Astaxanthin and collagen for cellulite and skin laxity: how they work together

How hydrolysed collagen and astaxanthin combined can improve skin elasticity and cellulite

• Hydrolysed collagen for cellulite: does it work?

• Astaxanthin and collagen to the rescue of aged skin and cellulite

• How astaxanthin and collagen work for skin firming

• Collagen peptide powder + astaxanthin capsules

• Collagen, hyaluronic acid, polyphenols and carotenoids for firm, cellulite-free skin

• Supplementing with dietary astaxanthin combined with collagen hydrolysate improves facial elasticity and decreases matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -12 expression: a comparative study with placebo

• Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment in London, at LipoTherapeia®

• Check our professional consultancy in radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening

Hydrolysed collagen for cellulite: does it work?

It is now extensively proven that hydrolysed collagen (collagen peptides) enhances skin firmness, as it provides peptides which are ready for use by skin cells in the production of collagen.

It is also now well-known that collagen peptides, stimulate collagen synthesis in the body.

As skin laxity is one of the most important aspects of cellulite, the firming effect of collagen peptides on their own will help prevent/reduce cellulite, within a few months (don’t expect results in two weeks, of course).

Astaxanthin and collagen to the rescue of aged skin and cellulite

On the other hand, it is also well-known that most "antioxidants" (polyphenols and carotenoids) assist in the prevention of collagen and elastin damage and boost their synthesis.

Polyphenols and carotenoids play an important complementary role to hydrolysed collagen (collagen peptides) in the fight against cellulite and skin looseness.

Therefore, it is no surprise that a nutritional supplement that contains hydrolysed collagen and the carotenoid astaxanthin (a carotenoid contained in prawns and salmon and the pigment that gives flamingos their pink colour) can help with skin firmness and anti-ageing.

Specifically, researchers in Korea have found that the combination of the two nutrients improves skin hydration and skin elasticity in sun-damaged skin, after 12 weeks of use.

How astaxanthin and collagen work for skin firming

At tissue level, the researchers have found that:

• The precursor of collagen "pro-collagen type 1" increased with supplementation of astaxanthin and collagen

• Enzymes that break down collagen (the metalloproteinases MMP-1 and MMP-12) decreased with supplementation

• Unfortunately, the supplement did not make any difference with regard to UV-induced DNA damage

Given the effect on both collagen and elastin, the specific combination of astaxanthin and collagen (and other similar combinations) should also be useful for cellulite prevention, in addition to skin tightening.

Collagen peptide powder + astaxanthin capsules

Of course, you do not need to buy a specific supplement containing both products.

A collagen peptide powder to add to your shake plus astaxanthin capsules can achieve the exact same objective.

And the same applies to other polyphenols and carotenoids. Combining collagen peptides with any concentrated polyphenol / carotenoid, e.g.:

• quercetin from citrus fruits

• EGCG from green tea

• resveratrol from berries

• asiatic acid from centella asiatica / gotu kola

• chlorogenic acid from green coffee

• curcumin from turmeric

…etc, should have the same or even more pronounced effect.

Collagen, hyaluronic acid, polyphenols and carotenoids for firm, cellulite-free skin

As a take home message, derived from this and other studies, the supplementation of collagen, hyaluronic acid and polyphenols/carotenoids from vegetables, herbs and fruits (anything from tomatoes to blueberries) is ideal to prevent ageing and maintain skin firmness and elasticity.

Skincare creams rich in the same nutrients (collagen-boosting peptides, polyphenols and carotenoids) can also provide topical skin protection externally, for face and body, in addition to the internal protection from food and nutritional supplements.

Astaxanthin itself is way too red to be used for topical skincare but other polyphenols such as curcumin and EGCG from green tea are ideal.

Hydrolysed collagen on the other hand is not well absorbed by the skin but collagen-boosting peptides and aminoacids (such as hydroxyproline) are absorbed well and do a very good job in boosting skin firmness and helping prevent / reduce cellulite.

Supplementing with dietary astaxanthin combined with collagen hydrolysate improves facial elasticity and decreases matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -12 expression: a comparative study with placebo

• Research paper link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24955642

• Abstract: Photoaging accounts for most age-related changes in skin appearance. It has been suggested that both astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant, and collagen hydrolysate can be used as antiaging modalities in photoaged skin. However, there is no clinical study using astaxanthin combined with collagen hydrolysate. We investigated the effects of using a combination of dietary astaxanthin and collagen hydrolysate supplementation on moderately photoaged skin in humans. A total of 44 healthy subjects were recruited and treated with astaxanthin (2 mg/day) combined with collagen hydrolysate (3 g/day) or placebos, which were identical in appearance and taste to the active supplementation for 12 weeks. The elasticity and hydration properties of facial skin were evaluated using noninvasive objective devices. In addition, we also evaluated the expression of procollagen type I, fibrillin-1, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and -12, and ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA damage in artificially UV-irradiated buttock skin before and after treatment. The supplement group showed significant improvements in skin elasticity and transepidermal water loss in photoaged facial skin after 12 weeks compared with the placebo group. In the supplement group, expression of procollagen type I mRNA increased and expression of MMP-1 and -12 mRNA decreased compared with those in the placebo group. In contrast, there was no significant difference in UV-induced DNA damage between groups. These results demonstrate that dietary astaxanthin combined with collagen hydrolysate can improve elasticity and barrier integrity in photoaged human facial skin, and such treatment is well tolerated.

Check our professional consultancy in radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening

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