Data published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition indicated that five grams per day of Sunfiber for 12 weeks also reduced trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), a measure of water loss from the skin’s surface.
“These findings, we believe attest to the efficacy of PHGG [partially hydrolyzed guar gum] as [a] cosmeceutical,” wrote scientists from Taiyo Kagaku Co. Ltd.
“PHGG dietary fiber provides consumers with an entirely safe and effecting approach to counteracting skin-related conditions in cold weather during the winter season,” they added.
Sunfiber
Taiyo has been developing its partially hydrolyzed guar gum prebiotic fiber ingredient for many years. The company has a particularly comprehensive suite of scientific studies backing the ingredient, including recent studies that show the ingredient’s ability to support regular bowel habits as well as its positive effect on appetite control.
This solid underpinning of peer-reviewed science is a major reason why partially hydrolyzed guar gum made the first list of approved soluble fiber ingredients that met U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s criteria for substances that matched the definition of a dietary fiber claim when the agency chose to review this category of ingredients in 2016.
The new study supports the fiber’s potential to improve skin health, particularly during the winter when decreases in humidity and temperature reduce moisture levels in the skin and result in red, dry and cracked skin.
Study details
The new randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study was performed between January and April 2023 in Tokyo. The study included 70 people (61 women) with an average age of 45.5. The participants were divided into two groups and randomly assigned to received either five grams per day of Sunfiber or five grams of placebo for 12 weeks.
Results showed that, even after six weeks, skin health measures were improved in the Sunfiber group, compared to baseline measures. For example, skin moisture measures in the cheek, upper arm and upper back had increased by 7.1%, 7.6% and 4.6%, respectively. In addition, TEWL decreased in those same regions by 11.8%, 13.2% and 17.2%, respectively.
No adverse events were reported during the study, the researchers noted.
“A fiber-rich diet has been correlated with enhanced skin texture, smoothness and skin moisture,” they wrote. “This can help offset the dullness and roughness that are often experienced in the winter season.
“PHGG improves skin health by delivering vital nutrients that maintain skin cell structure, regulating skin moisture levels and minimizing adverse events association with skin inflammation. These mechanisms work together to improve skin SCH [stratum corneum hydration], viscoelasticity and color during the winter season.”
Source: Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition 76(1):96-115. doi: 10.3164/jcbn.24-69. “Dietary intervention of prebiotic partially hydrolyzed guar gum improves skin viscoelasticity, stratum corneum hydration, and reduction of trans-epidermal water loss: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical study in healthy humans”. Authors: M.P. Kapoor et al.
