Evaluation of the Effects of DracoBelle Nu in Skin Health After Oral Intake
Condition: Healthy Volunteers
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The goal of this clinical trial is to study the effects of DracoBelleTM Nu in different skin
      parameters associated with age. Volunteers will be asked to take either placebo of
      DracoBelleTM Nu capsules once a day by oral intake for a total period of 12 weeks. Several
      age-associated skin parameters (skin elasticity, firmness, fatigue, wrinkles, roughness, skin
      density, hydration, pigmentation and barrier effect) will be measured before the treatment
      and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the first oral intake. Data of the placebo and DracoBelleTM Nu
      group will be analyzed to evaluate the effect of the product DracoBelleTM Nu in the selected
      age-associated skin parameters.
    

Detailed description: 
      Skin aging refers to the natural process of changes that occur in the skin as individuals get
      older. It is a complex biological process influenced by both intrinsic (internal) and
      extrinsic (external) factors. The signs of skin aging include wrinkles, loss of elasticity
      and firmness, loss of skin density, reduced skin hydration, altered skin barrier effect and
      alterations in skin pigmentation. Recent studies show that the consumption of nutraceuticals
      may improve different parameters associated with skin aging. Recently, it has been shown that
      daily food supplementation with 200 mg of Moldavian dragonhead dry extract (DracoBelleTM Nu)
      improved the skin hydration, elasticity and increased skin density. In this
      placebo-controlled study, the investigators aim to investigate the effects of dietary
      supplementation with DracoBelleTM Nu in different skin parameters associated with age.

      The products will be provided in capsules containing placebo or 200 mg of DracoBelleTM Nu. 50
      volunteers will ingest the placebo and 50 volunteers will ingest the product DracoBelleTM Nu
      by oral intake once a day (one capsule a day, preferably in the morning) for 12 weeks.
      Different parameters will be measured before treatment (D0) and at week 4, week 8, and week
      12 after the first oral intake. The parameters that will be measured are related to the skin
      health and skin aging and will be determined as follows:

        -  The skin elasticity, firmness and fatigue will be measured by the Cutometer in the face
           skin area.

        -  Wrinkles (area, length, depth and volume) and roughness of the skin will be measured by
           the technology Bio3D-MS in the crows-feet and cheek areas.

        -  The skin density will be measured to determine the thickness of the epidermis and dermis
           by echography analysis with the UltraScan Echograph in the face skin area.

        -  Skin hydration will be measured with the Corneometer in the face skin area.

        -  The skin barrier effect will be measured by quantifying the transepidermal water loss
           with the Tewameter in the cheek.

        -  The alterations of the skin pigmentation (area and number of dark spots, and contrast of
           the dark spots compared to the skin) will be measured with the technology Bio3D-MS.
    

Intervention name(s): Dietary supplementation with placebo.; Dietary supplementation with DracoBelleTM Nu.
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention description(s): Volunteers will be provided with the placebo capsules. For each volunteer, different age-associated skin parameters will be measured with specialized equipment before the treatment and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the first oral intake of the product.; Volunteers will be provided with the DracoBelleTM Nu capsules. For each volunteer, different age-associated skin parameters will be measured with specialized equipment before the treatment and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the first oral intake of the product.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: DracoBelleTM Nu; Skin; Aging; Oral; Ingestion; Nutraceutical; Wrinkles; Elasticity; Firmness; Barrier effect; Hydration; Density; Dragonhead; Placebo; Roughness; Fatigue; Pigmentation; Randomized; Blinded