To those who aren’t sure what collagen is, you might hear “beauty must-have” and think to yourself, “Where can I find it?” Thankfully, you already have it. An abundance of it, in fact. It exists in every person and animal in the form of components in the extracellular matrix of bones, skin, cartilage, and tendons.
That part isn’t awfully important here, but it goes to show that collagen is an essential part of our bodies. Because of this, taking in collagen through things like supplements helps our bodies to fortify itself and help slow the aging process.
Beauty Benefits
One of the biggest contributors to the physical aging process is collagen, or lack thereof. As we age, we produce less and less collagen, causing bones to weaken, joints to stiffen up, and skin to sag. This is where taking supplementary collagen comes in to lend a hand.
Studies have begun to show that extra collagen intake may help reduce the effects of aging by preserving the elasticity of skin. It won’t make wrinkles disappear or turn back the clock, but it will help you keep your beauty one day at a time.
Another benefit is with one’s hair and nails. When paired with supplementary collagen, hair and nails have been shown to grow in length, and nails might become stronger.
It’s also been posited that consuming collagen can help with promoting a faster metabolism, and thus an easier time losing fat. However, these have not been backed up by any studies and are merely theoretical and anecdotal.
Health Benefits
Collagen is one of those win-win materials that maintain your looks while also supporting your health.
A lack of collagen is linked with joint pain and osteoarthritis. The cartilage in the joints are made up of mostly collagen, and so when the aging process begins to slow down the production of the key material, things stiffen up. Supplemental collagen has been shown to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis and relieve joint pain. At the moment, collagen is still being studied for its use with joint disorders, but things are looking promising.
Along those lines, studies for collagen in relation to bone loss are also going pretty well. There’s a certain protein in our blood that causes bone breakdown, and when collagen was taken during these studies, there were far less proteins in the subjects’ blood, as well as an increased bone density.
Collagen may support muscle mass, too. We’re not talking about the same muscles you exercise and show off in the mirror, unfortunately, but it’s still helpful all the same to those who need it. Sarcopenia is a condition that may occur with age where a person begins to lose muscle mass with age, and there has been success with men who have been taking collagen supplements to gain muscle mass. There are scientists looking into whether or not regular muscle mass can be improved, but there have been a couple studies linking collagen to improvement in heart health, the most important muscle in the body.
All of these benefits still need to be followed up on, so no doctors will recommend it 100%, but the links are still there.
Foods Rich with Collagen
As stated, collagen is the backbone of certain parts of the body like skin and bones. Anything that contains gelatin is a good source, and eating chicken and pork skin can support the health of your own skin, as cult-y as that sounds.
You should also think about taking some Vitamin C supplements, or at least just eating an orange a day, as the vitamin is crucial for collagen development.
You can also simply take collagen supplements and products, which you can find off of many websites and stores. Several studies have shown how a good 3-10 grams of collagen a day can, over time, improve hydration and elasticity of one’s skin, keeping it smooth and youthful. The collagen we eat is not directly being put into our skin or bones, but instead could help with promoting collagen development in our bodies.
Conclusion
While collagen isn’t some cure-all, its benefits are starting to show to the point where the beauty industry is supporting its usage. Everyone’s bodies are different, but because collagen is considered a regular dietary supplement, there’s no harm in trying it for yourself. You can find some in pharmacies and stores, or you can buy them from supplement stores directly online.
Give it a try, and your skin and body might just thank you for it!
Hi, I’m Ashley! I help big-hearted spiritual individuals reach new levels of success, self love, and confidence.
