Limited evidenceJoints & skin

Sheep Placenta Extract

A popular anti-ageing supplement across parts of Asia. No trial has ever tested sheep placenta itself; the only placebo-controlled evidence uses placenta from pigs and horses and shows small skin effects.

Evidence last reviewed: August 2026

What the science says

Sheep placenta specifically Limited evidence
No randomized controlled trial of oral sheep placenta extract for skin, ageing or any other outcome is indexed in PubMed. Marketing claims rely on studies of placenta from other species and on unpublished company data.
Placenta extract from other species Limited evidence
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of porcine placenta extract and of equine placental extract in healthy adult women reported small improvements in skin hydration and appearance, and a 12-week trial of porcine placenta peptides reported similar findings. All were small, industry-associated and used different species and processing, so they do not validate sheep placenta products.
Mechanism Limited evidence
The proposed mechanism is delivery of growth factors, but orally ingested proteins are digested into amino acids and peptides before absorption. Any effect is more likely to come from small collagen-derived peptides than from intact growth factors.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseNo studied dose for sheep placenta. Trials of porcine and equine placenta extracts used roughly 100–400 mg/day of extract for 8–12 weeks.

SafetyAnimal-tissue products carry theoretical risks of pathogen and prion transmission and vary widely in sourcing and quality control. They may contain hormones from the source animal, which is a concern in hormone-sensitive conditions. Not suitable in pregnancy, breastfeeding or for children, and unacceptable to people avoiding animal products for religious or ethical reasons.

Scientific references

Effect of Porcine Placenta Extract Supplement on Skin Condition in Healthy Adult Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study
Nagae M, Nagata M, Teramoto M — Nutrients, 2020
Effects of oral administration of equine placental extract supplement on the facial skin of healthy adult women: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Nagae M, Nishio T, Ohnuki K — Health Sci Rep, 2022
Porcine placenta peptides as a complementary functional food for skin rejuvenation: A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Nguyen NH, Lee YI, Chau NH — Complement Ther Med, 2025

Where to buy

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