[Effects of Konjac Ceramide] 3 Benefits of Konjac Ceramide, Effective in Improving Skin Barrier

Hello, I am Jinny, a pharmacist.

The most common skin concern in winter is probably dry skin. This is because the cold wind outside is freezing, and the air is dry indoors due to various heating devices. In these extreme conditions, the face dries out like a drought. Not only does your face become sore and red, but dead skin cells appear white, fine wrinkles become particularly noticeable, and the skin becomes torn and scars appear.

And these symptoms are all caused by a decrease in skin barrier function due to the cold and dry external environment. The skin barrier is the stratum corneum located on the outermost layer of the skin and can be said to be the skin's front line that protects the human body from the external environment. And the stratum corneum is again made up of ‘keratinocytes’ and ‘inter-keratinocyte lipids’ that fill the spaces between the keratinocytes.

However, the most important ingredient that accounts for 35-40% of the lipids between keratinocytes is ‘Ceramide’. Therefore, if the production of ceramides is insufficient, the skin barrier is damaged and cannot function normally. As a result, harmful factors lurking in the external environment, such as allergens, easily penetrate into the skin, making it vulnerable to various skin diseases.

Therefore, dermatologists recommend moisturizers containing ceramide, a component of the skin barrier, to help with skin barrier function. Recently, beyond ceramides that can be applied, ‘edible ceramides’ have been attracting attention. The most representative raw material of edible ceramides is ‘konjac ceramide’ extracted from a crop called konjac potatoes. Now, let’s take a look at the benefits of consuming konjac ceramide based on academic research.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease accompanied by itching, dry skin, and dermatitis. The skin of atopic dermatitis patients lacks components such as ceramide and fatty acids, and the skin barrier function is greatly reduced.

Research results have been published showing that supplementation with konjac ceramide improves atopic dermatitis. Pediatric Dermatology published the results of a human application test in 2006 on the effect of oral supplementation of konjac ceramide on improving atopic dermatitis.

As the effectiveness of konjac ceramide in improving atopic dermatitis was reported, research on konjac ceramide began to be actively conducted in academia. Research has continued on the strengthening of skin barrier function and its mechanism by konjac ceramide.

In 2011, a research paper was published in Biosci, Biotechnol, and Biochem revealing the skin barrier strengthening mechanism of glucosylceramide, an indicator component of konjac ceramide.

While research is accumulating that oral intake of konjac ceramide has a direct effect on strengthening the skin barrier, academic circles report that oral supplementation of konjac ceramide not only strengthens the skin barrier, but also influences improving skin elasticity, skin texture, and skin moisture content. followed.

In 2017, Cosmetics announced the results of a human application test that studied the effect of supplementation of glucosylceramide, an indicator component of konjac ceramide, on skin improvement indicators.

Today, we learned about konjac ceramide, which helps improve the skin barrier and overall skin health, including atopic dermatitis, skin moisture, and elasticity. The exact name of the raw material recognized by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its skin health functionality is ‘konjac potato extract,’ so if you are looking for a konjac ceramide nutritional supplement, check to see if the product contains konjac potato extract. In addition, according to the standards and specifications announced by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, pregnant and lactating women should avoid consumption, so please keep this in mind.

I hope you have a healthy day both physically and mentally. This was Jinny.