Disclaimer: This content has been produced purely for informational and educational purposes only and is never intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical guidelines including diagnosis, advice, and treatment. 

 

Although it is best known for benefiting osteoarthritic joints and its associated symptoms, the promising benefits of chondroitin sulfate for the skin cannot be overlooked anyway. Taking this miraculous agent seems to have several positive effects on the skin in terms of both improving its overall appearance as well as fighting various conditions. Wanna know how? We’ll come to this point shortly. 

In this article, we’ll be discussing the benefits of chondroitin sulfate for skin that have been proven by scientific research so far but many people are not aware of. But before we get into how chondroitin sulfate can help with skin, it’s important to learn exactly what chondroitin sulfate is and what are its properties and functions. So, let’s get started. 

Table of contents 

• What is chondroitin sulfate? 
• Chondroitin sulfate properties and functions
• Benefits of chondroitin sulfate for skin  
• Final words 

What is chondroitin sulfate? 

Chondroitin sulfate is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in hyaline cartilage that provides building blocks for glycosaminoglycans, a large family of glycated proteins, also known as GAGs. It is commonly used as a supplement to treat and manage a number of health conditions, particularly those related to the skin, joints, and eyes. 

Chondroitin sulfate is usually derived from animal food sources such as bovine bone broths, soups, stews, and other dishes that contain connective tissues along with meat. It can also be prepared in the lab.  

Chondroitin sulfate properties and functions  

Studies suggest that chondroitin possesses several properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, anticoagulant, antimicrobial, as well as others, and acts as an essential component in a wide range of signaling molecules that can regulate nearly everything in the human body. It plays a key role in numerous bodily functions ranging from coagulation to tissue repair to cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation. It also has effects on immune responses and extracellular matrix (ECM) assembly which determines tissue-specific behaviors of a cell.  

Although the effects of chondroitin sulfate on joint inflammation and cartilages are extensively purported, in fact, it’s only a minor part of its true value, there are a lot more things in the body that are regulated by this endogenous substance and the skin is, obviously, one of them. 

One of the major functions that chondroitin sulfate offers is protection to cells and tissues from mechanical damage associated with regular wear and tear. Several bristle-like areas of chondroitin molecules contain a negative charge that can attract and hold molecules of water. Along with water molecules, chondroitin converts into a jelly-like semi-solid substance that possesses a noticeable shock absorption property. This can prevent external forces to hit cells and protect tissues and cells from being damaged.   

Let’s take a look at what benefits chondroitin offers specifically for the skin. 

Benefits of chondroitin sulfate for skin 

Chondroitin sulfate promotes skin health in many ways. It works wonders not only for improving the appearance of the skin but also can help with managing diverse skin conditions. 

Here are some of the common ways how chondroitin supports skin health:  

Anti-aging 

Chondroitin sulfate has a significant ability to influence the regeneration capacity of the skin and can reduce and reverse typical symptoms of aging such as wrinkles and sagging which is important for maintaining the youthful appearance of the skin.   

Chondroitin sulfate has tremendous antioxidant effects on the skin that can prevent and reduce oxidative damage in the skin caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unpaired oxygen-containing molecules that cause large chain reactions and damage cells, tissues, and even organs.  

A 2020 study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science revealed that chondroitin sulfate has the potential to facilitate cell regeneration of the skin and can be considered applied clinically to improve skin aging. 

Wound healing 

Chondroitin sulfate has been found to be effective in increasing the proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Keratinocytes are cells that cover the outermost layer of the skin. Chondroitin sulfate has also been found to be effective in inducing gene expression and synthesis of collagen as well. This way it can promote cell regeneration as well as wound healing. 

A 2013 study published in the American Chemical Society (ACS) Publications showed that sulfation variations of chondroitin sulfate chains can help promote neuronal regeneration at scar sites. 

Skin inflammation 

Chondroitin sulfate has an incredible ability to provoke a range of signaling molecules involved in recovering inflammation, injury, and tissue damage. Studies suggest that it influences gene expression that produces inflammatory cytokines and improves the body’s immune and inflammatory responses. 

A 2008 study in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage concluded that chondroitin 4 sulfate has the capacity to inhibit NF-kB (an important inflammation mediator) activation and support the production of inflammatory cytokines. 

In addition to the above benefits, chondroitin sulfate shows a strong water-binding ability that is comparable to hyaluronic acid, a famous skin moisturizer, implying its promising moisturizing effects on the skin. In another word, chondroitin sulfate is essential to building a healthy skin system. 

Final words 

The benefits of chondroitin sulfate for skin are huge which are necessarily not possible to explain them all in a single sitting. However, it has significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties that are essential for optimal skin health, especially for wound healing and cell regeneration. Chondroitin sulfate acts like a shock absorber and protects skin cells from external force.

Moreover, it can increase the proliferation of cells of the outermost layer of the skin, keratinocytes, and promotes wound healing and cell regeneration which can hugely help with managing symptoms of aging like wrinkles and sagging. 

If you want to give an extra love to your skin, you can definitely consider paying attention to dietary supplements that contain chondroitin sulfate as an active ingredient. But it makes sense to have a conversation with a certified dermatologist before putting chondroitin into your skincare regime.

Here you can see Vorst’s Advanced Joint Formula Capsules that contain considerable amount of chondroitin sulfate 

Important resources: 

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ics.12645#:~:text=Chondroitin%20sulphate%20treatment%20increased%20the,extracellular%20signal%2Dregulated%20kinase%20pathway.
2. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja4056728
3. https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(08)00118-0/fulltext
4. https://www.lifespan.io/topic/what-is-chondroitin-sulfate-and-what-are-its-effects/
5. https://www.truthinaging.com/ingredients/sodium-chondroitin-sulfate#:~:text=It%20is%20used%20as%20a,%2C%20according%20to%20CosmeticsCop.com.
6. https://www.xtend-life.com/blogs/supplement-ingredients/chondroitin-sulfate
7. https://procoal.co.uk/blogs/skin-school/sodium-chondroitin-sulfate#:~:text=Its%20main%20skin%20benefit%20is,outer%20surface%20of%20the%20skin.
8. https://incidecoder.com/ingredients/sodium-chondroitin-sulfate
9. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-744/chondroitin-sulfate
10. https://www.rxlist.com/chondroitin_sulfate/supplements.htm
11. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chondroitin#what-it-is
12. https://www.verywellhealth.com/chondroitin-information-189549#:~:text=Chondroitin%20sulfate%20may%20slow%20blood,caution%20in%20people%20with%20asthma.