Salmon Extract May Help Improve Skin Moisture

Salmon is a nutritious food and rich in many important nutrients like protein and omega-3 fatty acids. A new study found that taking a special extract from salmon cartilage as a supplement may help improve skin hydration.

Participants in the study included 56 healthy male and female adults (aged 20 to 58 years old) experiencing dry skin due to prolonged exposure to office air conditioning. They received 5 mg of the salmon extract or a placebo daily for 6 weeks.

The researchers evaluated skin moisture content and water loss in the cheek, neck, and legs at baseline and at the end of the study.  Water loss is a key contributor to dry skin and can be measured by assessing transepidermal water loss (TEWL), which looks at how much water passes through the outer layers of the skin and evaporates.

In general, the researchers found that participants over age 40 seemed to benefit the most from the salmon extract, with skin moisture in their cheeks increasing significantly.  Many in this age group also experienced less water loss or TEWL, in the legs. Also noteworthy is females taking the salmon extract experienced reduced TEWL in the legs, regardless of their age.

The salmon extract used in this study was isolated from nasal cartilage of the salmon fish. Proteins from cartilage called proteoglycans were extracted from the salmon cartilage to make the final supplement powder.

The study was conducted by researchers from Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine. It was published in Volume 49, Issue 3 of Japanese Pharmacology & Therapeutics.