Effects of a nutritional supplement containing collagen peptides on skin elasticity, hydration and wrinkles

Context: Many people around the world strive to achieve younger-looking skin. This is often promised by topical treatments. Oral treatments for skin ageing have been unsuccessful due to their constituents being broken down by acid and enzymes in the gut; however several studies have shown that hydrolyzed collagen is absorbed in the gut and then delivered to skin and joints through the blood stream. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether an oral nutritional supplement drink containing hydrolyzed collagen and other specific ingredients reported to have antiageing properties, would have a positive effect on skin wrinkling, elasticity and hydration. Materials and Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial was conducted on healthy subjects to assess whether this oral supplement could improve certain specific skin properties of post-menopausal women, namely depth of facial wrinkles, skin elasticity and hydration. Results: The evidence provided here proves that the combination of specific ingredients present in this nutritional drink acts to significantly reduce the depth of facial wrinkles and increase skin elasticity and hydration. Conclusions: This study shows that the oral nutritional supplement consisting of hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, and essential vitamins and minerals, leads to a significant improvement in wrinkle depth. It is also able to induce noticeable improvement in elasticity and hydration of the skin.