Collagen supplements are all the hype right now on social media with a lot of interest in collagen and its anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle effect. But did you know the benefit of collagen goes beyond just skin health? In fact, collagen accounts for approximately 30% of protein in the body, making it the most abundant protein in the body. So, let’s explore the role of collagen in the body and how to support our collagen production.

What is Collagen?

Collagen, like any other protein, is made up of various amino acid - 19 total amino acids to be exact. Of these, eight are essential, meaning our body can't make them on its own—we need to get them through our diet. Most of our collagen is found in our skin, bone, muscle, and ligaments but it is also an important part our blood vessels and gut lining! Think of it as the glue holding everything together.

Why Do We Need Collagen?

Collagen plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including:
**Skin Health:** Collagen forms a fibrous network in the skin, providing structural support which is essential for skin elasticity and firmness. It aids in skin hydration and is also important for wound healing and tissue regeneration.
**Joint Health**: Collagen is a major component of cartilage, the tissue that protects your joints. With age, decreased collagen can lead to degenerative joint disorders such as osteoarthritis.
**Bone Health**: Collagen acts as a scaffold in our bone (aka bone matrix) which helps the integration of minerals, such as calcium, into the bone. While minerals like calcium are important for bone strength, collagen provides flexibility to help prevent the breaking of the bone.
**Muscle Mass and Strength**: As mentioned, collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, and we all know how important protein is for building and maintaining muscle. In fact, studies suggest that collagen supplements help boost muscle mass in people with sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass that happens with age.
**Heart Health**: Collagen provides the structure for our blood vessels providing it with elasticity and flexibility, particularly in your arteries, the blood vessel that bring blood to your heart.
**Gut Health**: Collagen helps in forming connective tissue and can be beneficial for the protective lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Collagen contains glycine and glutamine, amino acids that are important for the repair of the gut lining.

As we age, our body's collagen production naturally decreases, leading to common signs of ageing like wrinkles, joint pains, and weaker bones. This process is further exacerbated by sun exposure, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep and poor diet. In women, this process can be more pronounced post-menopause due to hormonal changes.

Tips to Boost Collagen Production and Prevent Collagen Loss

Eat Protein-Rich Foods

Remember that collagen is made up of 19 amino acids, predominantly proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline. Therefore, your body needs amino acids from protein-rich foods like chicken, fish, beef, eggs, dairy, and plant-based proteins to produce collagen.

Increase Vitamin C Intake

Vitamin C is crucial for collagen synthesis. Vitamin C helps convert the amino acid, proline, to a collagen building compound. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant that helps prevent free radical damage to our skin.
Foods high in Vitamin C include citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, and leafy greens in your diet.

Boost Zinc Intake

Zinc is another co-factor required for collagen production. Zinc contributes to the production of the enzyme, collagenase, which helps the body breakdown and turnover damaged tissue and enables collagen production.
Foods high in Zinc: Oysters, crab, lobster, beef, chicken.

Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure

Exposure to UV rays increases the formation of reactive oxygen species. At a high amount they can damage the protein that make up skin, collagen, and elastin. It is important to protect yourself from UV rays by wearing SPF sunscreen, protective clothing, and limit sun exposure.

Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol Consumption

Smoking and excessive alcohol intake can damage collagen and affect its production. Free radicals created from smoking and alcohol can lead to oxidative stress which damage the repair mechanism and reduce collagen production as well as turnover.

Incorporate Collagen Supplements

When choosing collagen, I recommend choosing hydrolysed collagen supplements as it has greater water solubility and can be easily absorbed by the body. After absorption, the collagen petite gets distributed in the body and into our skin, and acts as a signal molecule to stimulate collagen production. Remember that not all collagen supplements are created equal so consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplements.

Collagen is integral to our overall health, not just our skin. By adopting a healthy lifestyle, incorporating nutrient-rich foods, and avoiding damaging habits, we can support our body's collagen production and maintain our overall health.

If you are interested in how collagen can benefit you, book-in for a discovery call HERE.