Effect of Collagen and MSM Supplementation on Advanced Glycation End Products in Skin: Part B of the TO-COSKIN4 Study (TO-COSKIN4-B)

November 3, 2026 updated by: VIST - Faculty of Applied Sciences

The Effect of 16-week Dietary Intake of Food Supplements Containing Collagen and MSM on Advanced Glycation End Products in Skin

This nested substudy (Part B) of the VIST TO-COSKIN4 study (NCT07345195) evaluates whether 16 weeks of daily dietary supplementation with two investigational products containing collagen, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and vitamin C affects advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the skin, compared with placebo. AGEs are compounds formed when sugars bind to proteins such as collagen, and they accumulate in the skin with age. They are assessed non-invasively by skin autofluorescence on the forearm. Part B includes the same participants (healthy women aged 40 to 65 years), randomisation and visits as the main study. The primary objective is to evaluate the effect of each investigational product, compared with placebo, on skin autofluorescence after 16 weeks; the secondary objective is to evaluate the effect after 8 weeks.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Part B is a nested substudy conducted in all participants of the VIST TO-COSKIN4 study (NCT07345195), a single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm parallel-group study. Participants are allocated by the randomisation of the main study to one of two investigational products containing collagen, MSM and vitamin C, or to placebo, taken orally as 30 mL of syrup once daily for 16 weeks. Part B is described in a separate protocol annex and is analysed and reported separately from the main study.

Advanced glycation end products in the skin are assessed by skin autofluorescence, measured non-invasively with the AGE Reader on the volar forearm at baseline, week 8 and week 16. The primary endpoint is the change in skin autofluorescence from baseline to week 16, and the secondary endpoint is the change from baseline to week 8. Each investigational product is compared with placebo.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

90

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Slovenia
      • Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1000
        • VIST - Faculty of Applied Sciences, Institute of Cosmetics
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Katja Žmitek, PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Tina Pogačnik, MSc
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Petra Keršmanc, MSc
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Manica Bevec, BSc
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

40 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Caucasian female volunteers aged 40 to 65 years at the time of signing the Informed Consent Form (ICF).
  • Signed ICF.
  • Fitzpatrick skin phototypes I-IV.
  • Presence of visible facial telangiectasias, primarily on the cheeks.
  • Presence of facial erythema with a baseline score of 3 or less on the 5-point Clinician's Erythema Assessment (CEA) scale.
  • Stable erythema-prone facial skin for at least 3 months prior to inclusion, without clinical signs of active rosacea.
  • In good general health, as determined by medical history.
  • Body mass index (BMI) below 35.
  • Willingness and ability to comply with all study procedures and complete a subject diary; maintain usual lifestyle habits; not initiate or modify oestrogen or progesterone therapies; maintain the same cosmetic and skincare routine and comply with sun protection guidelines; avoid rejuvenation treatments; refrain from food supplements containing collagen or other protein-based supplements, MSM, or anti-inflammatory and/or antioxidant compounds with a known or potential impact on skin inflammation or vascular response; and refrain from shaving, waxing, epilating or otherwise removing hair from the forearms for the duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Vegan diet.
  • Following a weight-loss diet or another special or restrictive diet (e.g. very-low-calorie, ketogenic or intermittent fasting), or planning to start one during the study.
  • Heavy smoking (more than 20 cigarettes per day) or frequent alcohol-induced flushing.
  • Occupational or hobby-related excessive heat exposure (e.g. chefs, sauna workers).
  • Anticipated sunbathing or solarium use, or major planned changes in sun exposure before or during the study.
  • Planned major changes during the study in skincare routine or hormonal therapy (contraception or hormone replacement therapy).
  • Significant changes in dietary habits or dietary supplementation within 3 months prior to inclusion.
  • Regular use within 3 months prior to inclusion of food supplements containing MSM, collagen or other protein-based supplements, or anti-inflammatory (e.g. bioflavonoids/rutin, curcumin, EPA) and/or antioxidant supplements with a known or potential impact on skin inflammation or vascular response.
  • Any diagnosed, uncontrolled, untreated or unstable medical condition.
  • Clinically significant history of metabolic, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal or haematological disease.
  • Diagnosed diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2), or current use of glucose-lowering medication.
  • Current use, or use within 12 months prior to study entry, of medicines for weight reduction, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists, or planned use during the study.
  • Mental incapacity or psychiatric condition that may impair understanding of the study or compliance with study requirements.
  • Any clinically significant acute or chronic inflammatory skin disease (e.g. acne, perioral dermatitis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, lupus).
  • Skin pigmentation disorders at the assessment sites.
  • Active rosacea within 3 months prior to study entry (papules/pustules, frequent flushing episodes typical of rosacea, or ocular involvement).
  • Frequent vasomotor hot flushes (e.g. perimenopausal or menopausal).
  • Use of medications affecting skin or vascular reactivity (e.g. systemic corticosteroids, anticoagulants, vasodilators, antibiotics known to affect vascular response, immunomodulators, regular or long-term use of NSAIDs).
  • Use of systemic retinoids within 3 months prior to study entry.
  • Changes of skincare routine within 4 weeks prior to study entry.
  • Use of highly concentrated topical products affecting inflammatory or vascular facial responses (e.g. more than 15% azelaic acid, 10% vitamin C) within 4 weeks prior to study entry.
  • Invasive rejuvenation treatments (e.g. medium or deep chemical peels, ablative or vascular laser therapies) within 6 months prior to study entry.
  • Non-invasive or minimally invasive rejuvenation treatments (e.g. microneedling, mesotherapy, superficial chemical peels, radiofrequency, electrotherapy, ultrasound, IPL) within 3 months prior to study entry.
  • Tattoos, scars, birthmarks, pronounced hyperpigmentation, visible vessels, or an active skin lesion or skin disease at the volar forearm of both forearms.
  • Self-tanning products applied to the forearms, or deliberate UV exposure of the forearms (sunbathing, solarium), within 4 weeks before the first visit.
  • Known or suspected allergy to any ingredient of the investigational products.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: IP1 group

Participants will receive investigational product 1 containing collagen (10 g/ 30 mL), MSM (2.0 g/ 30 mL) and vitamin C (160 mg/ 30 mL) for 16 weeks.
Dietary supplement: CPMSM-HD

Participants will test continuous administration of investigational product for 16 weeks.

Other Names:
  • Investigational product 1
Active Comparator: IP2 group

Participants will receive investigational product 2 containing collagen (5 g/ 30 mL), MSM (1.5 g/ 30 mL) and vitamin C (160 mg/ 30 mL) for 16 weeks.
Dietary supplement: CPMSM-LD

Participants will test continuous administration of the investigational product for 16 weeks.

Other Names:
  • Investigational product 2
Placebo Comparator: Placebo group

Placebo group participants will receive placebo syrup without active ingredients (0 mg of collagen, 0 mg of MSM and 0 mg of vitamin C), 30 mL/daily for 16 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Placebo

Participants will test continuous administration of placebo product for 16 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in skin autofluorescence from baseline to week 16
Time Frame: Baseline and week 16

Skin autofluorescence in arbitrary units (AU), measured with the AGE Reader on the volar surface of the dominant forearm; mean of two triple measurements per visit; each investigational product compared with placebo.
Baseline and week 16

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in skin autofluorescence from baseline to week 8
Time Frame: Baseline and week 8

Skin autofluorescence in arbitrary units (AU), measured with the AGE Reader on the volar surface of the dominant forearm; mean of two triple measurements per visit; each investigational product compared with placebo.
Baseline and week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

VIST - Faculty of Applied Sciences

Collaborators

Slovenian Research Agency
Tosla d.o.o.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Katja Žmitek, PhD, VIST - Faculty of Applied Sciences

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

November 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 3, 2026

Last Verified

November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VIST TO-COSKIN4, Part B
  • Annex B to VIST TO-COSKIN4 (Other Identifier: VIST - Faculty of Applied Sciences)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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