging hair).
Conducted in a Brazilian population of mixed skin and hair types, this study brings proof that collagen is effective across populations of different ethnical backgrounds, adding to previous evidence obtained from trials in Caucasian and Asian populations.
References
- Asserin, J., et al. (2015). The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 14, pp. 291—301. [Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocd.12174]
- Prawitt, Dr. J., Scientific Director, Peptan®. (June 2019). Whitepaper, Collagen Peptides for Skin Beauty and Hair Health, Rousselot, The Netherlands. [Available at: https://www.peptan.com/about-peptan/downloads/collagen-peptides-for-skin-beauty-and-hair-health]
