Oral Intake of Enzymatically Decomposed AP Collagen Peptides Improves Skin Moisture and Ceramide and Natural Moisturizing Factor Contents in the Stratum Corneum

Abstract

The stratum corneum (SC) is the outermost layer of the epidermis and plays an important role in maintaining skin moisture and protecting the skin from the external environment. Ceramide and natural moisturizing factor (NMF) are the major SC components that maintain skin moisture. In this study, we investigated whether the oral intake of enzymatically decomposed AP collagen peptides (APCPs) can improve skin moisture and barrier function by assessing changes in the ceramide and NMF contents in the SC after APCP ingestion with the aim to develop a skin functional food. Fifty participants orally ingested APCP (1000 mg) or placebo for 12 weeks, and then, skin hydration and skin texture were evaluated. SC samples were collected to analyze skin scaling, ceramide, and NMF contents. Participants in the APCP group exhibited improved skin moisture content by 7.33% (p = 0.031) and roughness by −4.09% (p = 0.036) when compared with those in the placebo group. NMF content; the amounts of amino acids (AA), including glycine and proline; and AA derivatives were significantly increased in the APCP group (31.98 μg/mg protein) compared to those in the placebo group (−16.01 μg/mg protein) (p = 0.006). The amounts of total ceramides and ceramide subclasses were significantly higher in the APCP group than in the placebo group (p = 0.014). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that APCP intake improves skin moisture and increase the ceramide and NMF contents in the SC, thereby enhancing the skin barrier function.

Role of ceramides in diabetic foot ulcers (Review)

“…Acyl-ceramides are glycosylated in the Golgi apparatus and subsequently transported with other lipids into lamellar bodies. The lamellar bodies, containing glycosylated ceramides, acyl ceramides, cholesterol and very-long-chain FAs, are secreted into the extracellular space of the stratum corneum, where the ceramides are covalently linked to structural skin proteins, such as involucrin, filaggrin and small proline-rich proteins, to form the epidermal permeability barrier ( 32 ).…”

The Effectiveness of Oral Fish Collagen Supplementation on Skin Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Skin Hydration, Skin Elasticity, and Skin Wrinkles

“…9. Jung dkk, 2021 28 This study was a double-blind, randomized, parallel, and placebo-controlled study that evaluated the effectiveness of oral supplementation of enzymatically decomposed AP collagen peptide (APCP) from fish against skin aging. This study was conducted in South Korea on 50 men and women, aged 35-60 years, with dry skin and crow's feet, divided randomly into 2 groups, that were the APCP group which received 1000 mg of APCP and the placebo group.…”

Oral collagen supplements intake on improving skin structure and function

“…Moreover, stratum corneum is rich in intercellular lipids of which ceramides constitute the most important barrier preventing transepidermal water loss. The ingestion of collagen peptides induces ceramide synthesis and is expected to increase skin moisture by natural moisturising factor levels in the stratum corneum [3]. Skin ageing can be characterised by a progressive process of drying, changes on the skin microrelief, loss of firmness and elasticity that results in wrinkles and sagging.…”