Oral Supplementation with Hydrolyzed Fish Cartilage Improves the Morphological and Structural Characteristics of the Skin: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study

Collagen and its peptides are natural ingredients used in food supplements and nutricosmetics with the claim of providing benefits for skin health and beauty. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of oral supplementation with hydrolyzed fish cartilage for the improvement of chronological and photoaging-induced skin changes. A total of 46 healthy females aged 45 to 59 years were enrolled and divided into two groups: G1—placebo and G2—oral treatment with hydrolyzed fish cartilage. Measurements of skin wrinkles, dermis echogenicity and thickness, and morphological and structural characteristics of the skin were performed in the nasolabial region of the face before and after a 90-day period of treatment using high-resolution imaging, ultrasound, and reflectance confocal microscopy image analyses. A significant reduction in wrinkles and an increase of dermis echogenicity were observed after a 90-day period of treatment with hydrolyzed fish cartilage compared to the placebo and baseline values. In addition, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) image analysis showed improved collagen morphology and reduced elastosis after treatment with hydrolyzed fish cartilage. The present study showed the clinical benefits for the skin obtained with oral supplementation with a low dose of collagen peptides from hydrolyzed fish cartilage.