The most prevalent protein in the body is collagen. Connective tissue is created using its structure, which resembles fibers. This type of tissue, which as its name suggests connects other tissues, is a crucial part of bone, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage. It aids in building supple, robust tissues that can endure stretching. In diet, collagen is only naturally present in connective tissue-containing animal flesh, such as meat and fish. Yet, a range of foods, both animal and plant-based, contain components for our systems to make collagen.
One term that frequently comes up when discussing how our skin ages naturally is “collagen”. But what is it exactly? All animals, including humans, naturally contain the protein collagen. It makes up around a third of the body’s entire supply of protein, making it the most prevalent kind in the body. Yet, collagen serves more purposes than merely giving skin a tighter appearance and feel. Additionally, it serves a plethora of other crucial functions all across the body. From your tendons to your gums, collagen protein makes up the majority of the hard and soft tissues in your body. In addition to blood vessels, corneas, and teeth, it is also present in bones, skin, and ligaments. The cartilage in our bones starts to deteriorate when our collagen levels drop, making this more obvious in the skin but also in other ways. After the age of 20, your skin produces 1% less collagen per year. As a result, your skin gets thinner and is more likely to wrinkle going forward.
How Does Collagen Work?
Scientists speculate that collagen’s ability to prevent wrinkles may be due to the fact that it breaks down into short chains of amino acids and peptides, albeit the precise molecular mechanisms are yet unknown. Amino acid and peptide fragments from collagen breakdown in the digestive tract are absorbed into the bloodstream. This then starts the body’s normal process of producing collagen for the skin. Your skin uses collagen as a kind of flexible scaffold to keep itself together, give it shape, and recover from damage. Moreover, it contributes to the health of the scalp, promoting thick, strong hair growth and preventing breaking and peeling of the nails. Chemically, collagen is composed of strong chains of amino acids that are tightly bonded to form a rope-like structure. The strength and plumpness of young, healthy skin are a result of these sturdy chains. As they develop, babies, kids, and teenagers create collagen at a rapid rate. Their skin is smooth and wrinkle-free in part due to this. Our bodies gradually stop producing collagen as we grow older, which is seen in symptoms like wrinkles, sagging skin, thinning hair, and weak, brittle nails.
Benefits of Taking Collagen
Growing medical research suggests that collagen may help prevent wrinkles from showing up. According to a 2014 study that was published in Clinical Interventions in Aging, after 60 days, 15% of people who took a liquid collagen beauty supplement with vitamins and minerals added had less face wrinkles and crow’s feet. The study also indicated that 32% experienced improvements in photo-ageing – ageing caused by sun exposure – and for 39%, skin dryness decreased too. German researchers discovered that people who took supplements containing hydrolyzed collagen saw improvements in skin elasticity and had a “statistically significant” impact on skin moisture and humidity levels. After using collagen supplements for 8 weeks, eye wrinkles were shown to be reduced by 20%, according to another study published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. After 12 weeks of ingesting oral collagen, more current research from 2019 that was published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology demonstrated considerable increases in skin hydration, suppleness, and density. Collagen is a component of cartilage, which is why it starts to deteriorate as we get older. Cartilage is the tissue that protects our joints. As a result, as we get older, we may be more susceptible to joint conditions like osteoarthritis. Collagen supplements have been shown in studies to encourage the body’s tissues to produce more cartilage. Also, a research by the Current Medical Research and Opinion discovered that 73 athletes had less joint pain when walking and resting after consuming 10g of collagen per day for 24 weeks.
It is believed that collagen can aid in boosting muscular mass and power. Collagen is a protein that makes approximately 1–10% of the muscle tissue in the human body. Collagen keeps muscles robust and functioning properly. Moreover, collagen supplements may promote the production of muscle proteins like creatine and may aid in muscle growth, according to studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition. If you want to gain muscular mass, collagen supplements might be helpful. But they shouldn’t be used in place of dietary protein (like meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and soya). A healthy, balanced diet should always come first because it will give you more energy. Collagen, which gives our bones their structure and keeps them strong, makes up the majority of their composition. Our bodies produce less collagen as we age, which results in reduced bone mass. Research compiled by Seminars in Arthritis & Rheumatism indicated that collagen supplements, as opposed to collagen before and after, may assist maintain a healthy bone mass. Collagen supplementation is thought to be able to help with the symptoms of arthritis and has also been demonstrated to be helpful in situations of joint pain and weakness. One of the many advantages of collagen for women is that it has been discovered to support healthy bone mineral density in older women. Although less well-known, collagen has equally amazing effects on hair and nails. One American study from 2014 suggested that oral collagen may have considerable advantages for hair and nails. 54 women between the ages of 26 and 68 received a daily oral supplement that contained collagen along with hyaluronic acid, peptides, and lipids. After 8 weeks, the results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in hair dullness, hair dryness, and nail softness, as well as a reduction in nail breaking and brittleness by about 80%. In a larger study that lasted 60 weeks, it was discovered that, compared to taking collagen before and after, 100% of individuals experienced improvement in their nail peeling, dry hair, and dull hair after just 9 months.
This content is available exclusively to Wellness Master Club Members
Join Wellness Master Club today
- Unlimited digital access to EXCLUSIVE Wellness Master Club articles
- Subscriber-only content and newsletters
- Special Promotions, Discounts, and Offers to our ShopWell Store
- PreSales Notifications on thousands of products
You can cancel at any time.
Annual Membership
Billed annually
Already a member?
