What is Healthy Longevity?
"Healthy longevity" does not simply mean living longer — it refers to the period of life during which a person can maintain independent, active living. In Japan, the gap between average lifespan and healthy lifespan is approximately 10 years, during which many people require care and medical support.
Dr.JAPAN's mission is to help people close this gap by scientifically supporting a longer period of vibrant, active life.
Reference
Dr. Hikaru Ishii's book "If Your Blood Vessels Stay Young, Your Healthy Lifespan Extends" (Gentosha Publishing) outlines practical approaches to extending healthy longevity.
What is ECM (Extracellular Matrix)?
The ECM is the structural scaffold surrounding cells throughout the body, essential for normal cellular function. It is composed of proteins including collagen, elastin, and fibronectin, and is present in virtually all tissues — skin, blood vessels, bones, joints, and more.
As ECM deteriorates with age, the following problems become more likely:
- Arterial stiffness and arteriosclerosis
- Joint wear and pain
- Skin sagging and wrinkles
- Changes in décolleté contour
- Increased risk of cancer cell metastasis
Dr. Ishii's research proceeds on the hypothesis that maintaining ECM integrity is the shared biological key to both healthy longevity and beauty.
Fish Skin vs. Fish Scale Collagen
Most commercial collagen products are derived from fish scales. However, scale-derived collagen undergoes acid extraction during processing, which compromises its structural activity and limits its effectiveness in ECM reinforcement (per Dr. Daizaburo Fujimoto, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology).
In contrast, collagen derived from natural cod fish skin is extracted via enzymatic processing, preserving its biological integrity and structural activity. Dr. Ishii holds a European patent (2011) for the use of this fish skin collagen in improving arterial health.
| Fish Skin Collagen (natural cod) | Fish Scale Collagen | |
|---|---|---|
| Extraction | Enzymatic (low damage) | Acid treatment (activity lost) |
| ECM Reinforcement | Expected | Unlikely |
| Raw Material Cost | Premium | Low cost |
| Used by Dr.JAPAN | ✓ | — |
The Role of Elastin
Elastin is another essential protein in the ECM. The Cooper's ligaments of the breast are particularly rich in elastin, and when ECM integrity is reinforced, it is believed to help prevent sagging and support a better-defined décolleté contour.
Dr.JAPAN selects elastin derived from naturally sourced bonito (skipjack tuna) arterial bulbs for use in its formulations.