Whenever you step inside a health food store or any other chemist or supermarket, you will find rows after rows of dietary supplements which promise you shining hair, crystal clear skin and improved mobility of joints. What is the best supplement which everyone is talking about lately? Collagen supplements which are found in the form of liquid, tablet, cream or power and it is deemed to be the secret which prevents wrinkles from aging your skin. But do you have any idea about what collagen is?
Well, collagen is the most imperative and necessary protein within the human body. It is the main component of all the connective tissues which constitute the body parts that include ligaments, tendons, muscles and skin. Collagen has got several vital functions like strengthening your bones or offer structure to your skin. While you can try out great lakes collagen products for adding collagen to your diet, it is still important to know what it is and how much you need. Read on the concerns of this post to know more on collagen.
Table of Contents
Filling you on the basics of collagen
While the buzzword is ‘collagen’, before you jump into the bandwagon and start indulging in such supplements, it’s necessary that you fill yourself with the basics. Pay attention to the following points.
-
Collagen is a kind of protein
Collagen is one of the most vital proteins which offer the perfect structure to your hair, skin, nails, cartilage, connective tissue, joints and bones. It basically comprises of proline, amino acids glycine, arginine and hydroxyproline and accounts for almost 30% of the proteins that are there in our body.
-
With age, the production of collagen declines
With age, the production of collagen declines and the human skin keeps weakening which leads to fine lines, wrinkles and dry skin, the most common signs of aging. Moreover, when you expose yourself to UV rays or to a diet which is rich in sugar, this too can gradually lead to plummeting collagen levels. When there is not enough collagen in our body, it can lead to ligaments and tendons.
-
Collagen has more benefits than just taking care of our looks
Collagen provides elasticity and strength to our skin and this is what plays a role in maintaining a young look to the skin. However, it is not that collagen just has an impact on the way a person looks; it is also the ultimate factor which joins joints, ligaments and bones together. There are few collagens too which play the role of a covering over organs like the kidneys.
Science and evidence backed benefits of collagen
As mentioned earlier, consuming collagen through food or through dietary supplements can have multiple health benefits. If you want to know the benefits, here are few that you should know of.
#1: Improves the health of your skin
There’s no doubt about the fact that collagen is a vital part of your skin and it has the ability of strengthening your skin and hydrating it as well. With age, you tend to produce less collagen and this leads to wrinkles and dry skin. There are studies which reveal that collagen peptides and other supplements can slow down the process of aging of your skin and also reduce dryness.
#2: Cures inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis, acne
Do you suffer from any kind of inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema or psoriasis? If answered yes, you may take help of collagen as it is successful in reducing the frequency and pain of such outbursts. Due to the fact that collagen has got the most vital amino acids, this reduces inflammation both from inside and outside. Secondly, it plays the role of a glue for healing and sealing the lining of the gut, thereby curing you from leaky gut syndrome.
#3: Prevents stretch marks and cellulite
Cellulite is something which women encounter at a definite point of their lives, either during pregnancy or during particular times of weight loss or weight gain. Whatever it is, it is tough to get rid of cellulite. Due to the fact that your skin loses elasticity and becomes too thin, cellulite appears. This takes place because of fluctuations in hormones, genetics, age and hence there is a decline in the production through the entire body.
#4: Promotes healthy nails and hair
As collagen enhances the biggest side effects of your skin, being a protein, it offers the key building blocks for healthy and shiny hair and stronger nails. Whenever you boost the protein content in your diet by taking on collagen, this will prevent your hair from having split ends and hence you will get shinier, thicker and silkier hair texture.
As you can see, the nutrients which you eat are equally important like your beauty routine as the moisturizers, cleansers and toners which you apply. Similarly, when you add collagen to your diet, you can also reap its benefits. Whether you consume it through a bone broth cocktail or a delicious soup, there are several ways in which you can drink collagen and stay fit and young.