Dermial has been designed to improve the effects of standard HA, Daniel Martínez-Puig, head of R&D human and animal health told NutraIngredients, and the new research has shown visible improvements to aging skin.
The first human clinical trial to be conducted with the ingredient investigated the effect of either 60 mg/day Dermial or placebo in 60 women between the ages of 35 and 65 over 12 weeks.
The results, yet to be published, suggested supplementation improved skin hydration and reduced wrinkles.
Healthy aging skin
Hyaluronic acid is gaining increasing consumer and industry attention; according to FMCG Gurus Healthy 2022 aging skin report, 34% of consumers associate the ingredient with skin health, and the hyaluronic acid personal care product market is forecasted to grow by 8% between 2023 and 2033, according to Future Market Insights data.
The naturally occurring polysaccharide is present in the dermis and epidermis of the skin where its main function is to bind water to collagen, trapping water and maintaining skin hydration.
Levels of hyaluronic acid decrease with age, which can lead to loss of elasticity, increased dryness and fragility. This infers the need for supplementation, Martínez-Puig noted, explaining that hyaluronic acid supplements are absorbed in the intestines and accumulate in the connective tissue, including in the skin.
Dermial contains a high concentration of HA (60-75%), plus other constituents such as sulfated glycosaminoglycans and collagen, designed to work in synergy and offer improved results to standard HA supplementation. Previous research indicates that Dermial could improve type I collagen by 48% in comparison to fermentation-origin HA.
As Martínez-Puig explained, the ingredient is positioned to appeal to consumers interested in the growing category of ‘agelessness’.
“The results we’ve seen align with this anti-aging trend, as with the aging process, what you see is more wrinkles, less hydrated skin, and more dryness,” he said. “Yet our results show a true rebalancing in the aging process.”
Dermial results
Martínez-Puig previewed the results of the latest study, noting that daily Dermal supplementation increased skin brightness by 20% at six weeks and by 34% at 12 weeks.
Statistically significant differences were also observed in wrinkle reduction between Dermial and the placebo group after six weeks. Additionally, hydration of the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis), dryness, skin temperature and erythema index (redness of skin) were significantly improved in the Dermial group versus baseline at six weeks.
As Martínez-Puig noted, participant perception was also improved, as consumer satisfaction was significantly higher in supplemented women (69%) in comparison to the placebo group (42%).
Previous in vitro research found that in comparison to standard HA, Dermial improved the synthesis of type I collagen, supported the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) cells at a significantly higher rate and increased the migration of HEK cells.
"From this research, we knew that Dermial could offer regenerative activity to the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin and support the maintenance and functionality of the dermis better than standard HA," Martínez-Puig said.
“Now with this human clinical trial, we have proof of the superior effect in terms of collagen I production.”
Journal: Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2024. (In press).
Authors: Galvez-Martin, P et al.