Today´s consumers are taking preventative, holistic and environmentally conscious approaches towards their lifestyle and skin health. Nutrition and its reflection on the skin have always been an interesting topic for scientists and physicians throughout the centuries worldwide and nowadays individuals have also come to understand that nutrition plays a large role in the maintenance of healthy skin. This has resulted in “ingestible beauty” having a great moment today as several major players in the beauty and personal care industry are launching ingestible beauty solutions at an unprecedented rate to meet the demand from consumers. Goldstein Research predicts that the market for beauty supplements will generate nearly $7 billion by the end of 2024.
Among the different ingredients that have demonstrated efficacy in supporting skin beauty, collagen is one of the most popular ingredients. Collagen has entered the “beauty from within” supplement formulation space with force and the number of products making beauty claims that contain collagen, from functional drinks to dietary supplements, has risen significantly in the last five years. This is because more and more people around the world know about collagen beauty benefits and the importance of this protein when it comes to slowing down the aging process.
It is proven that signs of aging are associated with degradation or reduced synthesis of dermal structural proteins such as collagen and elastin, and upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), neutrophil elastase and other proteases. These actions can be triggered directly by UV radiation, or mediated by reactive oxygen species and inflammatory mediators that are already present in the skin or triggered by extrinsic factors. In this sense, stimulation of collagen production and/or inhibition of collagen degradation directly or by creating the optimal microenvironment so that collagen can last longer is of vital importance.
In this vein, Nutroxsun ®, a clinically proven antiaging natural ingredient comprised of rosemary and grapefruit extracts, is a perfect companion for collagen. Rosemary and grapefruit contain unique phenolic compounds that work systematically to scavenge free radicals generated by UVR, and those that can result in inflammation, matrix protein degradation and DNA damage.
Nutroxsun can work complementary and synergistically by:
1. Protecting collagen and other skin matrix proteins from degradation by inhibiting different Metalloproteinases (MMPs)
MMPs are a family of proteins involved in protein degradation. MMP enzymes vary in their preferred targets, i.e. each tends to primarily digest particular types of proteins. Therefore, the MMP enzymes that target key structural skin matrix proteins (collagen type I and III, elastin, and, to a smaller degree, collagen types V, VI and XII) are particularly important for skin health and rejuvenation.
Nutroxsun has been proven to inhibit in a dose-dependent manner different skin Metalloproteinases with a significant impact on skin matrix: MMP-1, 2, 3, 8 and 12.
For example, MMP-1 Collagenases are enzymes that breakdown the peptide bonds in collagen type I, II, III, VII and X. The breakdown of peptide bonds leads to the loss of skin elasticity. Thus, modulating levels of MMP-1 is important for boosting natural collagen.
Furthermore, the most profound effect of Nutroxsun was shown in MMP-12, also known as elastase, an enzyme responsible to breakdown elastin. Elastin is critical for the elasticity and resilience of our skin tissues.
These MMP enzymes protect against excessive degradation of extracellular matrix components that are responsible for the skin’s mechanical properties.
2. Supporting the production of collagen and its lower degradation thanks to the creation of a favorable environment.
Oxidative stress in the skin plays a major role in the aging process. ROS-mediated oxidative stress damages the collagen-rich extracellular matrix (ECM), the hallmark of skin connective tissue aging, not only by stimulating the collagen breakdown but also by inhibiting the production of collagen production.
Furthermore, ROS induces multiple age-related pro-inflammatory cytokines, which create an inflammatory dermal microenvironment (inflammaging) that ultimately exhausts the skin’s defense system. This weakens the skin structure, resulting in the degradation of collagen and elastin and impairs the skin’s barrier function.
In this sense, Nutroxsun contains water-soluble antioxidants that quench and scavenge the first stage intracellular free radicals generated by solar radiation or other stressors, thereby preventing oxidative damage of lipids, proteins, and DNA. It also contains lipid-soluble antioxidants that block the generation of lipoperoxy radicals due to cell membranes degradation and resulting in inflammation.
All this together with the proven anti-inflammatory activity of Nutroxsun favor that collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins remain intact for a longer time.
3. Providing a better skin look after only 15 days
In a double-blind placebo clinical trial on 90 subjects, a daily low dose of Nutroxsun (100 mg) showed statistically significant improvements in the skin appearance. After only two weeks, wrinkle depth of the crow’s feet was reduced by 9%, reaching 15% of reduction after two months of product consumption. In the case of skin elasticity, after just two weeks, skin elasticity in the Nutroxsun group increased by 3%, and 9% after 2 months.
Furthermore, this research shows that Nutroxsun delivers protection and skin improvements at a level that consumers can see for themselves, which is a crucial factor for promoting ongoing consumption and the commercial success of products with a beauty-from-within positioning. For instance, after one month 80% of consumers reported to feel their skin more moisturized and 77% found that the appearance of their skin had improved. After two months, 60% stated that their wrinkles reduced, 73% had firmer skin, and 77% had a more uniform skin tone.
4. Protecting and reducing the UVR skin damage
UVR is the primary extrinsic factor affecting skin physiology, with both UVB and UVA radiation contributing to extrinsic skin aging. UVR cause both acute stress responses (such as upregulation of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes, proinflammatory mediators, ROS etc.) and chronic damage responses, which are caused by the accumulation of macromolecular damage in non-proliferating skin cells (such as DNA damage, oxidized proteins and membrane lipids, etc.) that drive the skin aging process.
Clinical trials demonstrate that Nutroxsun helps reduce skin oxidation, inflammation and gradually builds skin tolerance. Thus, the proven benefits of Nutroxsun to protect and reduce sun exposure damage is another reason to use this ingredient together with collagen.
To all this we must add that:
- Nutroxsun is 100% natural. Its composition is based on Rosemary and Grapefruit extract collected from the Spanish Mediterranean Levante region. Natural ingredients are something that consumers easily understand, and post-pandemic has led to a new mindset with a focus on sustainably sourced ingredients.
- In the last few years, there was an increased demand for plant-based solutions supported by rigorous clinical validation. The beneficial effects of Nutroxsun are scientifically supported by both preclinical and in 4 human studies performed by different Universities and Clinical Research Organizations. The main studies performed are published in 2 peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- It is convenient and easy to use and a daily dose of 100 mg is enough to get all the benefits. Most collagen ingredients require a large size serving; thus, the low dose of NutroxSun makes it ideal for sharing space in a formula.
- The quality of the science supporting Nutroxsun® is recognized by Health Canada with three exclusive health claims (NPN 80069758) and by Korean KFDA with one health claim for sun protection.
- Nutroxsun has been recognized in the industry. (2nd Place at NIE Awards 2020 in Healthy Aging Category)
▶︎ Download the brochure here: NUTROXSUN®
Refereneces
- V. Nobile et al. ‘Skin photoprotective and antiageing effects of a combination of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and grapefruit (Citrus paradisii) polyphenols’ Food & Nutrition Research 2016, 60: 31871.
- Perez-Sanchez et al. ‘Protective effects of citrus and rosemary extracts on UV-induced damage in skin cell model and human volunteers’ The Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, April 2014.
