A new clinical study found that a postbiotic marketed by Kaneka Probiotics and AB-Biotics as KABP-065 supported skin health benefits in a population of healthy women in their thirties and forties. The findings were published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

After supplementing with the postbiotic for 5 weeks, women experienced significantly greater improvements in facial skin elasticity and firmness than the placebo group.

Effects were more pronounced in participants who were in their forties, who also showed significant improvements in skin moisture retention compared to baseline. Previous research found that the strain was associated with improvements in atopic dermatitis.  

Study Details

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 50 healthy women between the ages of 30 and 50, who reported concerns about dry skin on their face at baseline, but had a physician confirm that they didn’t have a diagnosable skin condition.

They received either L. sakei KABP-065 or a placebo for eight weeks. Skin elasticity and moisture were assessed using clinically validated dermatological methods, including cutometer readings, stratum corneum water content, and transepidermal water loss at baseline and at 5 and 8 weeks.

A sub-analysis of participants in their forties found more pronounced effects. They saw significant improvements in all three elasticity parameters measured – skin recovery rate, net elasticity, and firmness – after 5 weeks compared to placebo. These improvements remained significant by week 8. This subgroup also saw significantly greater increases in skin moisture after five weeks, with a similar trend observed after eight weeks.

“These findings highlight the potential of L. sakei KABP-065, marketed as L. sakei proBio65, to support women navigating age-related skin challenges through oral supplementation,” said Jordi Riera, chief business officer at Kaneka Probiotics. “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 forties, skin moisture.”

“As a heat-treated postbiotic, the strain also offers stability advantages for formulators, making it an attractive ingredient to unlock opportunities in the growing beauty-from-within market,” said Jordi Espadaler-Mazo, director of innovation at AB-Biotics. “These are very promising results from an exploratory study, and we’re excited to continue driving the science forward with larger trials, diving deeper into this strain’s potential in healthy skin aging, and pioneering products that support the gut-brain-skin axis.”