Women over 40 taking a daily postbiotic supplement saw wrinkle depth reduce by almost a third in just 12 weeks, according to a new peer-reviewed clinical study from UK biotechnology company veMico Ltd.
Researchers found that women aged 40 to 55 who took veMico’s postbiotic supplement, VMK223, experienced a 28% reduction in wrinkle depth, alongside a 28% increase in skin hydration and a 27% improvement in skin elasticity compared with a placebo group.
The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial also found improvements in pore appearance, acne severity and skin pigmentation, with overall skin quality improving by almost 21%.
Published in the journal Dermatology and Therapy, the findings add to growing evidence supporting the “gut-skin axis” – the connection between gut health and skin health.
“For decades, the focus has been on creams and serums applied to the skin. Our findings suggest that the gut-skin axis may be another important piece of the puzzle,” said Jelena Vulevic, co-founder and chief scientific officer at veMico Ltd.
“The women taking VMK223 saw significant improvements in wrinkle depth, hydration and elasticity over 12 weeks, highlighting the potential role of host response and the gut-skin axis in healthy skin ageing.”
The study followed 34 healthy women aged 40 to 55, with 29 completing the full 12-week programme. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either VMK223 or a placebo, with skin quality assessed using objective, non-invasive skin analysis technology.
Women taking VMK223 experienced:
- 28% reduction in wrinkle depth
- 28% increase in skin hydration
- 27% improvement in skin elasticity
- 22% improvement in pore appearance
- 16% reduction in acne severity
- 11% reduction in skin pigmentation markers
Researchers observed that improvements became progressively more pronounced throughout the study, with the strongest effects seen between weeks eight and 12.
VMK223 is a proprietary postbiotic formulation developed by veMico from Bifidobacterium breve. Unlike probiotics, postbiotics do not contain live bacteria but consist of beneficial compounds produced by microbes.
Scientists believe postbiotics may influence skin health through the gut-skin axis, helping to support host responses linked to inflammation, barrier function, hydration, elasticity and overall skin appearance.
While the researchers say further studies are needed to understand better the biological mechanisms involved, they believe the findings strengthen the evidence that supporting the gut microbiome may play an important role in healthy skin ageing.
