A new clinical trial suggests that pomegranate extract may improve skin hydration and elasticity by interacting with beneficial gut bacteria, although researchers caution that the preliminary findings require confirmation in larger studies.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A daily pomegranate extract supplement may improve certain measures of skin health, including elasticity and hydration, according to a new clinical study examining the relationship between plant compounds, intestinal bacteria and visible signs of skin aging.
The research, published Oct. 13, 2026, in the journal Scientific Reports, examined 64 women between ages 30 and 65 who received either pomegranate extract or a placebo for 12 weeks. Researchers observed improvements in selected skin measurements among supplement users, along with changes in bacteria found in the digestive tract and on the skin.
The findings offer preliminary evidence supporting the gut-skin axis, a biological relationship in which intestinal microorganisms may influence skin health through metabolism, immune signaling and inflammatory processes.
Researchers conducted the randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial at the Eurecat Nutrition and Health Unit in Reus, Spain. The study was carried out between June 2023 and March 2024, with its findings published this month.
Participants received either 367 milligrams or 700 milligrams of Pomanox P30, a standardized pomegranate extract containing compounds called punicalagins, or an inactive placebo.
The researchers evaluated facial pigmentation, hydration, elasticity and other skin characteristics. They also collected blood, urine, stool and facial skin samples to investigate potential biological mechanisms.
The most notable improvements involved hydration and elasticity.
Women taking the 367-milligram dose showed better hydration outcomes than those receiving placebo after 12 weeks. In exploratory analyses, the difference in percentage change between the groups was approximately 23.9 percentage points.
Elasticity also increased from baseline in both supplement groups, although the results were less conclusive when directly compared with placebo.
Among participants capable of producing a pomegranate-derived metabolite known as urolithin A, the 700-milligram group demonstrated a 12.2% greater improvement in elasticity than the placebo group. That comparison reached statistical significance but was based on an exploratory analysis excluding two participants who did not produce the metabolite.
Urolithin A is central to the proposed biological explanation.
Pomegranates contain polyphenols known as ellagitannins, which are converted into smaller compounds during digestion. Certain intestinal bacteria can further process these compounds into urolithins, including urolithin A.
These metabolites can be absorbed and may influence cellular processes associated with inflammation, metabolism and tissue maintenance.
In the study, urinary measurements of urolithin A-related metabolites increased in women taking pomegranate extract, indicating that their bodies were processing the supplement’s active compounds.
Researchers also identified differences in skin elasticity associated with the ability to produce these metabolites.
However, the findings do not establish that urolithin A directly caused the observed improvements. Further research would be necessary to determine whether the metabolite is responsible or whether other compounds contribute.
The researchers also examined changes in participants’ skin and intestinal microbiomes.
On facial skin, supplementation was associated with increases in bacterial groups including Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Some members of these groups have been investigated for their potential roles in maintaining healthy microbial environments and supporting protective skin functions.
In the digestive tract, both pomegranate doses were associated with increases in Prevotella, a group of bacteria often linked to dietary fiber fermentation.
The lower dose also produced an exploratory increase in Akkermansia, a bacterial genus studied for its relationship with the intestinal mucus barrier and metabolic health.
These changes provide clues about how pomegranate compounds might interact with microorganisms throughout the body.
Nevertheless, the researchers emphasized that the microbiome results were preliminary. Differences involving individual bacterial groups did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons, and the study found no significant changes in overall microbial diversity.
The findings therefore cannot establish that pomegranate extract produces clinically meaningful improvements in microbiome health.
The trial’s original primary objective was also not achieved.
Researchers had designed the study primarily to determine whether pomegranate extract could reduce pigmentation in dark spots on the face.
Although some supplementary analyses found improvements among women receiving the 367-milligram dose, the primary statistical comparison did not reach significance, with a reported P value of 0.158.
All three groups, including those receiving placebo, experienced some reduction in pigmentation during the study.
The researchers suggested that reduced sunlight exposure during the autumn and winter months may have contributed to those changes.
The study also found no significant changes in blood biomarkers associated with collagen production or breakdown, meaning the findings do not demonstrate that the supplement stimulated new collagen synthesis.
Another observation involved differences between the two doses.
The lower 367-milligram dose produced several favorable exploratory results, including improved hydration, while the higher 700-milligram dose did not consistently outperform it.
That pattern suggests that increasing the quantity of a plant extract does not necessarily produce proportionally greater effects.
Both formulations were generally well tolerated during the study. Nine participants reported adverse events across the three groups, most of which were mild. Some events, including itchy skin and back pimples, were classified as moderate.
The results have several important limitations.
The trial was conducted at one research center, involved a relatively small number of participants and included only women with certain skin pigmentation characteristics. The 12-week duration also limits conclusions about long-term effectiveness or safety.
Furthermore, the investigators examined numerous secondary outcomes, increasing the possibility that some statistically significant findings occurred by chance.
The tested extract was a specific standardized formulation, so the results cannot automatically be applied to pomegranate juice, whole fruit or other commercially available supplements.
The research adds to scientific interest in the potential relationship between diet, intestinal microorganisms and skin health.
Polyphenol-rich foods, including berries, tea, cocoa and pomegranates, contain compounds that interact with the gut microbiome. Researchers are increasingly studying whether the metabolites produced through those interactions can influence processes elsewhere in the body.
However, evidence of a biological connection does not establish that consuming a particular supplement will produce noticeable cosmetic benefits.
Pomegranate extract also should not be considered a replacement for established skin protection measures, including appropriate sun protection.
The new trial offers promising but limited evidence that pomegranate-derived compounds may influence hydration, elasticity and certain microbial populations.
Its central finding is that the supplement failed to significantly improve the study’s primary pigmentation outcome, while secondary measurements revealed possible benefits worth investigating.
Larger, independently replicated trials will be needed to determine whether those effects are consistent, clinically meaningful and directly connected to the gut microbiome.
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