Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

Abstract

A Nutritional Supplement Formulated with Peptides, Lipids, Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid Optimizes Key Aspects of Physical Appearance in Nails, Hair and Skin

Michelle R. Yagoda MD and Eugene H Gans PhD

Symptoms of dryness in the skin, hair and nails increase with age, and with certain medical, environmental and physiologic conditions—affecting a significant portion of the population. Topical therapies can be limited by the skin’s inherent barrier function, and simply ingesting a balanced and varied diet may not be enough to prevent nutritional deficiencies. The authors describe two double-blinded, placebo vs. control clinical studies, including one 60-week cross-over study, on the effect of a nutritional supplement formulation on hair, skin, and nails. The supplement formulation, that contained peptides, lipids, hyaluronic acid, and collagen as its active ingredients, was given to participants in 20- gram oral doses once daily, and the results show the magnitude of its effectiveness. The data showed statistically significant improvement in nail cracking, nail brittleness, hair dullness, hair dryness, and nail softness after 8 weeks. There was a significant decrease in skin dryness over the same period. The crossover study showed that those receiving the supplement had statistically significant benefits for as long as 52 weeks, then when the cross-over was performed and the supplement was withdrawn, there was a significant decline in benefits. Of those subjects with more severe symptoms at the outset, 95% saw significant improvement in hair dryness and dullness, 85% in nail splitting and peeling, and 65% in nail hardness. The authors conclude that this nutritional supplementation should be considered as an important, effective and perhaps necessary component of complete hair, nail and skin care regimens.