Beyond skin: first peer-reviewed study reveals increased hair thickness

New randomized, placebo-controlled study shows that supplementation with the specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP^®) VERISOL^® can result in improved hair structure, by significantly increasing hair thickness and proliferation of human hair follicle cells.

The study was conducted on 44 healthy women aged between 39 and 75, who each received a daily dose of 2.5 g VERISOL^® or placebo for 16 weeks. At the end of the supplementation period, the use of VERISOL^® led to a significant increase in hair thickness, whereas a slight decrease was observed in the placebo group. The comparison of the two groups revealed a statistically significant increase in hair thickness in the VERISOL^® group compared to placebo, confirming the benefits of VERISOL^® to hair thickness, a key aspect of healthy hair appearance.

In addition, the study investigated if the previously demonstrated efficacy of VERISOL^® in stimulating cells of the skin extracellular matrix could have a positive impact on hair follicle cells and promote their proliferation.

The in vitro test showed a statistically significant increase of 31% in the proliferation rates of human hair follicle cells after exposure to VERISOL^® for 4 hours, compared with the untreated control cells. This suggests a positive effect of VERISOL^® on hair metabolism, building on previous data showing Bioactive Collagen Peptides to increase mitochondrial activity of hair follicle cells. 

“The positive effects of VERISOL^® on skin elasticity and wrinkle reduction have been demonstrated by several clinical trials, performed over the last 10 years and testing nearly 500 study participants” stated Stephan Hausmanns, GELITA’s Vice President, Health & Nutrition. “With this new study, we add improved hair structure to the many positive benefits of VERISOL^®. It can be assumed that the increased hair thickness observed also leads to improved textural and physical properties of hair, making it stronger and more resistant to breakage”.

Recognizing that collagen peptides can exhibit different biological activities, Oesser (2020) stated that the effects measured in the study apply only to the specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides tested and cannot necessarily be applied to other collagen products.

In summary, this is the first published, peer-reviewed study to clearly demonstrate a positive effect of specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides intake on hair metabolism and structure.

Full study: https://bit.ly/2XJ0XSP