Menopause and the Skin: Old Favorites and New Innovations in Cosmeceuticals for Estrogen-Deficient Skin

Abstract

Estrogen is a pivotal signaling molecule; its production is regulated by the expression of the aromatase (CYP19A1) gene from ovarian and peripheral tissue sites, and it is transmitted via estrogen receptors to influence many important biological functions. However, the narrative for this overview focuses on the decline of 17bestradiol levels from ovarian sites after menopause. This estrogen-deficient condition is associated with a dramatic reduction in skin health and wellness by negatively impacting dermal cellular and homeostatic mechanisms, as well as other important biological functions. The changes include loss of collagen, elastin, fibroblast function, vascularity, and increased matrix metalloproteinase(s) enzymatic activities, resulting in cellular and extracellular degradation that leads to dryness, wrinkles, atrophy, impaired wound healing/barrier function, decreased antioxidant capacity [i.e.,

4′,7-Isoflavandiol (Equol) Enhances Human Dermal Fibroblast Renewal and Has Effects Similar to 17β-Estradiol in Stimulating Collagen and Elastin Expression. Cell Cycle and RT-PCR Analysis without Phenol Red

“…As noted, there were no significant differences in the levels of apoptotic cells among the treatments at just above 10%. Finally, telomere shortening apparently limits the cellular doubling capacity, at least in human cells and a clinical study examining topical equol administration showed a significant increase in telomere length, skin texture, smoothness, firmness, and elasticity [18], which may also support the anti-aging effects of equol, especially in estrogen-deficient skin, as reported in another clinical study [12]. Notably, both clinical studies examining equol's topical effects on dermal parameters were performed independently of our (Lephart) laboratory.…”

“…For example, a few notable polyphenolic compounds include the stilbene (resveratrol), the flavonoid (quercetin), and the isoflavonoid (equol), where the use of equol in cosmetics has been relatively recent compared to other polyphenols. However, beneficial skin properties of equol have been reported in various in vitro and clinical studies [4,5,12,18] and, in fact, equol was reported to have significantly greater efficacy compared to astaxanthin for antioxidants, extracellular matrix integrity, growth factors, and inflammatory biomarkers via human skin gene expression analysis [19]. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to confirm and extend the data base in understanding the skin-related properties of equol by in vitro techniques and point out the potential challenges associated with cell/tissue culture conditions in this examination.…”

“…Human dermal fibroblasts provide a useful tool to study ECM protein and gene expression parameters along with predicting age since the skin is the conspicuous mirror of good dermal health [33,34]. In addition, estrogens are known to enhance skin characteristics and polyphenolic compounds derived from plants that have similar chemical structural and molecular weight properties to 17β-estradiol, where many of these natural compounds are now used in cosmetic formulations due to their selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) activities [12,34,35], especially in skin photoaging [4,5,12]. Equol is such a polyphenolic compound, with many beneficial skin properties that are described in the present study such as increasing collagen, elastin, and fibroblast renewal via in vitro experimental analysis.…”

“…One of the polyphenolic compounds with promising human skin care applications is the isoflavonoid equol, which is contained in plants and food products such as beans, cabbage, lettuces, tofu, and animal products such as eggs and cow's milk, which have been reviewed elsewhere [4,5]. Equol has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties along with beneficial topical dermal effects that have been reported in in vitro and clinical studies demonstrating its skin enhancing properties, especially in estrogendeficient skin [4,5,12]. Among the studies that have examined equol's properties, in vitro testing using cell and tissue culture represents some of the primary investigative techniques to ascertain further scientific information on this polyphenolic isoflavonoid compound that has a chemical structural and molecular weight similar to 17β-estradiol, see Figure 1 [5].…”

Dosage effects of resveratrol on thymus involution in D‐galactose‐treated mice

“…We previously confirmed that with RSV treatment, the thymus could recover from the alterations caused by d-gal intake via the promotion of autoimmune regulator (Aire) expression (Wei et al, 2020). RSV even inhibits skin aging through estrogen (Lephart & Naftolin, 2021).…”