A comparative study of the impact of two bioactive collagen peptides on skin properties and clinical signs of aging

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Oral collagen peptides are widely used nutritional supplements for skin health; however, comparative data evaluating different active ingredients and their onset of action remain limited. This translational study compared the biological and clinical efficacy of avvera™ oral collagen peptides versus a well-established active control on skin hydration, barrier function, and wrinkle appearance. Methods: In vitro, human dermal fibroblasts were treated for 72 h with avvera™ or the active control (0.01–0.1% w/v). Secreted pro-collagen I was quantified by ELISA. In vivo, a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, 8-week supplementation study was conducted in 67 healthy women (aged 38–66 years) receiving 2.5 g/day of either avvera™ or the active control. Skin hydration (Corneometer), transepidermal water loss (TEWL; Tewameter), and crow’s-feet wrinkle parameters (VISIA-CR 3D imaging) were assessed at baseline, day 28, and day 56. Results: Both peptide preparations increased pro-collagen I secretion in vitro, with numerically greater increases observed for avvera™. In vivo, both groups showed improvements from baseline in skin hydration at day 28 (29.2% (avvera™) vs 26.7% (active control)) and day 56 (43.5% (avvera™) vs 42.9% (active control)). TEWL decreased over time, with comparable reductions at day 56 for both treatments. Wrinkle area and length were reduced in both groups, with significantly greater reductions for avvera™ at day 28. Conclusions: Oral collagen peptide supplementation was associated with improvements from baseline in skin hydration, barrier-related parameters, and wrinkle appearance. While overall efficacy at 8 weeks was comparable, avvera™ demonstrated an earlier improvement in selected wrinkle parameters under the study conditions.