Consecutive Intake of Fermented Milk Containing Bifidobacterium breve Strain Yakult and Galacto-oligosaccharides Benefits Skin Condition in Healthy Adult Women

Abstract

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was conducted to investigate the beneficial effect of probiotic and prebiotic fermented milk on the skin of healthy adult women. Forty healthy Japanese adult female volunteers with healthy skin randomly received either a bottle of probiotic and prebiotic fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) (active group) or a non-fermented placebo milk containing neither probiotics nor GOS (placebo group) daily for 4 weeks. Before and after intake, hydration levels and cathepsin L-like activity in the stratum corneum and phenol levels in the serum and urine were determined. After intake, the hydration level of the stratum corneum decreased significantly in only the placebo group and was significantly lower than in the active group (p=0.031). Cathepsin L-like activity, an indicator of keratinocyte differentiation, was significantly increased in the active group (p=0.027). Serum and urine phenol levels decreased significantly in the active group (p=0.014, p=0.002, respectively), and serum phenol levels were significantly lower in the active group compared with the placebo group (p=0.006). The consecutive intake of probiotic and prebiotic fermented milk can benefit skin condition without dryness and decrease the levels of phenol production by gut bacteria in healthy adult women.

Keywords: Bifidobacterium; galacto oligosaccharides; phenol; prebiotics; probiotics; skin condition; skin hydration.

Fig. 1.

Hydration level of the stratum corneum as measured by a Skicon in healthy adult women. Values are expressed as mean ± SD values; active group, n = 20; placebo group, n = 19. *p<0.05 comparing pre- and post-administration values by the paired t-test. #p<0.05 comparing the active group with the placebo group by ANCOVA.

Fig. 2.

Cathepsin L-like protease activity in the stratum corneum of inner forearm skin in healthy adult women. Values are expressed as mean ± SD values; active group, n = 20; placebo group, n = 19. *p<0.05 comparing pre- and post-administration values by the paired t-test.

Fig. 3.

Phenol levels in serum (A) and urine (B) in healthy adult women. Values are expressed as mean ± SD values for volunteers with detectable levels; active group, n = 20; placebo group, n = 19. *p<0.05 comparing pre- and post-administration values by the paired t-test. #p<0.05 comparing the active group with the placebo group by ANCOVA.