Though the emerging body of evidence on supplements for skin health—from salmon nose cartilage to red orange and tropical fern—remains nuanced, it highlights the investment in and potential of this inside-out approach to target the wrinkles, pigmentation, dehydration, roughness and loss of elasticity that come with age.
Below a look at some of the latest research on supplements for skin health.
Collagen Activator supplement improves skin and reduces biological age
A study conducted by Avea Life AG, in collaboration with ETH Zurich and other institutions, examined the effects of the Collagen Activator supplement, which includes Colgevity—a patented vegan collagen precursor.
The research, involving pre-clinical models like C. elegans, lab mice and human cell lines, demonstrated that the supplement’s amino acid combination (glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline in a 3:1:1 ratio) improved collagen homeostasis, increased lifespan and reduced biological age.
In human trials, the full formulation, augmented with alpha-ketoglutarate, astaxanthin and vitamin C, showed dermatological improvements and decreased biological age.
“It is remarkable that the physiological and molecular effects of combining these three amino acids are conserved across C. elegans, mice, human fibroblasts and human participants," the researchers wrote.
Monteloeder botanical blend delivers measurable skin benefits
A study published in the Journal of Dermatology & Cosmetology evaluated the effects of Monteloeder’s Eternalyoung botanical blend on skin aging.
Conducted over 12 weeks with 71 women, the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial revealed significant improvements in skin parameters, including a 23% reduction in forehead wrinkle volume and enhanced skin radiance and moisture retention.
The blend, composed of four botanical extracts, aims to address skin aging through mechanisms such as oxidative stress reduction and telomere protection.
“This study indicates that daily supplementation with Eternalyoung is associated with notable and clinically observed improvements in the key aspects of skin aging,” said Nuria Caturla, PhD, chief R&D officer for Monteloeder, a subsidiary of Suannutra. “We witnessed its ability to help improve the appearance of smoother skin, more even tone, enhanced radiance and moisturization, especially in subgroups with a compromised skin barrier.”
Despite showing promising results, the study’s limitations include its exploratory sample size and short duration.
ADM researchers report postmenopausal skin improvements with Novasoy
ADM researchers conducted a study on postmenopausal women, examining the effects of Novasoy isoflavone supplements on skin health, particularly in those capable of producing S-equol.
Plant-derived compounds such as isoflavones may mimic estrogenic activity. In the gut, microbiota convert the isoflavone daidzein into the metabolite S-equol, which is considered the most biologically active form because it has a higher infinity for estrogen receptors.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Richard Day, vice president of medical affairs and clinical development at ADM, told NutraIngredients that while group level differences were “modest,” they observed that women who produced higher levels of S-equol showed improvements in skin parameters.
“Response appeared to be greater among S-equol producers, consistent with the biology of the gut–skin axis and S-equol’s estrogen-like activity,” he said. “For the skincare and healthy aging market, these findings support a personalized, microbiome-aware view of beauty-from-within.”
Can supplements protect against UV-induced skin damage?
A review in Frontiers in Medicine suggests that certain dietary supplements may help counteract UV-induced skin photoaging by targeting oxidative stress, inflammation and collagen degradation pathways.
It highlights collagen and polyphenols, including flavonoids, as promising for improving skin elasticity, hydration and protection against oxidative damage.
“Currently, certain orally administered dietary supplements, such as collagen, flavanols and other polyphenols, have demonstrated efficacy in addressing skin photoaging,” the researchers from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Baoji Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital reported. “However, the existing evidence on the efficacy of dietary supplements like carotenoids, lycopene and astaxanthin in mitigating skin photoaging is still limited.”
They called for more robust clinical trials to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms.
Hyacera formulation improves skin in diverse population
A study published in Dermatology and Therapy tested Ritual’s HyaCera supplement on a diverse group of 63 adults and found significant improvements in skin conditions, including reductions in wrinkles and enhanced skin smoothness, elasticity and radiance over 12 weeks.
The formulation combined low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, known for its ability to attract and retain moisture in the skin, with a wheat oil extract rich in ceramides and polar lipids, which help support the skin’s natural barrier.
“It was hypothesized that these ingredients would act synergistically, with HA working in deeper layers to enhance elasticity and fullness and wheat oil extract supporting surface barrier function,” Adeline Grier-Welch, senior scientist at Ritual and lead researcher on the study, told NutraIngredients.
Bioiberica builds on age-defying promise of hyaluronic acid
Research funded by Bioiberica supports the potential of its branded Dermial hyaluronic acid ingredient to enhance skin hydration, brightness and smoothness and reduce roughness, wrinkles, scaliness and erythema.
While the results showed that intervention improved skin appearance markers across ages in the group of 60 healthy women between the ages of 35 and 60, participants over the age of 55 showed significant improvements at earlier time points compared to younger participants.
The researchers highlighted the findings as novel for orally administered hyaluronic acid, as previous evidence focused mainly on injected treatments.
“[Dermial’s] unique ability to increase skin brightness/glow is significant, as skin brightness is a key indicator of healthy and youthful skin,” they wrote. “No previous clinical trials have evaluated the impact of oral HA on this skin property, but previously it has been observed that mesotherapy with HA can improve skin brightness.”
Hawthorn fruit may have anti-aging skincare potential
Researchers at Kookmin University in Korea investigated the anti-aging potential of hawthorn fruit on skin, focusing on telomere length and facial skin phenotypes.
Over six months, 36 adults received either 900 mg of powdered hawthorn berry or a placebo.
They found improved skin hydration in those with specific genotypes, though telomere length remained unchanged between groups, possibly due to study limitations.
The study emphasizes the need for more research on genotype-specific effects of hawthorn in skincare.
What do an Amazonian people reveal about skin health in industrialized societies?
The skin microbiomes of the Yanomami, a remote indigenous group in the Amazon, show that diverse, environmentally enriched microbiota may provide benefits that are overlooked in current models of “healthy” skin.
Data published in Nature Communications revealed a complex microbial ecosystem consisting of 115 previously unreported bacterial genomes exists among the Yanomami, one of the last remaining swidden (rotational farming) horticulturalist and hunter-gatherer communities minimally exposed to industrialization. They live in regions of Venezuela and Brazil.
“The fact that we identified these pristine microbiomes [among the Yanomami] to be so diverse wasn’t that surprising,” Dr. Juliana Durack, PhD, co-founder and executive director of the Holobiont Medical Research Foundation, told NutraIngredients.
“But what was, I think, the most surprising thing for me was to see the expeditioner gain microbial diversity when he was submerged into their lifestyle and really embracing the Yanomami lifestyle. We saw an increase in skin microbial diversity, and then upon return to industrialization, it plummeted.”
Two supplements may ease acne by balancing hormones and the skin-gut axis
Researchers from Codex Labs and collaborating institutes conducted an eight-week study, published in Dermatology and Therapy, on the effects of two supplements targeting acne through the skin-gut axis and hormones.
The study involved 36 participants with non-cystic acne and revealed that both synbiotic and myoinositol-based supplements significantly reduced acne lesions and harmful gut bacteria, while increasing beneficial bacteria and short chain fatty acids.
Additionally, the myoinositol supplement notably decreased androgen hormones linked to acne in PCOS patients.
“We’re learning more that there might be gut dysbiosis at play with some acne patients and some hormone imbalances,” Dr. Jessica Maloh, ND, study author and advisor to Codex Labs, told NutraIngredients.
“What was super exciting with the study is to have two supplements that have a multifaceted approach, in other words, that are targeting different components of what might be contributing to acne and to then put them through this clinical trial and see significant reductions in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions.”
French maritime pine bark extract may reduce cellulite
A study published in Phytomedicines Plus found that French maritime pine bark extract, known as Pycnogenol, significantly reduced cellulite and upper thigh circumference in Han Chinese women over a 12-week period.
Participants taking the extract showed a 13.6% improvement in cellulite severity and a 2.07 cm reduction in thigh circumference. The extract also improved skin smoothness and roughness, suggesting potential benefits for tissue structure and microcirculation.
Horphag Research, the supplier of Pycnogenol, funded the study.
Salmon nose cartilage for younger skin?
Researchers from Shanghai Huiwen Biotech Co. evaluated the anti-aging effects of salmon nasal cartilage-derived proteoglycans in a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
“Both [exogenous and endogenous] aging commonly damage the extracellular matrix in the dermis, particularly collagen, leading to visible skin changes such as pigmentation, thinning of the skin barrier, accelerated formation of wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity,” they wrote. “As a result, the search for functional foods that can delay skin aging has become an increasingly popular topic among consumers.”
Conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 66 participants, the study revealed significant improvements in skin elasticity, hydration, roughness and pigmentation after 56 days of daily 20 mg supplementation.
The proteoglycans, derived using a water-based enzymatic extraction process, showed no adverse effects and were well tolerated.
The study suggests further research to confirm these findings across diverse populations and explore underlying mechanisms.
Red orange and tropical fern offer photoprotection
A combination supplement containing red orange extract and Polypodium leucotomos (a tropical fern from Central America) may protect the skin from UV-induced redness and boost overall tolerance to sun exposure.
Writing in the journal Nutrients, a team of university researchers explored the efficacy of eight weeks of supplementation with a Lumina365-branded supplement developed by Slovenia-based Tosla Nutricosmetics.
“The most exciting finding was the significant decrease in redness development, demonstrated through objective, measurable results,” said Uroš Gotar, chief innovation officer at Tosla. “A reduction of 46.2% was observed 24 hours after UVB exposure, indicating that Lumina365 enhances the skin’s resilience against sun-induced redness, reducing inflammatory response from the outset.”
The research was funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency and Tosla.
Microencapsulated curcumin shows skin health potential
Six weeks of daily supplementation with Lubrizol’s Curcushine-branded microencapsulated curcumin extract was associated with reductions in wrinkle depth and fewer signs of aging and skin oxidation, according to data published in Agro FOOD Industry Hi Tech.
“The study shows a significant decrease in wrinkle area, reduction of redness and brown spots and a clear trend towards improved skin luminosity, homogeneity and reduced oxidative stress,” wrote scientists from Lubrizol Nutraceuticals and Lipotec S.A.U. in Spain. “This positions [Curcushine] as an efficient nutricosmetic ingredient capable of improving skin appearance and mitigating signs of aging.
They suggested that the observed benefits are likely due to the reduction of reactive oxygen species and modulation of collagen synthesis.
L’Oréal’s rosemary-based blend improves post-menopausal skin appearance
A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology examined the effects of CORExtract from L’Oréal, a blend of rosemary extract, biotin, and zinc, on skin quality in postmenopausal women.
The results showed that the supplement improved dullness, roughness, erythema, and pore size compared to a placebo, although no significant difference was observed for uneven pigmentation.
The researchers, employed by L’Oréal and its subsidiary company, skinbetter science, Inc., concluded that CORExtract may inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and break down existing AGE cross-links, thereby improving skin quality by reducing stiffness and damage caused by glycated proteins.
