Clinical trial finds postbiotic ingredient promotes facial skin elasticity in middle-aged healthy women

New clinical research has revealed that Kaneka Probiotics and AB-Biotics’ postbiotic Latilactobacillus sakei KABP-065 delivers skin health benefits for healthy women in their 30s and 40s. Skin elasticity and moisture were assessed using clinically validated dermatological methods, which revealed positive results for their postbiotic ingredient.

This is the first study to evaluate the ingredient’s effectiveness in healthy individuals, further highlighting L. sakei KABP-065’s potential for beauty-from-within applications.

The study found that, after daily supplementation with the heat-inactivated strain for five weeks, women receiving the postbiotic showed “significantly greater” improvements in facial skin elasticity and firmness compared to the placebo group. 

Effects were particularly notable in participants in their 40s, who also showed “statistically significant” improvements in skin moisture retention compared to baseline. 

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included a sample size of 50 healthy, middle-aged women aged 30-50 who had concerns about dry facial skin, but did not have any diagnosable dermatological condition. Participants received either heat-treated L. sakei KABP -065 (1 × 10^10 cells/day) or a placebo for eight weeks. 

Skin elasticity and moisture were assessed using clinically validated dermatological methods — such as cutometer readings, stratum corneum water content, and trans epidermal water loss — at baseline, five, and eight weeks.

Inside the gut-immune-skin axis 

A sub-analysis of the participants in their 40s revealed more pronounced effects of postbiotic supplementation. In this age group, participants receiving L. sakei KABP -065 saw “significant improvements” compared to baseline in all three elasticity parameters measured — skin recovery rate, net elasticity, and firmness — compared to placebo after five weeks of supplementation. 

The improvements in skin recovery rate and firmness also remained significant after eight weeks. Notably, in this subgroup, postbiotic supplementation was also linked with “significantly greater” increases in skin moisture after five weeks, with a similar trend observed at eight weeks.

Personal Care Insights speaks with Jordi Riera, chief business officer at Kaneka Probiotics, who tells us more about how the supplementation differs from traditional topical skin care treatment. 

“L. sakei KABP-065 supports skin health through the gut–immune–skin axis by interacting with host immune pathways and skin barrier function, rather than acting directly on the skin surface. Mechanistically, when consumed orally, the KABP-065 delivers cellular components that interact with the gut-associated immune system.”

These interactions have been shown in preclinical and clinical research to help modulate immune signaling molecules associated with skin balance, including reductions in markers that are linked to skin dryness, irritation, and barrier disruption, he flags. 

“This immune modulation is relevant because skin health is closely connected to systemic immune function. By supporting a more balanced immune response, the postbiotic helps maintain skin barrier integrity, which is critical for retaining moisture and supporting skin structure,” Riera explains.

Beneath the skin’s surface 

For Kaneka Probiotics and AB-Biotics, postbiotics such as L. sakei KABP-065 are starting to fit naturally into the beauty-from-within space because they address something consumers are increasingly aware of, which is that “skin isn’t just a surface issue,” says Riera. 

“For many middle-aged women, changes in moisture, elasticity, and overall skin quality are tied to internal factors like barrier function and immune balance, not just what’s applied topically.”

During the trial, effects were notable in participants in their 40s, who also showed statistically significant improvements in skin moisture retention compared to baseline.He believes what makes postbiotics interesting is that they offer “a stable, reliable way to support those internal pathways without the challenges of keeping probiotics alive, while still showing clinically relevant benefits like improved skin moisture and elasticity.”

Rather than replacing traditional skin care, they add another layer — one that supports skin from within and aligns well with how the category is moving toward more holistic, wellness-driven solutions, he adds. 

The appeal of heat-inactivated postbiotics 

From Riera’s point of view, heat-inactivated postbiotics are “particularly attractive to formulators because they combine clinical relevance with significantly improved formulation flexibility and stability.”

He adds: “Unlike traditional probiotics, they do not require maintaining live cell viability, which removes constraints around moisture, heat, oxygen exposure, and shelf life degradation — key challenges in beauty-from-within formats such as capsules, powders, and functional foods.”

This allows formulators to develop more robust, scalable, and versatile products without compromising on efficacy, while also enabling integration into modern delivery formats and combination formulations that would otherwise be difficult with live strains.

Next steps in beauty-from-within

With this initial positive data, the next step for Kaneka Probiotics and AB-Biotics is to build on the beauty-from-within positioning by expanding into larger studies in populations that further evaluate skin-related endpoints over longer durations. 

“These findings highlight the potential of L. sakei KABP-065, marketed as L. sakei proBio65, to support women navigating age-related skin changes through oral supplementation,” shares Riera. 

“Future trials can be designed to confirm and extend findings around skin moisture and elasticity, while incorporating additional objective measures of skin health such as barrier function, skin texture, and overall appearance,” comments Riera. “The goal is to continue developing a more complete picture of how L. sakei KABP-065 supports skin health across life stages, while generating clinically relevant data that aligns with the beauty-from-within category.

“Previous research has demonstrated this strain’s efficacy in atopic dermatitis, where it works via the gut-immune-skin axis to modulate specific immune responses affecting skin barrier function. In healthy individuals with normal immune function, we would expect more subtle effects. So, it’s deeply encouraging that researchers observed significant improvements in skin elasticity and, in participants in their 40s, skin moisture,” he concludes.