Menopause-associated estrogen decline accelerates systemic and dermal aging through dysregulated extracellular matrix turnover and increased protein glycation, making circulating biomarkers a useful non-invasive monitoring tool. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 65 healthy postmenopausal women (45–70 years) received 250 mg/day olive leaf extract (OLE) or placebo for 12 weeks to assess effects on tissue aging and remodeling markers, with exploratory skin analyses in a subgroup. OLE supplementation showed a reduction in the glycation marker pentosidine and stabilization of elastin levels versus placebo, although these effects did not remain significant after correction for multiple testing, while collagen, hydroxyproline, MMP-2, and fasting glucose were unchanged. Exploratory dermal assessments revealed a significant reduction in pore number and surface skewness in the OLE group between weeks 6 and 12, with lower pore counts compared to placebo at week 12. Overall, while systemic aging biomarkers were largely unaffected, the observed trends and localized skin improvements suggest that OLE may modulate pathways linked to protein glycation and dermal structure, warranting further investigation in postmenopausal aging.
Source : https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1670194/full
