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Research · Supplements

Oral ceramides

A meta-analysis of randomized trials found oral ceramides raised skin hydration and lowered water loss through the skin against placebo. Small trials of wheat polar lipids report fewer wrinkles and more elasticity, not present 8 weeks after stopping. One trial found less hair shedding. Trials reported no product-related adverse events. Most trials were small and short.

Add to Bio HackChecked 2026-11-12
Status
Dietary supplement in the US. Not approved by the FDA as a drug for any use.
Also called
phytoceramides, plant ceramides, dietary ceramides, glucosylceramide, glycosylceramide, wheat polar lipid complex, wheat extract oil, wheat ceramides, Ceramosides, konjac ceramide, konjac glucosylceramide, Amorphophallus konjac, rice ceramide, wine lees ceramide
Taken for
dry skin, skin hydration, skin barrier, skin aging, wrinkles, skin elasticity, eczema, atopic dermatitis, hair loss, hair shedding

Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on

Shown to help4

Reported risks0

No risks sourced yet.

What people take it for, and what was found

Shown to help4

Moderate

Dry skin, hydration and water loss through the skin

Shown to raise skin hydration and lower water loss through the skin against placebo in healthy adults and women with dry skin.

The numbers and sources
Effect
A meta-analysis of 66 randomized trials of oral supplements found that oral ceramide raised skin hydration and lowered transepidermal water loss (TEWL) against placebo [1]. In 72 women with dry, wrinkled skin, a wheat polar lipid complex for 56 days raised hydration and lowered TEWL from day 14 against placebo [2]. In 51 women with dry to very dry skin, 350 mg of wheat extract oil a day for 3 months raised skin hydration on the arms (P < 0.001) and legs (P 0.012) against placebo [3]. In 64 women aged 45 to 60, wheat extract oil for 12 weeks improved facial hydration, and leg hydration from week 4 [4]. Wine lees ceramides for 12 weeks lowered TEWL against placebo (P 0.04) [5]. In a crossover trial in 17 volunteers, 1.8 mg a day of torula yeast glucosylceramide for 4 weeks changed forearm TEWL by -1.26 g/m²·h against -0.97 on placebo (P 0.01) [6]. A food with acetic acid bacteria containing 0.8 mg of dihydroceramide improved stratum corneum hydration over 12 weeks against placebo [7]. In 51 healthy volunteers, a konjac extract with 5 mg glycosylceramides a day for 6 weeks lowered dermatologist-scored dryness, redness and itching (P < 0.05) [8].
Population
Healthy adults in RCTs published January 2000 to November 2021 [1]; women with dry skin [2][3]; healthy women aged 45 to 60 [4]; 30 healthy Japanese adults aged 20 to 64, 29 analyzed [5]; healthy volunteers [6][7][8].
Sources
[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]
Caveats
The meta-analysis abstract gives the direction of the ceramide effect without effect sizes [1]. The trials used different ceramide sources and doses. In the wine lees trial, hydration, itch and quality of life did not differ from placebo, and the authors were employees of the sponsor, Pharma Foods International [5]. All authors of the konjac trial had financial support from Vidya Herbs Pvt. Ltd. [8]. The 2011 abstract names Hitex as the developer of the wheat extract [3]. No controlled trial of rice ceramides was located.
LimitedStudied in women

Wrinkles, roughness and elasticity

Small trials of wheat polar lipids found less wrinkle depth and roughness than placebo in women, with gains gone 56 days after stopping.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 72 women with dry, wrinkled skin, a wheat polar lipid complex as oil or powder for 56 days increased smoothness and elasticity and decreased roughness and wrinkle depth from day 14 against placebo, including in postmenopausal women. None of these changes remained 56 days after supplementation stopped [2]. In 64 women aged 45 to 60, wheat extract oil for 12 weeks lowered the crow's-feet wrinkle score by 1 grade at week 12 against placebo, and improved roughness and radiance from week 0 to week 8 [4].
Population
72 women in three groups of 24, each with at least 10 postmenopausal women [2]; 64 healthy women aged 45 to 60 [4].
Sources
[2], [4]
Caveats
Both trials tested wheat polar lipids. The 2024 abstract gives no effect sizes [2]. The 2019 trial's funding record names Robertet Group [4].
Limited

Hair shedding

One trial found less hair shedding and more growing-phase hair than placebo in women with acute telogen effluvium on a wheat polar lipid complex.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 99 women with acute telogen effluvium, a wheat polar lipid complex as oil or powder lowered telogen hair density by up to 26.9% and 24.2% and raised anagen hair density by up to 10.3% and 10.8%, significant against placebo by day 56. The anagen to telogen ratio rose by up to 62.2% and 53.3%, and hair growth increased [9]. A meta-analysis of 14 studies (967 participants) of eight commercial hair supplements, Ceramosides among them, found lower telogen density (MD -5.91, 95% CI -6.74 to -5.08) and higher anagen density (MD 10.48, 95% CI 8.81 to 12.14) against placebo. Total hair count did not differ significantly (P 0.06) [10].
Population
99 healthy women with acute telogen effluvium, over 56 to 84 days [9]; adults with alopecia or hair thinning [10].
Sources
[9], [10]
Caveats
One trial of one product, sharing authors with the 2024 skin trial [2][9]. The meta-analysis pooled different products, so it does not isolate ceramides, and its authors call for more independent research [10].
LimitedStudied in children

Atopic dermatitis in children

One small 2-week trial found lower severity scores and dust mite skin responses in children with atopic dermatitis on konjac ceramide.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 50 children with moderate atopic dermatitis and dust mite allergy, 1.8 mg a day of konjac ceramide for 2 weeks lowered the SCORAD severity score and skin prick responses to dust mite. These did not change in the control group, which took milk sugar [11].
Population
Two groups of 25 children [11].
Sources
[11]
Caveats
One small 2-week trial. The abstract reports within-group changes and does not describe randomization [11].

Doses studied

Trials used 350 mg of wheat extract oil a day for 3 months [3], 1.8 mg of torula yeast glucosylceramide a day for 4 weeks [6], 0.8 mg of dihydroceramide a day for 12 weeks [7], 100 mg of konjac extract with 5 mg glycosylceramides a day for 6 weeks [8], and 1.8 mg of konjac ceramide a day for 2 weeks in children [11]. The wheat polar lipid complex trials used oil or powder forms for 56 days [2] and 56 to 84 days [9].

Risks

Checked, no increase found1

Moderate

Adverse events in trials

Small trials reported no adverse events or safety concerns over weeks to months of oral ceramide supplements.

The numbers and sources
Effect
No adverse events or toxic changes were recorded with konjac extract over 6 weeks [8]. No adverse events related to wine lees ceramides were reported over 12 weeks [5]. No harmful effects were seen with acetic acid bacteria ceramide over 12 weeks [7]. Wheat extract oil capsules were well tolerated over 3 months [3]. The 2022 meta-analysis reported no safety concerns for any supplement studied, in trials usually of 24 weeks or less [1].
Population
Trial participants [1][3][5][7][8].
Sources
[8], [5], [7], [3], [1]
Caveats
Trials were small and lasted weeks to months.

Claims tested and not found

  1. That oral ceramides improve dermatologist-scored dryness and redness. In women with dry skin, dermatological scores did not differ between wheat extract oil and placebo after 3 months [3].
  2. That skin effects last after stopping. Hydration, elasticity and wrinkle changes were not maintained 56 days after supplementation ended [2].

Sources

  1. Sun Q, Wu J, Qian G, Cheng H. Effectiveness of Dietary Supplement for Skin Moisturizing in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.895192
  2. Kern C, Dudonné S, Garcia C. Dietary supplementation with a wheat polar lipid complex improves skin conditions in women with dry skin and mild-to-moderate skin aging. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.16130
  3. Guillou S, Ghabri S, Jannot C, et al. The moisturizing effect of a wheat extract food supplement on women's skin: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2494.2010.00600.x
  4. Boisnic S, Keophiphath M, Serandour AL, et al. Polar lipids from wheat extract oil improve skin damages induced by aging: Evidence from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial in women and an ex vivo study on human skin explant. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.12967
  5. Sanjaya A, Ishida A, Li X, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Oral Administration of Wine Lees Extract (WLE)-Derived Ceramides and Glucosylceramides in Enhancing Skin Barrier Function: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16132100
  6. Fukunaga S, Wada S, Sato T, et al. Effect of Torula Yeast (Candida utilis)-Derived Glucosylceramide on Skin Dryness and Other Skin Conditions in Winter. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. 2018. https://doi.org/10.3177/jnsv.64.265
  7. Tsuchiya Y, Ban M, Kishi M, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Oral Intake of Ceramide-Containing Acetic Acid Bacteria for Improving the Stratum Corneum Hydration: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study over 12 Weeks. Journal of Oleo Science. 2020. https://doi.org/10.5650/jos.ess20115
  8. Heggar Venkataramana S, Puttaswamy N, Kodimule S. Potential benefits of oral administration of Amorphophallus konjac glycosylceramides on skin health - a randomized clinical study. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2721-3
  9. Nobile V, Dudonné S, Kern C, et al. Recovery Effects of Oral Supplementation with Polar Lipid-Rich Wheat Extracts on Acute Telogen Effluvium: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2025. https://doi.org/10.2147/ccid.s521215
  10. Alanazi R, Alshammari S, Aldossari K, et al. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Commercial Oral Supplements for Hair Growth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70817
  11. Kimata H. Improvement of atopic dermatitis and reduction of skin allergic responses by oral intake of konjac ceramide. Pediatric Dermatology. 2006. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1470.2006.00268.x

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