For many years, collagen has been a staple in the supplement and beauty industry because of its known effects on the skin, hair, and nails.
If you are wondering if collagen is something to add to your anti-aging routine, this article can help you understand collagen and its benefits to the skin, to help keep it radiant and glowing.
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a type of protein that is most abundant in the body. Additionally, it is the main component of the skin, bones, tendons and other connective tissues. In fact, around 70-80% of the skin is made up of collagen(1). Collagen also helps to make our body tissues strong and resist stretching.
However, several factors contribute to the decreased collagen production in the body. These include aging, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol, inadequate sleep, and lack of exercise. In turn, these may damage the collagen fibers that may lead to reduced thickness and strength. Ultimately, decreased collagen production results in skin aging and development of wrinkles in the skin’s surface(2).
Benefits of Collagen in Skin and Aging
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May Improve Skin Health.
Being a major component of the skin, collagen plays a role in maintaining skin health.
A study found that consumption of collagen (around 2.5-5g daily) for two months resulted in improved skin elasticity and hydration in women aged 35 years and older(3).
Additionally, another study showed that supplementation of collagen peptides reduced sun damage of the skin by up to 31%(4).
Finally, studies have found that taking collagen once daily for 12 weeks resulted in increased skin hydration and reduced wrinkle formation(5).
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May Strengthen Hair and Nails.
With collagen being the most abundant protein (the building block of the cells) in the body, studies suggest that collagen has beneficial effects in our hair and nails.
One study found that collagen supplementation promotes nail growth by up to 12%. It also showed a significant decrease of 42% in the frequency of broken nails among the participants(6).
Consequently, collagen has been found to protect the hair follicles from damage by acting as an antioxidant and by fighting free radicals which may harm our hair(7).
Collagen Supplements for Anti-Aging
Current research suggests that intake of collagen supplements is generally safe for most people.
In addition, collagen supplements in the form of pills and powder have been shown to be more effective as they are more easily absorbed. They are most commonly sold as collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen, which are already broken down forms of collagen, for better absorption(8).
Final Words
Collagen is an important building block of the body and provides numerous benefits most especially as an anti-aging superfood. It is also considered safe and definitely worth including in your anti-aging routine.
