Authors
Houriah Y Nukaly, Ibrahim R Halawani, H M Irtaza, Talah Alturkistani, Mohammed Rehab Serafi, Waseem Alhawsawi, Hassan Omar Bogari, Ferdous A Ahmed, Yara Alhaddad, Asem Shadid, Ruaa Alharithy, Abdulhadi Jfri
Published in
Frontiers in medicine. Volume 13. Pages 1618306. Epub Mar 17, 2026.
Abstract
Skin aging manifests as wrinkles, reduced elasticity, and roughness due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Peptide-based therapies enhance collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix integrity. This systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) evaluates the efficacy and safety of oral and topical peptides in improving hydration, elasticity, wrinkles, and brightness.
A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing peptide effects on skin aging parameters were included. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2) assessed study quality. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model in RStudio (R version 4.1.1).
Nineteen RCTs involving 1,341 participants were analyzed. Peptides, particularly oral formulations, significantly improved hydration and brightness, with a modest pooled effect on wrinkle reduction (MD = 0.27, p = 0.04). Subgroup analysis indicated that this benefit was largely driven by oral polypeptides (MD = 1.5, p = 0.01). While effects on elasticity and density were inconsistent, peptides were well tolerated, with minimal adverse events reported across trials. Overall, peptides appear to be safe, non-invasive anti-aging agents, though larger RCTs with standardized outcomes and histopathologic assessment are warranted.
identifier CRD420250652779.
PMID:
41924746
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Apr 2026.
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