Collagen supplements have been promoted by the beauty industry for years, and I'm sure we've all asked the same question; do they actually work? To understand the answer, we first need to understand what collagen actually is and how it works. Collagen is the main structural protein in your skin, making up seventy to eighty percent of your skin. Collagen helps to give your skin elasticity and structure or, in other words, that renowned "bounce". So, boosting your skin's collagen levels should, hypothetically, help your skin look younger and bouncier.
Boosting Collagen
Around the age of 30 is usually when people start to see a decrease in collagen levels. You start to develop fine lines, wrinkles, and signs of aging will start to appear. This tends to be when most people want to try and boost their collagen levels. To help your body make collagen, you need foods that are high in protein. You can eat things like bone broth from animals, eggs, chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. Not only do you need foods high in protein to help your body produce collagen, but Vitamin C is also needed. Some Vitamin C-rich foods include pineapples, oranges, sweet potatoes, kiwi and more. If you are looking to increase your collagen production, one option would be trying to include these foods into your diet. If you can't work these foods into your diet, collagen supplements are another course you could go on. Taking collagen supplements are much like taking multi-vitamins in that it's another source to get the nutrients you need, but it's not necessarily a "better" or "worse" way; they're just different sources. Some examples of when a doctor may recommend collagen supplementation would be if you have a hard time absorbing nutrients from food, you're healing from a burn, trauma, skin surgery or accident, or you're having aggressive resurfacing procedures on your skin (such as CO2 lasering).
Collagen Supplement Tips
If you decide you want to try collagen supplements as the source for your collagen, there are some things you need to be aware of. For one, if you have an allergy related to shellfish or eggs, you'll want to double check the supplements you want to use, as some collagen supplements are made from shellfish or eggs. Another thing to look for is how much added sugar the supplement has. You'll want to try to find a collagen that has minimal sugar and flavoring. Artificial sweeteners and flavors can possibly upset your GI tract and/or add unnecessary calories. Also, you'll want to read the label carefully to be aware of any possible side effects. For example, constipation is a potential side effect of using too much collagen. Look for any side effects you may experience and discuss them with your health provider when any new ones come up. Additionally, you will need to be consistent with the supplements to get the maximum benefit. It's best to give it a month or two to really see the results. As a side note, you should still be keeping up with your skincare routine. Taking collagen does not replace your routine and doesn't mean you should ignore your usual skincare products.
What to Look For and What to Avoid
There are a multitude of different collagen supplements available, but they are not all made equally or the same. Here are the things to look for when picking out a collagen supplement (both good and bad). A good thing to look for in a collagen supplement is a diverse amino acid profile. In order to function properly, our bodies need about twenty different amino acids; so the more amino acids in the supplement, the better. Another good thing to look for is a hydrolyzed bovine collagen. When a collagen is hydrolyzed, the amino acids in it have been broken down, so your body can absorb them easier. Furthermore, collagen is made from many different sources, but bovine has been proven to be the most potent and effective. On the other side, something to look for to avoid would be marine collagen. "Marine" is used to describe any aquatic creature, including jellyfish, starfish, or even shark. These collagen sources are not as easy for the body to absorb, so it would be best to avoid them. The last thing to look for is collagen that have types I and III. These collagen types are the most potent and and support the primary areas of concern. However, watch out for products that contain more than three types, as this usually means the collagen supplement is less effective.