Updated: Nov 22
Educational summary by Dr. Srinivasa, Medical Advisor, and team. Based on Hseu Y.C. (2020), DOI 10.1155/2020/2576823. Educational only, no product endorsement.
Ergothioneine (EGT), is an amino acid found in small quantities in certain foods. Recently some interesting studies of its possible longevity benefits in humans have been done on skin. Here we will demystify an exciting research study on the relationship between EGT and skin aging.
Short Summary of Findings
Here is the TLDR on EGT if you are short on time;
UV light damages skin cells, contributing to wrinkles and loss of firmness over time. This is referred to as "oxidative stress". In laboratory studies on human skin cells, EGT helped maintain healthier cell function under UV-driven oxidative stress.
UV and Cell Damage: Ultra Violet light (UV) photons convert neutral molecules in skin cells into harmful "Reactive Oxygen Species" ROS, which attack the cell from within. This damage builds up, ageing skin cells. EGT was found to neutralize these attackers and reduce UV damage.
Collagen Defense Study: UV activates enzymes involved in collagen breakdown. In this cell study, EGT exposure was linked to lower activation of those collagen-degrading enzymes under UV stress.
Cell Defense Activation: EGT was found to trigger defense switch against UV internal to skin cells called "Nrf2". Nrf2 allows the cell to produce its own ROS neutralizing products, and scientists observed higher concentrations of these natural defenders in the cell study.
These findings suggest EGT may play a supportive role in skin’s healthy aging process.
Neutralized UV Cell Oxidative Damage
Skin is constantly exposed to sunlight. Ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths are high energy enough that they can turn molecules inside the cell into unstable "free radicals" or reactive oxygen species (ROS). If ROS build up faster than the cell can manage them, they can gradually damage cellular components.
In this longevity focused study, researchers exposed human skin cells to UV and found a sharp rise in ROS inside the cells. When the same cells were cultured with EGT, they showed significantly lower ROS buildup, indicating that EGT helped limit the oxidative stress caused by UV exposure. In simple terms: EGT helped maintain a healthier internal environment for skin cells under sunlight-related stress.
The key takeaway is that EGT provides cells antioxidant support which was found to help skin cells cope better with daily exposure to environmental stressors like sunlight.
Protected Collagen-Producing Fibroblasts
Fibroblasts are the cells responsible for making collagen, the protein that gives skin its firmness and structure. Unfortunately, when UV light penetrates fibroblasts it activates enzymes (like MMP-1) that break down collagen faster than the body can rebuild it. Over time, this imbalance contributes to visible signs of aging in sun-exposed skin.
In this laboratory study, researchers found that EGT inhibited activation of the collagen breakdown process, since cells cultured with EGT showed significantly reduced MMP-1 levels. Cells with EGT were found to have better collagen-supporting activity when exposed to UV as compared to those without EGT.
In plain language, healthy fibroblasts are essential for firmness and elasticity in skin, but UV degrades their collagen-supporting processes. In this cell study, EGT helped fibroblasts keep their collagen-supporting activity stronger under UVA stress.
Increased Natural Skin Cell Defense
Cells constantly work to protect themselves from internal stress. When UV radiation generates excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), it can overwhelm these defenses, leaving cells vulnerable to damage. One of the body’s key internal systems for managing this stress is a molecular “switch” called Nrf2, which activates genes that produce antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
In this laboratory study, researchers found that EGT triggered activation of the Nrf2 pathway in skin fibroblasts. As a result, antioxidant genes were expressed at higher levels, and one of the main self-protection molecules the cell can build from those genes called "glutathione" increased in concentration.
In plain language, EGT helped turn on the cells’ own internal defense system, boosting their ability to neutralize stress from UV exposure and maintain a healthier internal environment.
Conclusion
Healthy skin aging isn’t only about what we see in the mirror, it begins at the cellular level.
In this post, we explored new research into the role L-Ergothionine (EGT) could play in skin longevity.
While more human studies are needed, evidence from the research suggests EGT may help resilience of skin cells to UV damage by limiting oxidative damage, maintaining fibroblast activity, and strengthening the skin’s own antioxidant defenses.
Together, these findings highlight how understanding molecules like EGT can give us new insight into the science of skin longevity, and how small protective mechanisms within our cells can make a meaningful difference over the long term.
