What is Collagen, and Are There Any Benefits to Taking Collagen Supplements?
Collagen is a vital part of the skin, contributing to elasticity and strength. It is a type of fibrous protein that is also present in bones, tendons, and muscles. In the skin, collagen plays different roles. It assists with the formation of new skin cells, thus replacing skin cells that have died.
Collagen also assists with the formation of fibroblasts, a cellular network that lies in the skin’s middle layer. Fibroblasts offer a foundation for new cells to grow upon. As the body ages, wrinkles and other skin-related problems often start to develop, which is greatly contributed to the reduction in collagen production that occurs with age.
Factors That Causes a Reduction in Collagen Production
Let’s start by looking at what really causes collagen production to be reduced in the human body. Wrinkles, sagging skin and similar skin problems are usually associated with older age, but many people do not realize that some of their everyday lifestyle habits are also contributing to a loss of collagen – in other words, some of your daily habits may be causing you to experience wrinkles and other problems at a younger age.
One of the most important factors to consider when it comes to collagen loss is sun exposure. The UV rays of the sun cause collagen to have a more rapid breakdown rate, which reduces elasticity. Apart from sun exposure, there are some other important factors that you also need to take a look at:
- A diet that is high in sugar can greatly contribute to the attachment of sugars to proteins, which causes collagen proteins to become weaker and dry.
- Some autoimmune diseases can target collagen.
- Smoking is another important contributing factor that causes damage to collagen and a significant reduction in elastin, primarily through the fact that smoking deprives the skin of oxygen and important nutrients.
- Individuals who have genetic factors that cause collagen to become mutated or dysfunction may also suffer from low collagen levels.
Benefits of Taking Collagen Supplements
Collagen supplements have been widely known in recent years because of their various health benefits from improving the health of your skin to relieving joint pain. In this section, we will understand the benefits of taking collagen supplements.
- It helps improve your skin
Collagen has a huge role in your skin. But aging makes you produce lesser collagen leading to dry skin and wrinkles. Taking collagen supplements help in reducing the effects of wrinkles since it helps in stimulating your body to produce collagen. Moreover, it helps in the production of other proteins, such as fibrillin and elastin that can structure your skin.
- It relieves joint pain
As you age, you are more likely at risk of degenerative joint disorders. Taking collagen supplements can help improve your cartilage. It helps in reducing joint pain and improving symptoms of osteoarthritis. This helps in stimulating your tissues to create more collagen necessary for your joints.
- It helps prevent bone loss
Aging is one of the reasons why your body deteriorates, including your bone mass. If your body lacks sufficient amounts of collagen, you will most likely be at risk of osteoporosis. But if you are taking collagen supplements, you can stop your bones from breakdown, preventing you from developing osteoporosis.
- It can help improve muscle mass
Do you know that your muscle tissue is composed of about 10 percent of collagen? Collagen is vital for the proper function of your muscles. In fact, it is suggested that you should take collagen supplements to promote protein synthesis and stimulate the growth of your muscles. This is also recommended for those who have sarcopenia, a condition involving the loss of muscle mass due to age since it can help improve muscle mass.
- It promotes heart health
Collagen helps in minimizing the risks of various heart-related health issues. This is because it gives structure to your arteries. And arteries are crucial in carrying blood to the entire body. If your body has no sufficient amount of collagen, your arteries will become fragile and weak. If this occurs, you will most likely be at risk of atherosclerosis that may lead you to stroke and heart attack.
Other health benefits of collagen supplements:
- Gut health
- Hair and nails
- Brain health
- Weight loss
Natural Way to Get Collagen
Aside from collagen supplements, there are some foods that contain collagen such as pork skin, chicken skin, fish, and beef. Moreover, foods containing gelatin are good sources of collagen.
But then, several studies are still required to ascertain if eating foods rich in collagen can help increase the level of collagen in your body and if it has the same effects as collagen supplements.
But it is noteworthy that the digestive enzymes break down the collagen found in food into peptides and amino acids. On the other hand, the collagen found in supplements is already broken down. For this reason, it is believed that collagen supplements work efficiently compared to collagen-rich foods.
Conclusion:
Collagen plays a crucial role in your body, such as your skin, tendons, muscles, and ligaments. Although collagen can be found in foods, it is believed that using collagen supplements is more efficient since the collagen is already broken down, making it easy for you to absorb it. Collagen supplements can benefit you in many ways, such as improving your skin, reducing joint pain, preventing bone loss, and improving muscle mass.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26362110
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbgg/v19n1/1809-9823-rbgg-19-01-00153.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16341622
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3177172/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594048/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/
