A Pilot Study of Salmon Protein Hydrolysate (ProGo®) Supplementation to Assess Its Impact on Hematologic, Integumentary and Metabolic Health

Background: Healthy ageing depends on the maintenance of several interconnected biological processes including adequate oxygen-carrying capacity, control of systemic inflammation, and preservation of lean body mass. ProGo® is a salmon protein hydrolysate (SPH) with prior evidence of benefits on iron metabolism, inflammation, and metabolic health. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, active-controlled pilot study examined whether 56 days of daily ProGo® supplementation could enhance key biological drivers of healthy ageing in overweight adults, compared with an iso-nitrogenous whey protein isolate (WPI). Primary outcomes were hematological parameters and a composite integumentary (hair, nail, and skin) score, assessed with Holm–Bonferroni multiplicity adjustment. Secondary outcomes included change in body composition, inflammatory biomarkers and glucose metabolism. Results: ProGo® showed significant improvements in hemoglobin, RBC count, and ferritin, and in the integumentary composite score. Secondary analyses showed reductions in percent body fat and BMI, with preservation of lean body mass (LBM), alongside reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines, HbA1c, and fasting blood glucose. WPI had minimal impact on any of these outcomes. Conclusions: ProGo® supplementation improved multiple key biological drivers of healthy ageing: erythropoietic function, systemic inflammation, glycemic control, and body composition. These findings are consistent with a bioactive rather than a purely nutritional effect and are hypothesis-generating with respect to a multi-domain profile relevant to healthy ageing and the maintenance of intrinsic capacity. Confirmation in larger studies is warranted.