Although topical solutions are most common for skin health, Gnosis by Lesaffre highlights active folate as a “revolutionary ingredient” in next-generation beauty supplements to combat photoaging at the cellular level.
In an upcoming webinar, “Innovating Skin Supplements: New Folate Evidence for Beauty-From-Within,” the company will highlight the latest study results on folate’s biological roles in DNA synthesis and repair, methylation processes, and antioxidant defenses, all linked to skin resilience and longevity.
Ahead of the webinar, Nutrition Insight meets with Stefania Sala, senior product manager at Gnosis by Lesaffre, to discuss the emerging role of active folate in supporting skin health from within.
Registration for the free webinar on April 15, at 4:00 PM CEST, is now open.
Sala tells us that the webinar will highlight the health and skin benefits of active folate, particularly its potential to support skin cell regeneration and repair. “Scientific evidence suggests that active folate plays an important role in cellular renewal, which is essential for maintaining healthy skin.”
“During the webinar, we aim to provide valuable insights for formulators and marketing professionals, encouraging them to start considering active folate as a key functional ingredient in next-generation skin health and beauty-from-within products.”
She explains that active folate may help counteract the skin-aging effects of environmental stressors, such as UV radiation, by supporting the natural regeneration of skin cells.
“Overall, the webinar will explore how this ingredient can open new opportunities for innovation in the nutricosmetics and skin health space.”
Folate and skin health
Sala explains that folate helps skin cells to make new DNA, repair damage, and maintain the methylation processes that regulate healthy cell function. “This is especially important for dermal fibroblasts, the cells that help maintain skin structure and support repair.”
Sala says that active folate may help counteract the skin-aging effects of environmental stressors, such as UV radiation, by supporting skin cells’ natural regeneration.She highlights that a recent study conducted at the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy, has highlighted the promising role of active folate in protecting the skin from photoaging and supporting overall skin health.
Luca Tiano, a professor at this university, will present the mechanisms and benefits of Gnosis by Lesaffre’s active folate, Quatrefolic, in the upcoming webinar.
The recent study used an in vitro model of human dermal fibroblasts to test the effects of active folate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate or 5-MTHF) on the skin’s regenerative and anti-photoaging capacity.
“In our fibroblast model, 5-MTHF was taken up by the cells, UVA stress depleted intracellular folate, and restoring it improved cell viability and wound closure,” details Sala. “That makes folate interesting for skin supplements because it moves the conversation from generic beauty support to a more mechanistic, inside-out support for skin resilience.”
Moreover, she explains that as a bioactive form, 5-MTHF is immediately available to the body, unlike folic acid, which must be metabolically activated.
DNA repair
According to Sala, folate feeds a one-carbon metabolism. This pathway provides the building blocks for DNA synthesis and repair and supports methylation and redox defense.
“This matters because UVA exposure increases oxidative stress, and human skin folate levels can be reduced by UV exposure,” she explains. “When folate availability is maintained, cells are better equipped to preserve genomic stability, recover from stress, and sustain renewal processes.”
An in vitro model of human dermal fibroblasts revealed that restoring intracellular folate improved cell viability and wound closure.“In practical terms, this can translate into better cellular vitality, better stress resistance, and stronger support for healthy-looking, more resilient skin.”
Earlier this year, Nutrition Insight also discussed how one-carbon metabolism influences brain function with Dr. Andrea Fuso, a neuroepigenetics professor at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, and long-term research partner of Gnosis by Lesaffre.
Beauty-from-within
Innova Market Insights data highlight ongoing growth in skin health and beauty supplement launches. A 2025 survey by a market researcher found that 28% of global consumers take supplements to maintain and improve their physical appearance.
“With the growing popularity of nutricosmetics, the beauty industry is increasingly shifting toward a ‘beauty-from-within’ approach, where skin health is supported not only by topical products but also through targeted nutritional solutions,” notes Sala.
“In this context, active folate is gaining attention for its role in fundamental cellular processes, including DNA synthesis, cell division, and tissue regeneration. These processes are particularly important for the skin, which constantly renews itself and is frequently exposed to environmental stressors like UV radiation.”
Sala reiterates that by supporting skin cell renewal and cellular repair mechanisms, active folate may help maintain healthier skin from within and help protect skin cells from oxidative stress associated with photoaging.
“For companies and formulators, this opens new opportunities to position active folate as a science-backed ingredient in next-generation nutricosmetic solutions, addressing consumer demand for holistic, preventive approaches to skin health and longevity,” she concludes.
