New RCT demonstrates caviar extracts’ positive impact on skin ageing

11-Jan-2024 - Last updated on 11-Jan-2024 at 02:05 GMT

Caviar extract demonstrates significant efficacy in combating skin ageing and could be a promising food ingredient for enhancing overall skin health © Getty Images

Caviar extract demonstrates significant efficacy in combating skin ageing, including improvements in skin hydration, whitening, and wrinkle reduction, and could serve as a promising food ingredient for enhancing overall skin health.

This is according to a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial that was conducted to evaluate the safety and anti-aging efficacy of caviar extract on the skin.

45 adults, aged 30 to 65, with wrinkles and dry skin, were enrolled and assigned to caviar, combination, or placebo groups for an eight-week assessment period.

The caviar group aimed to gauge the effects of caviar extract alone, while the combination group represented a finished product incorporating well-known ingredients recognised for positively impacting skin elasticity, hydration, and wrinkle improvement—such as fish collagen, hyaluronic acid, and ascorbic acid.

Skin hydration, elasticity, melanin content, wrinkles, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured at weeks 0, 4, and 8 to assess the outcomes of the trial.

Impacts of caviar extract on skin

Both the caviar and combination groups exhibited a significant increase in skin hydration, dermal hydration, and TEWL levels compared to the placebo group. Notably, the caviar group demonstrated more than three times the improvement in dermis and endothelium hydration compared to the placebo group.

By week 8, the skin hydration of participants changed from 43.091 ± 5.209 A.U. to 45.980 ± 5.008 A.U. in the caviar group, from 46.398 ± 1.484 A.U. to 47.438 ± 1.433 A.U. in the combination group, and from 44.940 ± 2.631 A.U. to 45.513 ± 2.514 A.U. in the placebo group.

Dermal hydration after eight weeks changed from 52.156 ± 4.580 A.U. to 53.844 ± 4.538 A.U. in the caviar group, from 52.156 ± 4.580 A.U. to 53.844 ± 4.538 A.U. in the combination group, and from 51.069 ± 3.105 A.U. to 51.860 ± 3.189 A.U. in the placebo group.

TEWL in the combination group decreased from 17.356 ± 5.653 to 16.416 ± 5.390, the caviar group decreased from 16.551 ± 4.834 to 14.096 ± 4.489, and the placebo group decreased from 16.289 ± 3.917 to 15.827 ± 4.040. TEWL significantly improved in both treatment groups after eight weeks.

Moreover, caviar extract administration also significantly improved skin wrinkles (Ra, Rmax, Rz) and elasticity (R2, R5, R7) compared to the placebo group.

After eight weeks of sample intake, the Ra value (average roughness) in the combination group decreased from 21.093 ± 2.620 μm to 19.869 ± 2.851 μm, that of the caviar group decreased from 23.347 ± 5.647 μm to 22.007 ± 4.823 μm, and that of the placebo group decreased from 18.862 ± 3.360 μm to 19.005 ± 2.934 μm.

The R2 (total elasticity) value in the placebo group decreased from 0.668 ± 0.080 to 0.655 ± 0.076, the combination group increased from 0.637 ± 0.056 to 0.676 ± 0.058, and the caviar group increased from 0.667 ± 0.070 to 0.726 ± 0.069.

Researchers attribute the observed improvement in skin wrinkles and elasticity with caviar extract to increased collagen synthesis and decreased collagen degradation.

Regarding the whitening effect, caviar extract administration significantly reduced melanin levels in both the caviar and combination groups. The melanin index of the combination group decreased from 80.222 ± 16.655 M.I. to 74.756 ± 15.580 M.I., that of the caviar group decreased from 107.711 ± 50.620 M.I. to 96.978 ± 49.545 M.I., and that of the control group changed from 86.378 ± 35.379 to 86.444 ± 34.876 M.I.

This underscores the effectiveness of caviar extract in increasing elasticity and reducing melanin levels.

Potentials of caviar extract

Caviar finds widespread use in cosmetics for skin enhancement, with reported benefits in addressing photoaged skin, promoting wound healing, eliciting anti-inflammatory responses, and boosting collagen synthesis.

Recent in vitro research underscores the role of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in caviar extracts, showing its ability to enhance adiponectin production, thus contributing to wound healing, anti-inflammatory effects, and collagen synthesis in the skin.

Another study reveals that enzyme-treated supercritical caviar extract effectively counteracts skin photoaging, improving skin wrinkles and whitening through diverse mechanisms, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways and collagen synthesis.

Despite these promising findings, the clinical efficacy of caviar extract as a nutraceutical remains unproven. Nevertheless, researchers in the current randomised, controlled trial express optimism about the potential of caviar extract for enhancing skin conditions, citing its observed efficacy and apparent safety profile.

“Over an 8-week period, CV administration resulted in a significant improvement in skin parameters… Notably, there were no clinically significant adverse reactions or noteworthy findings in the safety evaluation factors observed.” Researchers wrote.

“As a result, CV improves factors such as skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkles due to high free amino acids and low molecular weight peptides. This study demonstrates caviar’s potential as a functional food for skin anti-aging.”

Source: Nutrients

Skin Anti-Aging Efficacy of Enzyme-Treated Supercritical Caviar Extract: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/1/137

Authors: Gwi Hwan Na et al.