Research
In a group of 20 subjects (9 males, 11 females) divided into a team drinking enteric tables containing lactoferrin and a team drinking tables not containing lactoferrin, a trial test was conducted measuring the effects on the skin in faces and hands during 3 months. After 2 months, the moisture levels, the texture and smoothness of the skin increased, improving the natural barrier of the skin and wrinkles becoming more shallow. Not only that, it was confirmed by interview questionnaire that there was also a positive effect on physical conditions such as fatigability and sleep.
Comparing with values obtained before the consumption of the test tablets, and up to 3 months of computation, the tables show the difference with a mean value ± standard error in the groups ingesting tablets containing lactoferrin (●) and without lactoferrin (○).
The mean value of the 2 groups was compared by T-test, with a **p<0.01 judged as a significant difference.
0.05 < P < 0.1 was selected as the p value to show.
※Presented at the 4th academic meeting of Japan Lactoferrin Society
In order to keep a youthful skin without wrinkles, the work of "fibroblasts" that produce components for a beautiful skin such as hyaluronic acid are essential.
However, when those "fibroblasts" are damaged due to corruption or ultraviolet rays, collagen and elastin are denatured and lose their resilience, hyaluronic acids are lost, moisture content decreases and wrinkles and sagging appears.
When lactoferrin is applied to the skin, it stimulates the "fibroblats" dormant inside the skin, improving the firmness and elasticity of the skin, helping the disappearance of any wrinkles present.
Eleven women in their 40s and 50s used a comestic gel containing 0.5% lactoferrin in the morning and evening for one month. Their skin moisture content improved and wrinkles dissapeared by an average of 40%.
This demonstrates the effectiveness of a lactoferrin-containing gel as an anti-aging skin care.
図 Fig. 1 Skin condition change before and after application (n=11, *p<0.05, ***p<0.001)
with a mean value of 11 people on the amount of moisture evaporation, stratum hydration and wrinkle depth ± standard error.
The mean value of the 2 groups was compared with the t-test, showing a significant difference when judged.
Lactoferrin helps the work of true fibroblasts. True fibroblasts are cells that create collage, hyaluronic acid and elastin, which are important for keeping the skin's elasticity. Due to aging, productivity of fibroblasts is reduced, causing wrinkles and sagging.
Our studies lead to the conclusion that fibroblasts absorb the lactoferrin, promoting gene expression, and activating the cells.
When lactoferrin is applied to melanin-producing cells, it supresses melanin production, exceeding the beauty effect of vitamin C.
Among the melanocytes, there is a factor called MITF that controls the generation of melanin. As this factor increases,so does the production of melanin. Since lactoferrin prevents the generation of this factor, the production amount of melanin also decreases.
Also, lactoferrin at 0.5% concentration showed melanogenesis inhibitory effects as high as 2% in effective concentration of tranexamic acid, which is famous as a beauty component (experiment using three-dimensional culture skin as close as possible to human skin).
It can be said without a doubt that cosmetics containing lactoferrin proved to have an anti-aging efect comparable to skin-beautification cosmetics.
Lactoferrin does indeed help reduce melanin production factors, but this effect is not only reduces to the creation of new factors, but also promotes the descomposition of already existing melaninogenic ones.
We clarified this mechanism and presented it in our follow-up report on skin beauty research in 2014.