Author(s): Garth Lee, Virginia West, Tory Parker, David Vollmer*
Introduction: Collagen is a ubiquitous structural protein found in skin, bone, muscle and connective tissue in
humans and animals. Several studies have found significant positive impacts on skin health when collagen-containing
dietary supplements are routinely ingested. A newly developed collagen product (4Life Transfer Factor Collagen (TF
Collagen)) containing multiple types of collagen, transfer factors from colostrum, and other ingredients, was tested in vitro in a telomere model, and in vivo in a human skin health clinical study.
Objective: The purpose of these studies was to determine if TF Collagen supplementation could significantly
improve measures of aging and the overall skin health of the participants.
Methods: The in vitro telomere study measured telomerase activity of lung tissue cells over 15 passages by optical
density (OD). The telomerase activity was then compared between a control group and a TF Collagen-treated group
at corresponding passages. For the human study, 26 subjects (aged 35-55) consumed one packet (eight grams) of TF
Collagen daily for 84 days. Skin hydration, skin firmness, skin elasticity, and the appearance of fine lines and
wrinkles were measured at day 42 and day 84.
Results: The in vitro study found a significant increase in telomerase activity in cells treated with TF Collagen
compared to the control. In the human clinical study, TF Collagen significantly improved skin hydration, skin
firmness, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as subjective measures of skin health.
Conclusion: A multi-type collagen supplement with other ingredients activated telomerase in vitro and significantly
improved overall skin health in healthy men and women.