Flax and borage oil may boost skin health from within
By Stephen Daniells

03-Oct-2008 - Supplements containing flaxseed or borage oil may
protect skin against reddening and improve skin health from within,
suggests new research from Germany and France.

The omega-3 and omega-6-rich oils from flax and borage respectively
also led to a decrease in skin roughness and so-called skin scaling,
according to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Growing awareness of the link between diet and health, and by
extension physical appearance, means that many consumers are receptive
to the concept of 'beauty from within'.

There is a growing body of science focusing on the potential benefits
of nutrients to boost skin health from within, with lutein, lycopene
and superoxide dismutase (SOD) having been reported to improve skin
health. The same researchers behind the new study previously reported
that flavanol-rich chocolate may protect against skin reddening
(Journal of Nutrition, Vol 136, pp 1565-1569).

Study details

The researchers, led by Wilhelm Stahl from the Heinrich-Heine
University in Dusseldorf, recruited 45 non-smoking, healthy women
between the ages of 18 and 65 and randomly assigned them to one of
three groups. Two groups received daily supplements of flaxseed oil or
borage oil (2.2 grams of total fatty acids), while a third received
medium-chain fatty acids as the placebo.

Skin irritation was achieved using nicotinate applied to the skin.
This would induce inflammation and reddening of the skin, said the
researchers.

Fatty acid profiles

According to analysis of the oils, flaxseed consisted predominantly of
the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), but some omega-6
and monounsaturated oleic acid were present.

Borage oil consisted predominantly of the omega-6 fatty acids gamma-
linolenic acid (GLA) and linoleic acid (LA), while oleic acid was also
present in relatively high amounts.

Results

After six and 12 weeks of supplementation with flaxseed, an increase
in blood levels of ALA was observed, while increases in GLA were
recorded in the group receiving borage oil.

Following nicotinate treatment, the researchers noted a significant
decrease in reddening of the skin in the flaxseed and borage oil
groups of 45 and 35 per cent, respectively, compared to baseline
values. No differences were recorded in the placebo group.

Moreover, blood flow to the in skin also decreased in the oil groups

Measurements of water loss from the skin showed that the oil
supplements were associated with decreases of about 10 per cent after
six weeks, with only the flaxseed oil group showing further decreases
at the end of 12 weeks (25 per cent).

The roughness and scaling – dry peeling skin – was also decreased
significantly after 12 weeks of flaxseed and borage oil
supplementation, with no differences in the placebo group.

Mechanism

The researchers did not perform a specific mechanistic study, but
suggested various possibilities. These included changes to the
membrane and cell structure since fatty acids play a role in cell
membrane health. However, no effects were observed for wrinkling,
“which results mainly from changes in the molecular structure of
extracellular components, and was not affected by any of the
treatments,” said the researchers.

Another possibility is the role of the fatty acids in inflammation.
“GLA may be elongated to di-homo-gamma-linolenic acid, which is
metabolized to PG of the series 1 and to 15-hydroxyeicosatrienoic
acid.

“Products of these eicosanoids mediate anti-inflammatory and anti-
proliferative effects. However, ALA cannot be metabolized to anti-
inflammatory eicosanoids in tissues lacking desaturases. Thus, other
mechanisms are likely operative.”

The other researchers involved in the trial were affiliated with the
University of Witten-Herdecke in Germany and France’s Laboratoire
Oenobiol.

Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, First View article, doi: 10.1017/
S0007114508020321
“Intervention with flaxseed and borage oil supplements modulates skin
condition in women”
Authors: S. De Spirt, W. Stahl, H. Tronnier, H. Sies, M. Bejot, J.-M.
Maurette, U. Heinrich

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Tom

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