Protective effects of skin barrier integrity against emotional stress, by an enriched Oat β-Glucan complex derived from Avena sativa L.
EMILIE GOMBERT*, CARA DEWIS
*Corresponding author
Oat Cosmetics, Southampton, United Kingdom
Abstract
The skin stress response is the activation of the endocrine, neurologic, and immune systems triggering a cascade of impacts. Cortisol is a stress hormone and prolonged exposure to elevated levels causes an increase in reactive oxygen species. Oat β-glucans have been reported to have beneficial effects on skin health.
This work presents evidence of the protective effects of an enriched Oat β-glucan complex on the skin barrier integrity against emotional stress and on the effectiveness of delaying the first signs of skin-ageing. Clinical studies show that this complex protects against stress-related skin damage. Due to its high anti-oxidation and stress-response upregulation in genes, stratum corneum integrity is maintained, stress-induced skin thinning is reduced, and skin smoothness is improved.
INTRODUCTION
Skin stress, results in multiple physiological impacts leading to a variety of skin disorders. A stress response is the activation of the endocrine, neurologic, and immune systems triggering a cascade of impacts, that are both systemic and cutaneous. Both the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system participate in the stress response (1). The consequential release of cortisol, catecholamines and neuropeptides have multiple clinical effects including an increase in skin inflammation, impaired skin barrier function, impaired wound healing, and suppressed immunity (2).
β-Glucans (BG) are natural cell wall polysaccharides found in yeast, fungi, seaweed, and cereal. BG possesses many health benefits (3), however, information on the skin benefits of BG derived from cereal is fragmented. Oat β-glucan (OBG), one of the major components of bran soluble fibre, is a polysaccharide made of a linear branched chain of D-glucose monosaccharides bonded by mixed β(1 → 3) and β(1 → 4) linkages. The molecular weight, in natural form, varies from approximately 65 to 3,100×103 g/mol, and this differe ...
