Oral intake of lingonberry and amla fruit extract improves skin conditions in healthy female subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

• Published in: Biotechnology and applied biochemistry Vol. 66; no. 5; p. 870
• Main Authors: Uchiyama, Taro, Tsunenaga, Makoto, Miyanaga, Miho, Ueda, Osamu, Ogo, Masashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Double-Blind Method; Eating; Female; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - pathology; Fruit - chemistry; Humans; Middle Aged; Phyllanthus emblica - chemistry; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Skin - drug effects; Skin - pathology; Skin Aging - drug effects; Vaccinium vitis-idaea - chemistry; skin elasticity; lingonberry and amla fruit extract; randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study; skin tear; skin thickness
• ISSN: 1470-8744
• DOI: 10.1002/bab.1800

In this study, we examined the effect of ingestion of lingonberry and amla fruit extract (LAE) on several human skin conditions. To conduct a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, we randomly divided 99 healthy female subjects into three groups; the first group received a drink containing 25 mg of lingonberry extract and 30 mg of amla fruit extract; the second group received a drink containing double the volume of extracts received by the first group; and the third group received a placebo drink. Each participant drank 50 mL of their assigned drink once daily for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was skin elasticity, and the secondary endpoints included skin thickness, stratum corneum water content, and degree of wrinkles around the eyes. After 12 weeks of LAE drink intake, skin elasticity showed significant, dose-dependent improvements (P < 0.01). Skin thickness, stratum corneum water content, and the degree of wrinkles also significantly improved (P < 0.001) in a dose-dependent manner. The improvements in skin elasticity and thickness, as well as in the stratum corneum water content and the degree of wrinkles, observed upon oral intake of LAE indicate that LAE may be considered a candidate anti-aging agent for preventing skin weakening.