Effect of Long-term Ingestion of Porcine Elastin Peptide on Human Skin Elasticity

The effect of oral administration of elastin peptide (hydrolysate of elastin from porcine aorta) on human skin elasticity was studied. First, five healthy volunteers were administered elastin peptide after fasting for 12 h. A significant increase in total amino acid concentration in blood was observed. The composition of increased amino acids in blood was similar to the amino acid composition of the elastin peptide. In addition, the concentrations of peptide forms of hydroxyproline and arginine significantly increased in blood. These results suggest that a portion of the administered elastin peptide migrates into blood in peptide form. Second, thirty-nine middle-aged volunteers were divided into three groups and administered 0,100, or 200 mg/day of elastin peptide for 8 weeks. Significant increases in skin elasticity were observed in the 100- and 200-mg groups after 8 weeks. Increase in skin elasticity of the 200-mg group was significantly higher than that in the 0-mg group. These results suggest that ingestion of elastin peptide increases skin elasticity. (Received Oct. 29,2010; Accepted Jan. 5,2011)