While Marble is still more or less in stealth mode without a public website, word had gotten around over the last year through top biotechnology and longevity investors that George Church’s lab was cooking up a secretive rejuvenation startup. Now known as Marble, led by his engineer-biotechnologist protégé Dr. Milanova, the effort has garnered considerable inbound attention. Denitsa says that her team is developing methods to drive rejuvenation of skin cells with gene therapy and is working on a product that could reverse wrinkles like a genetic Botox.
This is interesting… Topical metformin seems to help sun damaged skin…
Modulation of autophagy, apoptosis and oxidative stress: a clue for repurposing metformin in photoaging
Long-term sun exposure is the commonest cause of photoaging, where mutual interplay between autophagy, oxidative stress, and apoptosis is incriminated. In combating photoaging, pharmacological approaches targeted to modulate autophagy are currently gaining more ground. This study aimed to examine repurposing metformin use in such context with or without the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 (coQ10) in ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation-induced skin damage. The study was conducted on 70 female CD1 mice that were randomly assigned into seven groups (10/group): normal control, vehicle-treated-UVA-exposed mice, three metformin UVA-exposed groups (Topical 1 and 10%, and oral 300 mg/kg), topical coQ10 (1%)-treated mice, and combined oral metformin with topical coQ10-treated UVA-exposed mice. After UVA-exposure for 10 weeks (3 times/week), macroscopic signs of photoaging were evaluated. Mice were then euthanized, and the skin was harvested for biochemical estimation of markers for oxidative stress, inflammation, matrix breakdown, and lysosomal function. Histopathological signs of photoaging were also evaluated with immunohistochemical detection of associated changes in autophagic and apoptotic markers. Metformin, mainly by topical application, improved clinical and histologic signs of photoaging. This was associated with suppression of the elevated oxidative stress, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase 1, and caspase, with induction of cathepsin D and subsequent change in anti-LC3 and P62 staining in skin tissue. In addition to metformin antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities, its anti-photoaging effect is mainly attributed to enhancing autophagic flux by inducing cathepsin D. Its protective effect is boosted by coQ10, which supports their potential use in photoaging.
twice-daily application of A+ for 24 weeks"
The amount of improvement seen for a twice daily application of an expensive cosmetic is not something I going to run to the store for.
Has anyone tried this skin cream? It looks like a small jar, maybe a month’s worth. So at $16,600 per month does it make you look like you’re 18 again?
Orally administered collagen peptides could contribute to antiaging by replacing the degraded extracellular matrix proteins caused by photoaging. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides for treating photoaged and dry skin. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, double-blinded trial, we randomly assigned study participants (n = 100) to either the test product group or placebo group at a 1:1 ratio for 12 weeks. The wrinkle scale score, eye wrinkle volume, roughness parameters, such as the average maximum height of the wrinkle (Rz), arithmetic average within the total measuring length of the wrinkle (Ra), maximum profile valley depth of the wrinkle (Rv), and skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), overall elasticity (R2), and ratio of elastic recovery to total deformation (R7) were evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Safety assessments with serial blood tests were also conducted. Efficacy assessments of data from 84 participants were conducted as the per-protocol analysis. After 12 weeks, the 10-grade crow’s feet photo scale score, eye wrinkle volume, skin roughness parameters (Rz, Ra, and Rv), skin elasticity (R2 and R7), skin hydration, and TEWL were significantly improved in the test product group compared to the placebo group. There were no adverse events or abnormalities according to laboratory analysis associated with using the test material during the study period. This study showed that the oral supplementation of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides could improve the wrinkles, elasticity, hydration, and barrier integrity of photoaged facial skin. This clinical study was registered with the Korean Clinical Research Information Service and International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (No: KCT0006500).
" low-molecular-weight collagen peptides"
Yes, unfortunately, that is mostly derived from marine-sourced collagen peptides, almost all of which have a slightly fishy odor and taste.
If anyone knows a brand found on Amazon that has a low molecular weight and is not marine sourced, I would appreciate knowing the brand.
I never tasted any fishy taste or smelled an odor from the marine collagen I used (Vital brand), but it is significantly more expensive than bovine collagen.
Thanks. It is interesting to read Amazon reviews on the same product. They range from horrible smell and taste to no smell and no fishy taste.
If you look at the reviews for this particular product and select the “most recent” reviews you get “weird”, “funky”, and doesn’t mix well.
After some more research, I found out that the hydrolyzed collagen peptides are low molecular weight.
So, on Amazon, I found what appears to be a bargain in a grass-fed, pasture-raised beef hydrolyzed collagen peptide supplement. If you type in “molecular weight” in the “Search product info, Q&A, reviews” box you will find that they claim that their product is 2 - 5 kilo/daltons, which is well below the maximum range for low-molecular-weight collagen peptides definition.
I think I will give this product a try.
Then, low-molecular-weight (average molecular weight ≤1000 Da) collagen peptides with an average particle size of 50–150 μ m are obtained by sterilization, drying, and sieving. A single tablet of the test product contained 500 mg of low-molecular-weight collagen peptides, which is equivalent to 58.52% of tablet weight.
“average molecular weight ≤1000 Da” defines the molecular weight of the test product and does not define low molecular collagen peptides in general. Depending on who you decide to cite, low molecular weight collagen peptides are below 10,000 Da or below 6,000 Da. In any case, collagen peptides below 5,000 Da are pretty bioavailable and much cheaper, you just have to take a little more.
“An Overview of the Beneficial Effects of Hydrolysed Collagen as a
Nutraceutical on Skin Properties: Scientific Background and Clinical
Studies”
I am considering the cost of applying a retinoid to my arms, face, hands, forearms, and other spots each night. I’m 6’ 6" and 250lb so I have lots of skin to cover and I was only able to get a small tube of tretinoin prescribed each month for free, prescribed by my PCP (supposedly for acne). What is the least expensive route to get a larger quantity?
Perhaps just buying a retinol based body moisturiser might be a good option for your arms and legs. You could save the more expensive Tret for face, neck and back of the hands.
I have been using tretinoin 0.5% for ~3 yrs. It is great for skin smoothness, reducing small wrinkles and sun damaged skin. One of its original uses was for the prevention of actinic keratosis, which was how I snagged a prescription for 15 grams/month. It goes a long ways and I use it on my head, neck and hands. Unfortunately it does not remove or tighten age related sagging skin.
I’ve been using Tret for about 3 years as well. I also concur with what Charles said re sun damage/ freckles.
A word of warning, a little goes along way and remember to moisturise after!
