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Two Published Papers about oral efficacy of Collagen

Ingestion of Bioactive Collagen Hydrolysates Enhance Facial Skin Moisture and Elasticity and Reduce Facial Ageing Signs

Abstract

Background: Several human studies have demonstrated occurrence of two major collagen peptides, prolyl-hydroxyproline (Pro-Hyp) and hydroxyprolyl-glycine (Hyp-Gly), in human peripheral blood. Some in vitro studies have demonstrated that Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly exert chemotaxis on dermal fibroblasts and enhance cell proliferation. Additionally, Pro-Hyp enhances the production of hyaluronic acid by dermal fibroblasts. These findings suggest that the amounts of Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly in blood are important factors to show the efficacy of collagen hydrolysates on skin health.

Results: We conducted a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of ingestion of two types of collagen hydrolysates, which are composed of different amounts of the bioactive dipeptides Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly, to investigate their effects on the improvement of skin conditions. Improvement in skin conditions, such as skin moisture, elasticity, wrinkles, and roughness, were compared with a placebo group at baseline, and 4 and 8 weeks after the start of the trial. In addition, the safety of dietary supplementation with these peptides was evaluated by blood test. Collagen hydrolysate with a higher content of bioactive collagen peptides (H-CP) showed significant and more improvement than the collagen hydrolysate with a lower content of bioactive collagen peptides (L-CP) and the placebo, in facial skin moisture, elasticity (R2), wrinkles and roughness, compared with the placebo group. In addition, there were no adverse events during the trial.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the use of the collagen hydrolysate with a higher content of Pro-Hyp and Hyp-Gly led to more improvement in facial skin conditions, including facial skin moisture, elasticity, wrinkles and roughness.

Choi FD, Sung CT, Juhasz ML, Mesinkovsk NA. Oral Collagen Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Dermatological Applications. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(1):9‐16.

Abstract

Importance: The use of nutraceuticals such as collagen for skincare has been rising, but regulations are lacking on quality, absorption, and efficacy. To address this knowledge gap, clinical studies regarding the potential effects of collagen-based dietary supplements on skin are being completed. Objective: To review the literature and assess available randomized-controlled trials using collagen supplementation for treatment efficacy regarding skin quality, anti-aging benefits, and potential application in medical dermatology. Evidence Review: A literature search was conducted with PubMed using search criteria (collagen) AND (supplement OR food OR nutrition). No lower limit on the year of publication was set. Inclusion criteria were: randomized, placebo-controlled trials using collagen supplementation in human subjects related to dermatology and written in English. Findings: Eleven studies with a total of 805 patients were included for review. Eight studies used collagen hydrolysate, 2.5g/d to 10g/d, for 8 to 24 weeks, for the treatment of pressure ulcers, xerosis, skin aging, and cellulite. Two studies used collagen tripeptide, 3g/d for 4 to 12 weeks, with notable improvement in skin elasticity and hydration. Lastly, one study using collagen dipeptide suggested anti-aging efficacy is proportionate to collagen dipeptide content. Conclusions and Relevance: Preliminary results are promising for the short and long-term use of oral collagen supplements for wound healing and skin aging. Oral collagen supplements also increase skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density. Collagen supplementation is generally safe with no reported adverse events. Further studies are needed to elucidate medical use in skin barrier diseases such as atopic dermatitis and to determine optimal dosing regimens. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(1):9-16.