I’ve seen a number of people talk about how vital elastin is for longevity but I had not seen much data on what we can do about it, and what treatments are on the horizon. I spent my day doing a deep dive on the latest research (mostly 2024-2025) and here is what I have uncovered:
Why Elastin Matters
Elastin is foundational to skin firmness, vascular flexibility, lung recoil, connective tissue resilience and more.
It is laid down mostly in youth. After age 30–40, degradation outpaces production.
Loss leads to wrinkles, laxity, arterial stiffness, fibrosis, and reduced organ compliance.
Therapies aim to stimulate neo-elastinogenesis(new elastin fiber formation in adults) while protecting existing elastin from pathological degradation.
Clinically Proven Therapies (Human Trials or Histology)
Modality
Key Findings
Outcome Summary
Daily Sunscreen Use (Broad-Spectrum SPF 30+)[32]
Prevents UV-induced elastin degradation and solar elastosis by blocking UVA/UVB radiation
Long-term histological studies show reduced solar elastosis and preserved elastin fiber architecture in regular sunscreen users. Clinically reduces signs of photoaging.
I manually curated the studies. I then used ChatGPT to summarize them, synthesize the data and format the post. I then fact checked it and manually edited it to create this final product.
Additional information: Neprilysin preferentially breaks down aged elastin, contributing to skin aging. Sacubitril (a NEP inhibitor) combined with valsartan (an ARB) not only boosts collagen synthesis but may also protect elastin highlighting a new topical strategy for ECM preservation and skin rejuvenation.
Some years ago white tea was proposed as the best tea for skin health.
I have not read much about it since then. But since you mentioned green tea, I like to bring your attention to what some say, is a better lifestyle choice for skin health.
Curious if anyone has had a good experience with topical cosmetic peptides. A lot of them promise to stimulate collagen and elastin through a variety of mechanisms, but it is difficult to tell which actually work IRL.
I wonder if taurine offers some (however small) skin protection against solar radiation, thereby also protecting elastin.
It has been hypothesized that the main reason that scorpions are so resistant to radiation is that their blood contains high amounts of taurine; and maybe some of that protection that scorpions enjoy naturally can be had by just consuming it.
Here’s a video that mentions scorpions and taurine, beginning 9 minutes, 34 seconds in:
In the present study, we evaluated the effects of pre-treatment and/or concomitant treatment of hairless mice with taurine and UVB radiation on wrinkle formation. Two week-pre-treatment with taurine before UVB radiation had no effect on the development of UVB-induced wrinkle formation. However, concomitant treatment with taurine and UVB radiation for 8 weeks significantly prevented the development of wrinkle formation. In addition, 2 week-pre-treatment with taurine and the following 8 week-concomitant treatment with taurine and UVB radiation were also effective in suppressing wrinkle formation. We further evaluated whether taurine supplementation is able to affect pre-established wrinkle. Four week-treatment with taurine reduced the pre-established UVB-induced wrinkle. Therefore, the current study revealed that taurine has both preventive and therapeutic activities against UVB-induced wrinkle. This is the first report showing that oral taurine supplementation can ameliorate the wrinkle.
This is bottom of the barrel for evidence but some random person on Reddit claims dutasteride can help. I have been searching and really can’t find any scientific backing for the claim but figured I’d throw it out here for people more skilled at researching who might be interested in exploring it further. My interest in the topic happened after starting dutasteride 3x per week for my hair out of pure vanity and noticing my overall tone both skin and body seems firmer.
The side effects are more likely to be the general inhibition of 5AR which stops the production of various enzymes. I don’t discount the effect of DHT by itself. I’m not convinced it’s entirely bad like some people like to claim, but it does appear to age the skin, damage hair follicles and enlarge the prostate.
Like I said I would like something that could locally inhibit DHT on the skin and scalp without going systemic, that would be fantastic. I wonder if 17 alpha estradiol works like that? I’ve not heard anyone getting PFS like symptoms from 17 alpha estradiol.
Inhibiting type 1 systemically is probably tilting towards being a net negative but I don’t know of any potent topical 5ar type 1 inhibitor that doesn’t go systemic. Topical dutasteride probably doesn’t even work at all.
How many people actually use oral alfatradiol?
It’s like claiming research substance XYZ doesn’t have any reddit anecdotes of negative side effects therefore it is more efficious and safe than known medication ABC that’s been around for 70 years and been researched thousends of times.
Either inhibiting 5ar, regardless of method, leads to PFS (despite no actual biological mechanism existing and case reports hinting at mental illness) in which case oral alfatradiol would lead to the same side effects or finasteride and dutasteride have properties that alfatradiol doesn’t have which is doubtful.
