Ferulic acid(also known as Trans-Ferulic Acid) is an antioxidant found in the cell walls of plants, where it plays a key role in the plants’ protection and self-preservation and is used in anti-aging skin care products but also has been investigated for its potential benefits for endurance in athletic performance.
It’s naturally found in a variety of foods, including Apple, seeds, Barley, Bran, coffee, Citrus fruits, Corn, Eggplant, Flaxseed, bread, Navy beans, Oatmeal, Popcorn, artichokes, Rice, Rice bran oil, and Rye bread. The ferulic acid found in supplements is generally derived from cereal grains.
Ferulic acid can also be found in high concentrations in certain herbal products used in traditional Chinese medicine, including dong quai (Angelica sinesis), sheng ma (Cimicifuga heracleifolia), and chuan xiong (Ligusticum chuangxiong).Ferulic acid has garnered a lot of interest since It is thought to protect against sun damage, as well as assisting in skin’s regeneration functions to tackle skin that has already been over-exposed. In addition it has the benefit of working well alongside other antioxidants, enhancing the stability and the efficacy of vitamins C and E.
There’s a possibility of developing an allergic reaction to ferulic acid. This is due to the ingredient it’s derived from. For example, if you have an allergy to bran, then you might be sensitive to ferulic acid derived from this plant source.
You should stop using any product containing ferulic acid if you develop any side effects like redness, rash, hives, itchiness, and skin peeling.
If you have very sensitive skin you may have a negative reaction to with ferulic acid, but overall it is a safe ingredient for most skin types.
Ferulic acid can also be taken by mouth as a dietary supplement, which alternative medicine practitioners believe can prevent or treat high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases influenced by oxidative stress.
What is ferulic acid used for?
Ferulic acid is available in both supplemental form and as part of anti-aging serums. It’s primarily used to fight off free radicals, which play a role in age-related skin issues, including age spots and wrinkles.
Ferulic acid is less commonly taken as an oral supplement but is believed by some to enhance athletic performance and slow the aging process.
Ferulic acid is also used for food preservation. Additionally, it’s sometimes used by the pharmaceutical industry in some medications.
In addition, ferulic acid is sometimes used to prevent or treat certain health conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Atherosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”), Cancer, High cholesterol, Hypertension (high blood pressure), Diabetes, Menopause symptoms, and Osteoporosis.
Ferulic acid may help lower blood pressure, suggests a 2013 study in Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology. According to the investigators, hypertensive rats treated with ferulic acid for eight weeks experienced a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure, along with improved blood flow to the kidneys and reduced stiffness in the left ventricle in the heart (where blood is pumped to the body through the aorta).
Despite the positive finding, it is unclear if the same effect can be achieved in humans. Moreover, it is unknown if the dose used in rats (50 milligrams per kilogram, mg/kg) would be safe in humans given that a 150-pound man would need to take no less than 3,400 mg per day.
Ferulic acid may provide better control of diabetes by alleviating inflammation in the pancreas (where insulin is produced) and the liver (where blood sugars are stored).
According to a 2012 study in the European Journal of Pharmacology, the combination of ferulic acid and resveratrol (another plant-based antioxidant) increased the activity of a compound known as nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) in mice. Among its many functions, NF-kB plays a critical role in cellular inflammation. By reducing inflammation in the liver and pancreas, the scientists concluded that the combined agents have distinct anti-diabetic properties.
Despite the positive results, it is unclear how effective ferulic acid is on its own, and if and how these effects might translate to actual decreases in blood glucose levels in humans. More research is needed.
Similar studies have suggested that ferulic acid may improve glucose tolerance in people on the anti-diabetes drug metformin.
Ferulic acid was orally administered to mice in order to investigate its effects on exercise endurance capacity. When a single administration of ferulic acid was given to the mice in an adjustable-current water pool, the duration of exhaustive swimming was longer than that exhibited by the mice in the control group. Also, when the mice were exhaustively exercised for 3 consecutive days, no change in swimming time was found in the ferulic acid-administered group on the final day, and a large decrease in the untreated mice. Administration of ferulic acid efficiently activated the hepatic antioxidative defense system during exercise.
What are the benefits of ferulic acid for skin?
In skin serums, ferulic acid tends to work well with other antioxidant ingredients, especially vitamin C.
Vitamin C is a common ingredient in many anti-aging skin care products. But vitamin C isn’t very shelf-stable on its own. It degrades quickly, especially when exposed to sunlight. That’s why vitamin C serums usually come in opaque or amber-colored bottles.
Ferulic acid is thought to help stabilize vitamin C while also increasing its photoprotection. Photoprotection refers to something’s ability to minimize sun damage.
A 2005 study suggests that ferulic acid has the potential to offer twice the amount of photoprotection when combined with vitamins C and E.
The study’s authors also note that such antioxidant combinations could reduce someone’s risk of future photoaging and, possibly, skin cancer. But these effects aren’t fully understood yet.