Are you worried about the affect ageing is having on your skin?
Have you heard of collagen products but you don’t really know if they are worth taking or how they help your skin?
Read on as we have done the research for you …
So what is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies it gives connective tissue (skin, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, bones) its strength and structure. In regards to skin it is crucial for hydration and elasticity giving skin its smooth plump youthful effect. There are many different types of collagen in our body due to specific requirements of different tissue types. Collagen and all protein is made up of amino acids, specifically glycine, thus by ingesting collagen peptides we give our body an easily digestible form of these amino acids.
How will collagen help my skin?
As we age the levels of collagen in our skin declines causing a reduction in hydration and elasticity leading to those ageing signs we don’t want such as wrinkles, dryness and a lack of radiance.
Thus taking collagen peptides helps to reduce these effects by maintaining or building your skin’s collagen. Collagen provides the specific amino acids you need to build healthy collagen in your body and skin.
Always ensure you look for a Hydrolysed Collagen. This process breaks the collagen down further for even easier digestion and greater absorption.
Supplementing with Vitamin C or increasing Vitamin C rich foods are beneficial when taking collagen. Studies have shown that the synthesis of collagen in the body is stimulated by Vitamin C.3 So it also best to consume Collagen and Vitamin C together.
Is there research to show it works?
Yes there is …this study was done on 10g of collagen peptides….. showing it improved the effects of skin ageing. The scientists found it increased collagen health in the deep layers of skin and increased glycosaminoglycan (GAG’s) such as hyaluronic acid which helps maintain hydration in the skin.
- Results from a clinical study:
Oral collagen peptide supplementation significantly increased skin hydration after 8 weeks of intake. The collagen density in the dermis significantly increased and the fragmentation of the dermal collagen network significantly decreased already after 4 weeks of supplementation. Both effects persisted after 12 weeks. Ex vivo experiments demonstrated that collagen peptides induce collagen as well as glycosaminoglycan production, offering a mechanistic explanation for the observed clinical effects.
Conclusion:
The oral supplementation with collagen peptides is efficacious to improve hallmarks of skin aging.1
- Abstract: Skin, the main barrier to the external environment, is subject to deterioration caused by dermatological disorders, environmental conditions and the intrinsic ageing process. This damage to both structure and function may be accelerated by smoking, alcohol consumption and chronic sun exposure (extrinsic components). All these factors may lead to the formation of wrinkles, the appearance of brown spots and skin thickening. One effective strategy to managing the skin ageing process is adopting a healthy nutritional approach to life, maintaining a balanced diet and a good supply of food supplements. This can restore the homeostasis of macro and micronutrients and support the physiology of cells and tissues in the skin. Hydrolysed collagen, an increasingly popular nutraceutical, is composed of low molecular weight small peptides, which are easily digestible, absorbed and distributed in the human body. Numerous clinical trials have now been performed showing the efficacy and benefits of collagen peptides on skin properties, such as hydration, elasticity and reduction of wrinkles. As a result, hydrolysed collagen can be considered an important weapon in the everyday fight against skin ageing.2
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S Murad, 1986. Regulation of collagen synthesis by ascorbic acid.3