What is Collagen – The Simplest and Easiest Explanation
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. Its fibrous structure is used to create connective tissue. As its name suggests, this type of tissue connects other tissues and is the main component of bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and cartilage. It helps make tissues strong and elastic, capable of withstanding stretching.
In nature, collagen is found only in animals, especially in the meat and connective tissues of mammals.
Collagen is a part of the connective tissue in the skin that helps keep the skin firm, soft, and continuously renewing skin cells. Collagen is crucial for skin elasticity.
Tendons are another type of connective tissue that attaches two bones and thus holds joints together. Ligaments are similar tissues but different in attaching muscles to bones. All these tissues, bones, tendons, ligaments, and bone muscles, are made up of proteins. One of the most predominant types of protein is called collagen.
Collagen is the main component of connective tissue and is the most abundant protein in mammals, accounting for about 25% to 35% of the total body protein content.
Our bodies gradually produce less collagen as we age, but collagen production decreases most rapidly due to overexposure to sunlight, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, and lack of exercise. With aging, collagen in the deep layers of the skin changes from a tightly organized fiber network to a disorganized labyrinth. Exposure to the environment can damage collagen fibers, reduce their thickness and strength, leading to wrinkles on the skin surface. Collagen can be divided into many groups depending on the type of structure they form. There are 28 different types of collagen that have been discovered, but to date, the most common types are types I to IV, with type I accounting for over 90% of the collagen in the human body.
Supplementing with collagen in a timely manner
Collagen has become the body’s best-selling supplement for many years with the aim of improving hair, skin, and nails – important components that retain youthfulness. The idea of taking a pill with no side effects that can push back the signs of aging is appealing to many. Dr. Shari Marchbein, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York says. It’s no surprise that the packaged version of this protein (usually made from animal collagen) is in high demand. According to Google Trends, online searches for collagen have steadily increased since 2014.
Collagen accounts for up to 80% of our skin and works with another type of protein called Elastin to keep our skin elastic. But as we age, our bodies naturally begin to produce less collagen. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe has described our body’s collagen as “protein fibers in the skin”. When we are young, the fiber is still tight, but as we age, the ends of the fibers begin to fray. Essentially, our bodies cannot replace the amount of collagen we are losing as quickly as it is broken down. Dr. Bowe says, starting from the age of 20, we begin to lose about 1% of our collagen each year. Unfortunately, this means drier skin. Exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoke, and pollution can also accelerate the breakdown of collagen. She saids: “The concept of supplementing collagen, especially as we age and when the body’s natural collagen production declines, is extremely appealing from a dermatological standpoint.”
Collagen first appeared as an ingredient in skin creams and serums. However, its effectiveness when applied topically is doubted by dermatologists, since collagen is not naturally found on the skin’s surface but in its deeper layers.
Collagen fibers are too large to penetrate the outer layers of the skin, and research has not yet proven that shorter collagen chains, known as peptides, are more successful in doing so. Oral collagen supplements in the form of pills, powders, and some foods are thought to be absorbed more efficiently by the body and have become more popular than ever among consumers.
These can be sold as collagen peptides (hydrolyzed collagen), which are forms of collagen broken down by water, making them easier to absorb than regular collagen. Collagen supplements contain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, and some may also contain additional nutrients related to healthy skin and hair, such as vitamin C, biotin, or zinc.
What should be the best way to absorb collagen?
Absorption can be a challenging process, especially when it comes to a large molecule like natural collagen. Smaller peptides may pass through the gut barrier and into our bloodstream more easily. (Theoretically, this is what all good supplements should be able to do.)
The body can use the absorbed collagen peptides where repair is needed the most. Like any trend, the beauty and health care industry is seeing a strong opportunity for growth, and the number of businesses entering the collagen production race is increasing dramatically.
This is also a good sign promising that in the future, there will be more methods to repair the signs of aging.
In the following article, we will provide more information about Collagen Peptides and the general absorption of collagen as well as specifically collagen peptides. However, if the body’s collagen deficiency is related to pathological issues, our priority and first choice should still be to immediately visit medical facilities, hospitals, and specialty clinics to hear more advice from experts and doctors, avoiding the misuse of drugs, health foods of unknown origin, and production facilities that could cause further harm. Functional foods or health supplements are not drugs and do not have the effect of replacing medicinal treatments.
