What’s the excitment about collagen supplements lately? You may have noticed ads with aging yet youthful looking celebrities pushing collagen drinks, supplements and topicals, but does it work? Does ingesting collagen really help replace what we lose in the aging process? Let’s dive a litter deeper into this popular anti-aging ingredient and how it works.
Why we need Collagen?
You know your skin better than any one else, You have seen it through adolecence, young adulthood and the year that follow. With each year you may have noticed changes in skin texture, appearance. firmness, etc. You may be doing all right skin care practices with SPF, occasional peels, micro-channeling, Microcurrent, serum, etc. All of this does a wonderful job of treating your skin on the outside and many of these treatments will work inside as well. Yet still you may notice things don’t look as plump and firm as they once did. So what is it that makes the skinlook and feel young? Collagen of course! It makes up 75% of the skin and 1/3 of the protein in the entire body. Our bodies make collagen by combing different amino acids from protein found in food. Which is why diet is such a big part of skin care.
Types of Collagen
There are about 28 types of collagen in our bodies. Type I, II, III, IV and V make up the majority. Each type does something a little different for our skin and bodies..
Type I
Type I collage makes up about 90% of the collagen in our bodies. Almost all tissure contains Type I, including tendons, bones, cartilage, connective tissues and it is most prevalant in the skin. This type of collage is packed with fibers wound into a triple-helix structure that forms this type of collagen. It has amazing elasticity and strength. Sadly, Type I degrades over time and it is most noticed in the skins appearance with the fine lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity becoming more prevalant.
Type II. Type II collagen is primarily in cartilage. It is also in a triple helix structure and has more loosely packed fivers. Type II provides cushion in the cartilage for your bones and joints.
Type III.
Type III collagen, is often found alongside Type I. It makes up muscles, organs and arteries as well as some connective tissue in the liver, spleen, blood vessels and internal organs including the uters. This type is very abundant in our skin and it helps with hydration and creates plumpness within the dermis layer of skin.
Type IV Collage resembles a web-like structure forming our loose supportive fasica and netting. This makes up the thin layer outside the cells, giving structure.
Type V Collagen helps with keratin cell surface in our nails and hair. It is also needed to form the cells that create a pregnant woman’s placenta or baby’s life support within the womb.
How the Use Collagen
The list of uses and needs for collagen in our bodies is endless. It is vital for blood clotting, wound healing and protecting the nervous system. Overtime and with lifestyles choices we eventually lose 1% of collagen network by the time we get to 40! Lifstyle choices the have the biggest effect on aging, such as lack of exercise, poor diet, smoking, alcohol intake, sugar intake and excessive sun exposure. All of this greatly reduces the protein levels. So how much collagen should you be taking and what is the best source to replenish what we lose?
There are no current guidelines for collagen intake. A study by the National Institute for Health in 2019 showed that consuming 2.5 to 15 grams of hydrolyzed collagen peptides daily were safe and effective in replenishing lost collagen. When consumed, patients reported less joint pain, increased skin health and hydration. Patrients with scarring reported improved skin texture. A daily does of 5 grams showed improved bone density and higher doses of collagen intake showed improved muscles mass.
Sources
The most common form of collagen supplements are hydrolyzed collagen or collagen hydrolysate. It is derived frm bovine ( cattle) , marine (spines,bones and roe from seafood) , poultry (chicken or eggshells) pgis and other animals sources that are broken down into small dried particles to easily absorbed into liquids and foods. Undenatured collagen is the liquid raw collagen, it is derived from chicken cartilage and chicken feet. Gelatin is another common source that is usually derived from bovine animal sources and must be cooked before being consumed. There are no vegan substitutes for collagen and supplements might say dairy, gluten, surar and soy free, but true collagen is only available from animal sources. Other nutrients the body needs to absorb collagen is biotin (B7) and vitamin C, zinc, copper and other trace minerals. If Collagen supplements don’t sound appetizing consider foods with high concentration of these vitamins.
If you are like me and a little tired of taking a handful of vitamins, supplements and juices, only to wonder, is it enough? Does it even work? Foods rich in collagen are always the better option to a supplement. Some fods that are naturally rich in collagn are tough cuts of red meat like brisket and chuck steak. Of course high intakes of red meat are not healthy either, everything in moderation should always be the rule. If red meat isn’t you thing, collagen from bones and skin of freshwater fish are also a good option.
My personal fav is bone broth. I find this simple broth works wonders for so many aspects of my bodies health. You can buy readily made bone broth at the grocery stores or make your own although it is a lenghy process. I use the ready made type and add vegtables. This is a great remedy for those who suffer from anemia or painfully periods.
There are many options for increasing your collagen intake and the benefits are countless not just for the outer appreance but inside as well. I suggest researching some of the popular brands available, few different types and then start incorporating it into your diet regularly. Typically it will usually takes about 90 days of any new routine to start seeing the results. I’ve tried the powder bovine type and found it was easy for me to add to my morning juice, smoothie or even coffee. Aging gracefully requires some work but it is possible to make it happen and enjoy it.
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