Yung-Kai Lin¹, John Bao², Yung-Hsiang Lin^3,4, Shu-Ting Chan⁴ and Chi-Fu Chiang⁴*

¹Institute of Food Safety and Risk Management, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
²NYO3 INTERNATIONAL AS, China
³Institute of Medical Genetics, TCI GENE INC, Taipei, Taiwan
⁴Research and Design Center, TCI CO., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan

*Corresponding Author: Chi-Fu Chiang, Research and Design Center, TCI CO., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan.

Received: January 02, 2026; Published: January 16, 2026

Abstract

Iron plays an essential role in oxygen transport, energy metabolism, and collagen biosynthesis, contributing to both systemic health and skin vitality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the NYO3® Microencapsulated Lipid Iron Drink on iron absorption, collagen biosynthesis, and oxidative stress protection at the cellular level. Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells and CCD-966SK human dermal fibroblasts were used as in vitro models. Iron absorption efficiency was assessed through intracellular ferritin quantification using an ELISA assay, collagen metabolism was analyzed by real-time PCR for collagen- and matrix-related genes, and antioxidative capacity was evaluated by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) under H₂O₂-induced stress. The results demonstrated that the microencapsulated lipid iron formulation significantly enhanced cellular ferritin accumulation compared with conventional ferrous sulfate, indicating improved bioavailability. In dermal fibroblasts, NYO3 upregulated type I (COL1A1, COL1A2) and type IV (COL4A1, COL4A4, COL4A5) collagen gene expression, suppressed MMP-1 expression, and increased fibrillin-1 (FBN1), suggesting strengthened dermal structural integrity. Additionally, NYO3 markedly reduced intracellular ROS levels, confirming its antioxidative protection. Overall, these findings indicated that microencapsulated lipid iron technology effectively improved iron utilization and supported skin health, providing mechanistic evidence for its application as a next-generation “beauty-from-within” functional beverage.

Keywords: Microencapsulated Iron; Ferritin; Collagen Biosynthesis; Oxidative Stress

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Citation

Citation: Chi-Fu Chiang., et al. “Synergistic Effects of Microencapsulated Lipid Iron and Nutrient-Rich Botanical Extracts on Cellular Iron Absorption and Skin Health".Acta Scientific Nutritional Health 10.2 (2026): 25-32.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Chi-Fu Chiang., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.