
Collagen and Why Is It So Important to Humans?
Collagen is a protein found in your bones, skin, and ligaments and muscles. It gives the elasticity and keeps your skin tight, preventing wrinkles, age lines, and sagging. Collagen peaks during your teenage and younger years, but it decreases as you pass the age of 20. The less collagen your body produces, the faster you’ll begin to wrinkle, pull or tear muscles and show signs of skin aging.
A lot of supplements are made with the goal of boosting collagen. However, instead of a topical applications like many serums and creams are based on, one study looked at the use of oral supplementation of collagen to determine whether or not it might be an effective treatment for the skin.
Oral Collagen Supplementation Research
The study [1], conducted in 2015, involved two placebo-controlled trials that assessed the viability of collagen peptides used in nutricosmetic products. Administered orally, these supplements were intended to provide the body with the collagen peptides needed to produce skin collagen.
The supplements were taken daily, and the results examined closely using high-resolution ultrasound, detailed microscopy, and corneometry to measure skin hydration. Human skin explants were taken for closer study of the extracellular matrix components to determine the presence of collagen peptides after taking the supplement.
According to the research, just 8 weeks of supplementation yielded results the study labeled “significant”. Skin collagen density increased, and fragmentation of the dermal collagen network decreased after just 4 weeks. Even after 12 weeks post, the results persisted.
Further examinations of the skin showed that collagen supplementation not only increased the production of skin collagen, but also glycosaminoglycan, another critical molecule that plays a role in healthy skin. To quote the study’s conclusion, “oral supplementation with collagen peptides is efficacious to improve hallmarks of skin aging.”
Another study from early 2019[2] conducted a systematic review of eleven studies and more than 800 patients, examining the use of collagen supplements (collagen hydrolysate and collagen tripeptide) for all sorts of skin problems—from ulcers to cellulite to skin aging.
As this review discovered on these many studies, “Preliminary results are promising for the short and long-term use of oral collagen supplements for wound healing and skin aging. Oral collagen supplements also increase skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density. Collagen supplementation is generally safe with no reported adverse events.”
Pretty amazing, right? One simple supplement, but it can lead some impressive results!
If you’re looking for a way to slow skin aging, it may be worth trying a collagen supplement to help naturally increase your skin’s collagen production. The supplement might not be a “magic bullet” that will stop skin aging overnight, but it could be one more weapon in your battle to fight off aging.
Other Ways to Boost Collagen Production
Oral collagen supplements aren’t the only way you can increase collagen production. According to one paper from the Dermato Endocrinology journal [3], there are a number of strategies to combat skin aging and boost your collagen levels:
- Proper Skin Care –This involves the application of antioxidants to slow down UV-generated skin damage, as well as sunscreen and UV protection to stop the sun’s radiation from damaging your skin. Add retinoids into your skin care to increase the production of collagen naturally, and make sure to get plenty of Vitamins C and E, both of which are critical for healthy skin.
- Occasional Epidermis Resurfacing –Chemical peels, light-based skin rejuvenation, and other skin “resurfacing” procedures can help to remove the top layers of damaged skin and promote better health of the skin layers beneath. These sometimes invasive salon procedures can be uncomfortable but I have been of a fan of the Nuskin Home care product line it gets results and Dr. D has used it for over 20 years now! Look them up and find a Nuskin Representative near you or contact us and we can refer to you to someone who reps for this homecare skin and antiaging line of products.
All of these solutions are worth considering, provided your doctor knows what you’re getting yourself into and gives you the “all clear” to undergo them.
Resources:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26362110
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