Collagen Hydrolysates, from Beauty Supplements to Supporting Wound Healing: How Solid Is the Rationale? An Overview and Insights for Regenerative Medicine Practitioners

Introduction and Purpose. Aquatic organisms, including invertebrates such as sponges, mollusks, and jellyfish, are sources of environmentally friendly marine collagen and low-molecular-weight bioactive oligopeptides, purified using advanced technologies. Since the early 2010s, numerous high-quality experimental and human studies have explored the properties of hydrolyzed marine collagen fragments as systemic functional ingredients in regenerative medicine. The purpose of this review is to discuss these properties and the rationale behind them, with a focus on wound healing. Mechanisms underlying chronic wound healing may offer a strong foundation for the still-missing, high-level clinical studies, particularly in patients with diabetic and pressure ulcers. Methods. This review examines only academically significant studies published in PubMed-indexed journals with significant impact factors, supplemented by a few contributions from Google Scholar for methodologically sound in vitro and animal studies. Results. Activation of skin fibroblasts and other mesenchymal cells underpins the systemic regenerative properties of highly purified hydrolyzed marine collagens. For example, 50 µg/mL of hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides nearly replicated in vitro the accelerated cell migration induced by 10 µg/mL of recombinant human epidermal growth factor. Faster wound healing, associated with increased collagen neosynthesis, is accompanied by increased immunohistochemical expression of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor β-1. The potential supportive role of collagen hydrolysates in managing insulin resistance could benefit the treatment of chronic diabetic and pressure ulcers. Conclusions. An increasing number of preclinical and human studies highlight the systemic regenerative properties of hydrolyzed marine collagens and their excellent safety profile. The evidence for their regenerative properties in aesthetic skin rejuvenation appears solid. Preclinical evidence is also growing for wound-healing support. Unfortunately, sound clinical studies confirming the experimental evidence in everyday wound care practice are still lacking, with long-term safety as a primary concern.