Collagen: All You Need To Know About It!

Skincare has become a necessity more than a luxury. With the pandemic striking, we have become more aware of what is essential to our health. Daily skincare routine is more than just beauty, it is about keeping your skin healthy inside to let it glow on the outside. A lot of factors help in having a disciplined skin care routine – but what you eat is what you become, making it important for us to watch our intake of food.

Our everyday meals need to have the minimum amount of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and most importantly proteins. Unfortunately, the food we consume does not give us the required nutrients that protect our skin from harmful effects of stress, pollution and many others. The most important nutrient that is needed for a glowing skin is protein. And what has the most abundant protein? Collagen.

Collagen? What’s that?

Collagen makes up 75% of dry weight on your skin. It is a major component that helps build and support many tissues, bones, skin, hair and even our digestive system. There are four types of Collagen – Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV – each with their own key roles. Type I accounts for 90% of your body’s collagen and is made of density packed fibres. Meat and poultry have been the primary source of protein for most people, but research shows that having too much of meat causes acidity and other gut related issues. Meanwhile, it gets harder for vegetarians and vegans to consume enough protein owing to the limited plant-based sources of protein. As we age, the body produces less collagen and hence, consuming the right amount of this essential nutrient is of absolute importance. Studies have shown that every year after 30, we lose collagen and our ability to produce high-quality collagen only tends to slow down with age.

 

How Do We Consume Collagen?

Not many realise that but diet plays a significant role in maintaining the glow and youthful appearance of your skin. As the collagen levels in the body begin to deplete with age, you need to store more of it in your body from the food you eat. The most common sources of collagen are:

●    Bone broth
●    Chicken
●    Fish and Shellfish
●    Citrus fruits
●    Egg whites
●    Tropical fruits like guava, kiwi, mangoes, and pineapples
●    Berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, to name a few
●    Leafy green vegetables like collards, spinach, kale, arugula, Swiss chard, among others
●    Beans
●    Garlic
●    Tomatoes
●    Bell peppers
●    Cashews

Read our article, 8 Collagen Rich Foods For Healthy Skin to know more about them!

If you do not consume the aforementioned foods in adequate quantities, you can also go in for dietary supplements to meet your collagen requirements. Consuming collagen either in powdered or capsule form on a daily basis is an optimum way to include the required protein into your body.

Daily dosage of collagen varies depending on body type, age, history of drug allergy etc. Studies, however, indicate that daily intake between 2 grams to 10 grams is ideal. Having said that, it is always advisable to consult a doctor before you decide to include collagen supplements in your everyday routine.

What Are The Benefits of Collagen?

Collagen benefits health in many ways. Let’s look at them in detail below.

●    Most researchers say that bolstered skin health is the most well-researched benefit of taking collagen. This essential protein helps in strengthening your skin from the inside to help it face the harshness on the outside.
●    Collagen also helps in skin elasticity and hydration.
●    Daily Collagen consumption promotes the production of other proteins that help skin structure. One of the studies conducted showed that women drinking a required amount of Collagen everyday for 12 weeks had a significant reduction of wrinkles and better hydrated skin.
●    When the collagen levels are optimum, your skin becomes healthy, soft, smooth and firm. It helps the skin cells renew and repair themselves. Studies have also proven that everyday intake of collagen improved skin’s resilience, texture and rigidity.
●    Apart from that, collagen helps to reduce joint pains, boost heart health, prevent bone loss and diseases like osteoarthritis, as well as promote cardiovascular health.

Final Takeaway

If you are aspiring for healthy skin which is soft, has perfect elasticity, and hydration, collagen can be of great help. Apart from getting the skin that you desire, collagen is an important protein which provides structure to various parts of your body such as bones, joints and muscles.

The above mentioned foods can help your body make collagen. Although, owing to our busy lifestyle, collagen supplements would prove to be beneficial, helping in improving skin quality, functioning of muscles and even reducing osteoarthritis related pain.

To help you with your quest of “Glowing & Healthy Skin”, you can also try out Wellbeing Nutrition’s “Skin-Fuel”, which focuses on rebuilding and strengthening the collagen matrix in your body, helping you get firm, youthful and glowing skin, while keeping you safe, without any side effects.

References:

●    Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/nu11102494. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/)
●    Rodan K, Fields K, Majewski G, Falla T. Skincare Bootcamp: The Evolving Role of Skincare. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2016;4(12 Suppl Anatomy and Safety in Cosmetic Medicine: Cosmetic Bootcamp):e1152. Published 2016 Dec 14. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001152. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/)
●    Collagen: a network for regenerative medicine, K. M. Pawelec, ORCID logo,   S. M. Best  and  R. E. Cameron, Journal of Materials Chemistry B, (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2016/tb/c6tb00807k#!divAbstract)
●    Paul C, Leser S, Oesser S. Significant Amounts of Functional Collagen Peptides Can Be Incorporated in the Diet While Maintaining Indispensable Amino Acid Balance. Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1079. Published 2019 May 15. doi:10.3390/nu11051079. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6566836/)
●    Varani J, Dame MK, Rittie L, Fligiel SE, Kang S, Fisher GJ, Voorhees JJ. Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. Am J Pathol. 2006 Jun;168(6):1861-8. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2006.051302. PMID: 16723701; PMCID: PMC1606623. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16723701/)
●    The Collagen Diet- Rejuvenate Skin, Strengthen Joints and Feel Younger by Boosting Collagen Intake and Production,  Pamela Schoenfeld (https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Collagen_Diet/ic1RDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=collagen+skin+benefits&printsec=frontcover)
●    Bolke L, Schlippe G, Gerß J, Voss W. A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2494. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/nu11102494, (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/)