Compound Found in Berries Fights Wrinkles

July 16, 2009

If you’re like me, you don’t want to look any older than you have to. Wrinkles are a part of aging, but I don’t want any more than absolutely necessary! I also don’t want to spend money on expensive cosmetic procedures that smooth out wrinkles for a few months with painful injections!

So I’m really happy to find out that something I really enjoy — berries — can help to stop wrinkles and sun damage to skin.

We already knew that berries have lots of healthy properties. A compound, ellagic acid, found in berries, green tea, and some other fruits, vegetables and nuts, is a potent antioxidant. So it helps to protect us from cancer, aging and environmental toxins.

New research also shows that ellagic acid has very specific effects on the skin. Researchers from South Korea found that a topical application of ellagic acid markedly prevents collagen destruction and inflammatory response, both major causes of wrinkles, in skin cells exposed to harmful sunlight. The ellagic acid worked to prevent UV damage by blocking production of enzymes that break down collagen in damaged skin cells and by reducing the genetic expression of a molecule involved in inflammation. The result: less redness, thickening and wrinkling of the skin.

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: This study used a topical form of ellagic acid, but there is good reason to believe that berries also work their skin magic from the inside out. That’s why I’m eating more berries than ever! You can get even more protection from berries by adding concentrated, standardized extracts of berries to your supplements regimen.