The skin is the largest organ of the body, which acts as a barrier protecting against exogenous factors. Because of the synergistic effects of chronological, extrinsic, and intrinsic aging, skin appearance and integrity worsen over the course of time. Aging is a multifactorial process defined as the accumulation of damage.1 Skin changes associated with aging are a loss of hydration, elasticity, and turgor.2,3 Wrinkles in the face are the most prominent recognized signs of skin aging, which often appear in the periorbital area and include fine wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide composed of repeated polymeric disaccharides of Dglucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine.4 It is a major component of the extracellular matrix of the skin and plays a key role in the metabolism of the dermis. It is one of the most hydrophilic molecules in nature and can be described as nature´s moisturizer.4,5 With aging, the epidermal HA content decreases from 0.03% in women aged 19 to 47 years down to 0.015% in women aged 60 years and halves to 0.007% in women aged 70 years.6 In senile skin, HA is still present in the dermis, while HA of the epidermis has disappeared entirely.7 In addition, HA polymers in senescent skin have a diminished ability to take on water of hydration with the consequence of a loss in skin moisture, commonly seen in aging skin.8 An important trend in skin care is the use of diet and oral supplements to improve the appearance of skin, as healthy skin largely reflects the general health status.9 Nutritional factors exert promising actions on the skin, but information on the effects of low-to-moderate doses of nutrients consumed long term by healthy individuals is lacking, as are data on direct effects on basal skin properties, including hydration, sebum production, and elasticity.
Structural proteins and glycosaminoglycans are particularly promising agents for oral skin rejuvenation: Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has been shown to increase skin elasticity and reduce eye wrinkle volume,11-13 Another trial showed that supplementation with an oral collagen peptide improves density and skin hydration.14 Other micronutrients add to the positive effect on aging skin.
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