Olay research reveals effective pro-age properties of niacinamide

Specific findings from the three studies include:

• Niacinamide enhances mitochondrial function in human skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes

• Niacinamide helps to fight the effects of oxidative stress on human skin keratinocytes

• Niacinamide can balance the key properties of human skin keratinocytes, including differentiation, proliferation, senescence and stem cell properties.

The beauty company showcased its findings at the recent International Investigative Dermatology annual meeting.

The research was conducted by Olay researchers in partnership with Newcastle University (UK) and Agency for Science, Technology & Research’s (A*STAR) Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) in Singapore.

Details on the research​

Olay has released further details on the three studies, offering insight into the specific skin mechanisms impacted by niacinamide.

Principal Investigator at IMB, Dr. Sophie Bellanger, comments: “The loss of tissue-specific stem cells is proposed as a general phenomenon occurring during chronological ageing. ​

“This could be particularly detrimental to  skin that relies on epidermal stem cells to be constantly renewed. ​

“We are thrilled to present this new set of data that pinpoints niacinamide as a promising tool to improve skin rejuvenation through regulation of the proliferation/differentiation balance of keratinocyte stem cells”.​

Enhancing mitochondrial function in human skin​

One of the studies was conducted by Professor Mark-Birch Machin, Professor of Molecular Dermatology at Newcastle University, and Dr John Oblong, Principal Scientist at P&G.

It reveals that niacinamide is proven to enhance mitochondrial function in young and old human dermal skin cells (fibroblasts), according to Olay.

The results of the study prove that niacinamide increases mitochondrial function in cells (specifically complexes I and IV activity) from both young and old donors by approximately 21% in skin cells after 7 days of treatment.

Helping fight the effects of oxidative stress on human skin keratinocytes​

The second study presented was conducted by Olay scientists (Dr. John Oblong) and the team of Dr. Sophie Bellanger, Principal Investigator in IMB (Singapore).

It looked into the effect of niacinamide on photoaged skin and on skin submitted to oxidative stress.

According to Olay, its results prove that niacinamide has a positive effect when it comes to fighting enhanced differentiation and premature skin ageing induced by oxidative stress and/or UV exposure.

Balancing the key properties of human skin keratinocytes​

The final study suggests niacinamide can balance elements of skin keratinocytes, including differentiation, proliferation, senescence and stem cell properties.

For this research, Olay and IMB scientists looked at the cellular pathways involved in niacinamide’s anti-ageing activity on human skin.

They found that niacinamide prevents epidermal stem cell loss during ageing in vitro, most likely through maintenance of metabolism over time.