Dietary consumption of food supplements has been found to modulate skin functions and can therefore be useful in the treatment of skin aging. However, there is only a limited number of clinical studies supporting these claims. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the effectiveness of the specific bioactive collagen peptide (BCP) VERISOL® on eye wrinkle formation and stimulation of procollagen I, elastin and fibrillin biosynthesis in the skin was assessed. A hundred and fourteen women aged 45-65 years were randomized to receive 2.5 g of BCP or placebo, once daily for 8 weeks, with 57 subjects being allocated to each treatment group. Skin wrinkles were objectively measured in all subjects, before starting the treatment, after 4 and 8 weeks as well as 4 weeks after the last intake (4-week regression phase). A subgroup was established for suction blister biopsies analyzing procollagen I, elastin and fibrillin at the beginning of the treatment and after 8 weeks of intake. The ingestion of the specific BCP used in this study promoted a statistically significant reduction of eye wrinkle volume (p < 0.05) in comparison to the placebo group after 4 and 8 weeks (20%) of intake. Moreover a positive long-lasting effect was observed 4 weeks after the last BCP administration (p < 0.05). Additionally, after 8 weeks of intake a statistically significantly higher content of procollagen type I (65%) and elastin (18%) in the BCP-treated volunteers compared to the placebo-treated patients was detected. For fibrillin, a 6% increase could be determined after BCP treatment compared to the placebo, but this effect failed to reach the level of statistical significance. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides (Verisol®) reduced skin wrinkles and had positive effects on dermal matrix synthesis.

Keywords:
Bioactive collagen peptide, Collagen peptides, Skin, Wrinkles, Type I collagen, Elastin, Fibrillin
1.
Imokawa G: Recent advances in characterizing biological mechanisms underlying UV-induced wrinkles: a pivotal role of fibroblast-derived elastase. Arch Dermatol Res 2008;300(suppl 1):S7-S20.
2.
Calleja-Agius J, Muscat-Baron Y, Brincat MP: Skin ageing. Menopause Int 2007;13:60-64.
3.
Takema Y, Yorimoto Y, Kawai M, Imokawa G: Age-related changes in the elastic properties and thickness of human facial skin. Br J Dermatol 1994;131:641-648.
4.
Takema Y, Yorimoto Y, Kawai M: The relationship between age-related changes in the physical properties and development of wrinkles in human facial skin. J Soc Cosmet Chem 1995;46:163-173.
5.
Boelsma E, Hendriks HF, Roza L: Nutritional skin care: health effects of micronutrients and fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:853-864.
6.
Liang J, Pei X, Zhang Z, Wang N, Wang J, Li Y: The protective effects of long-term oral administration of marine collagen hydrolysate from chum salmon on collagen matrix homeostasis in the chronological aged skin of Sprague-Dawley male rats. J Food Sci 2010;75:H230-H238.
7.
Zague V, de Freitas V, da Costa RM, de Castro GA, Jaeger RG, Hado-Santelli GM: Collagen hydrolysate intake increases skin collagen expression and suppresses matrix metalloproteinase 2 activity. J Med Food 2011;14:618-624.
8.
Matsuda N, Koyama Y, Hosaka Y, Ueda H, Watanabe T, Araya T, Irie S, Takehana K: Effects of ingestion of collagen peptide on collagen fibrils and glycosaminoglycans in the dermis. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 2006;52:211-215.
9.
Tanaka M, Koyama Y-I, Nomura Y: Effects of collagen peptide ingestion on UV-B-induced skin damage. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2009;73:930-932.
10.
Kiistala U: Suction blister device for separation of viable epidermis from dermis. J Invest Dermatol 1968;50:129-137.
11.
Green AC: Premature ageing of the skin in a Queensland population. Med J Aust 1991;155:473-478.
12.
Nouveau-Richard S, Yang Z, Mac-Mary S, Li L, Bastien P, Tardy I, Bouillon C, Humbert P, de Lacharrière O: Skin ageing: a comparison between Chinese and European populations. A pilot study. J Dermatol Sci 2005;40:187-193.
13.
Manriquez JJ, Majerson Grinberg D, Nicklas Diaz C: Wrinkles. Clin Evid 2008;12:1-42.
14.
Bauza E, Oberto G, Berghi A, Dal CF, Domloge N: Collagen-like peptide exhibits a remarkable antiwrinkle effect on the skin when topically applied: in vivo study. Int J Tissue React 2004;26:105-111.
15.
Lee J-H, Seo J-H, Park Y-H, Lim K-M, Lee S-J: The effect of hydroxyproline and Pro-Hyp dipeptide on UV-damaged skin of hairless mice. Korean J Food Sci Technol 2008;40:436-442.
16.
Kawaguchi T, Nanbu PN, Kurokawa M: Distribution of prolylhydroxyproline and its metabolites after oral administration in rats. Biol Pharm Bull 2012;35:422-427.
17.
Chai HJ, Li JH, Huang HN, Li TL, Chan YL, Shiau CY, Wu CJ: Effects of sizes and conformations of fish-scale collagen peptides on facial skin qualities and transdermal penetration efficiency. J Biomed Biotechnol 2010;2010:757301.
18.
Frantz C, Stewart KM, Weaver VM: The extracellular matrix at a glance. J Cell Sci 2010;123:4195-4200.
19.
Cho S, Won CH, Lee DH, Lee MJ, Lee S, So SH, Lee SK, Koo BS, Kim NM, Chung JH: Red ginseng root extract mixed with torilus fructus and corni fructus improves facial wrinkles and increases type I procollagen synthesis in human skin: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Med Food 2009;12:1252-1259.
20.
Zhang Z, Wang J, Ding Y, Dai X, Li Y: Oral administration of marine collagen peptides from chum salmon skin enhances cutaneous wound healing and angiogenesis in rats. J Sci Food Agric 2011;91:2173-2179.
21.
Contet-Audonneau JL, Jeanmaire C, Pauly G: A histological study of human wrinkle structures: comparison between sun-exposed areas of the face, with or without wrinkles, and sun-protected areas. Br J Dermatol 1999;140:1038-1047.
22.
Fujimura T, Haketa K, Hotta M, Kitahara T: Loss of skin elasticity precedes to rapid increase of wrinkle levels. J Dermatol Sci 2007;47:233-239.
23.
Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S: Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2014;27:47-55.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
2013
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.