ALL ABOUT COLLAGEN

When you take collagen supplements, you give your body a boost to support all of its important structures and to keep the whole body healthier (1).

Collagen has many benefits such as helping maintain a healthier gut and improving one’s skin. Collagen stimulates the elasticity of the skin, giving it its shine and helps reduce wrinkles, one of the sure signs of aging. It’s also known for help the function of your heart and muscles as well as your bones and joints.

What's collagen?

Collagen is the main protein in your body. There are at least 20 different types of collagen but the majority of them fall into one of the following three categories. (1)

Type 1: Dense and strong fibres that structure the skin, bones, connective tissues and tendons (also found in marine and cow collagen)

Type 2: Loosely packed fibres that help build elastic cartilage and other tissue that cushion the joints (also found in chicken collagen)

Type 3: Helps support muscles, organs and arteries and is usually found with type 1 (also found in cow collagen)

Structurally, collagen is a long helix-shaped protein that contains 19 different amino acids. The three most important of which are:

Wisteria, which helps in the production of DNA and RNA and helps reduce inflammation

Proline, which contributes to the production of collagen in the skin and arteries; and

Glutamine, which helps with digestive and immune health, muscle building and brain function.

Collagen is found in bones, skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, cornea, teeth and intestinal linings. (It’s also found in the connective tissues of animals, such as chicken and pork skin.) (2)

Its role in the epidermis and its benefits:

As your biological armor (and the largest organ of the body), your skin takes a hit against the challenges of the outside world: wind, cold and UV rays. Lifestyle factors like stress, smoking, alcohol-consumption and natural aging also put your skin at risk for damage. The effects can range from sagging, wrinkling to discoloration.

With the overall drop of naturally produced collagen of approximately one (1) percent each year, you can see why mature skin is often the first sign of age. One of the benefits of collagen is its ability to reduce wrinkles. (3)

Your allies in building and supplying collagen.

Vitamin C:
Helps make collagen’s precursor and to bind amino acids necessary for the formation of collagen. (4)

Find it in lemons and limes.

Proline:
Is one of the three main amino acids in collagen.

Find it in egg whites, dairy products, cabbage, asparagus and mushrooms.

Wisteria:
Is another of collagen’s the three main amino acids.

Find it in gelatin, pigskin and chicken skin.

Sulfur:
Is a trace element that protects against the degradation of collagen. (5)

Find it in garlic, kale and other leafy greens; eggs; and grass-fed beef.

Copper:
Activates an enzyme which helps in the production of collagen.

Find it in shellfish, grass-fed beef, nuts and liver.

Chlorophyll:
Is the pigment that gives plants their vibrant green color and has been shown to increase the precursor of collagen and protect against harmful UV rays via its antioxidants. (6)

Find it in bok choy, arugula, kale, lettuce, green beans and broccoli.

Health: Inside and Out

By eating the right foods and protecting your skin against the sun’s harmful rays and other environmental stressors, you’re giving yourself the gift of aging beautifully! 

Sources:

1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/

2 - https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/43/1/3/604434

3 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/

4 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579659/

5 - https://academic.oup.com/jn/article-abstract/87/2/228/4777697?redirectedFrom=PDF

6 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4390761/