A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study

Bolke L

Published in Nutrients

Methodology

Randomised, placebo-controlled, blind interventional trial in 72 healthy women aged 35 or older; 12 weeks of a drinkable nutraceutical (2.5 g collagen peptides plus acerola extract, vitamin C, zinc, biotin and native vitamin E) or placebo; objective assessment by corneometry, cutometry, PRIMOS 3D optical measurement of silicone skin replicas and skin sonography, with a 4-week product-free follow-up in the active group.

Key Findings

72 healthy women aged 35 or over were randomised to a drinkable supplement providing 2.5 g of collagen peptides with acerola extract, vitamin C, zinc, biotin and vitamin E (n = 36) or placebo (n = 36) for 12 weeks. The supplement significantly improved skin hydration (corneometry), elasticity (cutometry), roughness (3D skin replica imaging) and density (sonography), with all differences from placebo statistically significant. Improvements were substantially retained during a further 4 weeks without the product, and the supplement was well tolerated.

Conclusions

Collagen peptide supplementation significantly improved skin hydration, elasticity, roughness and density versus placebo.

Limitations

The product combines collagen peptides with vitamin C, zinc, biotin and vitamin E, so the effect cannot be attributed to collagen alone; the trial was run by a contract dermatology testing company on a single branded product in 72 women with only the follow-up group continued.