Collagen has been one of the buzzwords these days in health. It’s hard to walk into any grocery store and not avoid tubs of powdered collagen, or do some browsing at the drugstore and not notice many creams claiming to boost collagen, which will ultimately keep you looking young into decades in the future. But really, just how much does collagen play a role in your health?
Defining Collagen
You most likely think about collagen in your skin, because the word comes up whenever anyone is talking about skin aging. It’s true this protein plays a part in the perceived youthfulness of your skin, but really there’s more to it. “Collagen is a protein and is one of the main building blocks of our skin. It’s also in our bones, tendons, and ligaments,” says Dr. David Smith, Co-Founder at Bladgo.
Time for a fun fact: Collagen makes up 75 percent of skin’s support structure. “Think of collagen as the frame of your mattress; it gives [your skin] structure and support,” says Dr. Lydia Williams, co-founder of AUTOINFU. To continue with the mattress analogy, the springs are elastic fibers, and the stuffing is hyaluronic acid, he says.
Which Factors Contribute to the Loss of Collagen in the Skin?
Unfortunately, your genetics can affect just how fast that degradation of collagen happens as you age. “We lose collagen year after year, and make lower quality collagen,” says Dr. Robinson. Free radicals damage collagen — “they are our skin’s enemy,” says Dr. Lydia. Environmental factors-UV rays or pollution, for example-bad lifestyle habits-smoking-and a poor diet-one that’s high in sugar, for example-all create free radical formation, which speeds breakdown.
Let’s touch upon smoking for a second. One of the best things you can do for your skin is never smoke-or quit if you do. “Research suggests that smoking allows free radicals to attack collagen fibrils, rendering them weak and of poor quality. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the skin of a smoker tends to look damaged and wrinkled-especially around the mouth,” says Cyndi Yag-Howard, MD, the CEO and president of Yag-Howard Cosmetic Dermatology in Naples, Florida. What’s in Collagen? A Peek into the Structure of This Critical Protein
Collagen consists of three amino acids: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. “The collagen molecule has a three-dimensional structure that resembles a triple helix [triple spiral] that intertwines with other molecules of collagen in the skin to create a trellis-like network in the dermis, which is the layer of skin below the epidermis and above the layer of subcutaneous fat,” says Dr. Yag-Howard.
What Are the Benefits of Collagen for Your Body?
Protein plays a huge role in the body. “Collagen gives body tissues structure, toughness, rigidity, and texture. In the skin, it’s akin to a layer of leather. And when it intermingles with elastic fibers, it gives skin strength and resilience,” says Yag-Howard.
With the degradation of collagen in skin and a decline in levels within the body, wrinkles may start to set in, tendons and ligaments become stiffer, muscles weaken, there is joint pain, and even GI problems become obvious.
Clearly, collagen has an important role in each system of your body. In the skin, up to 10 g/d of collagen peptides can promote improvement in skin elasticity, hydration, and collagen density. What’s more, one 2020 review also proposes that hydrolyzed collagen supplementation can prevent UV-induced melasma-an unusually brown-patched skin condition of the face-via its antioxidant effects. For joint pain, one such study was conducted in 2017, where 5 g/day of collagen peptides were administered to 139 young adult athletes with knee pain over a period of 12 weeks.
Compared to the placebo, the collagen-supplemented group demonstrated less exercise-related joint pain, which is probably due to the fact that the proteins stimulated the repair of microtraumas of the cartilage, reducing inflammation that contributed to discomfort. Coupled with its advantage to your skeleton as a whole, perhaps the added possible advantage for bones alone: A 2018 study found that postmenopausal women with age-related bone mineral density reduction who took 5 grams of specific collagen peptides for a year benefited from increased spine and hip bone formation. Perhaps the surprise benefit will be for cardiovascular health: In 2017, a study of healthy adults found that participants who ingested a collagen tripeptide for six months saw improvement in cholesterol and arterial stiffness, suggesting that collagen may help lower the risk of coronary artery disease.
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Scientifically Proven Ways to Increase Collagen Production
Not-so-great reality: “Every year after 30, we lose collagen, and to make matters worse, our ability to produce high-quality collagen can diminish,” says Robinson.
She recommends using topicals that enhance collagen production to help replenish collagen stores. One is retinoids or retinols, often formulated in anti-aging creams and serums. A 2016 study found that both retinoic acid and retinol stimulate collagen synthesis in the skin. Topical applications with alpha hydroxy acids, like glycolic acid, and peptides also encourage the production of collagen,” says Dr. Lydia. In-office therapies that tend to increase collagen are numerous. “Research confirms that many therapies can promote the synthesis of collagen and improve appearance of the skin,” says Yag-Howard. She lists lasers, radiofrequency, ultrasound, microneedling, and fillers among them.
You’re also best served maintaining a healthy diet. Protein-rich foods will supply the amino acids your body needs to make collagen. It also gets some help from other nutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc, and copper. To maximize collagen production, eat a varied diet filled with whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, seafood, and nuts. And yes, that sounds just like the healthy eating advice you’ve long heard.
Finally, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30. “This is the best way to ensure healthy collagen,” says Dr. Lydia. “Make sure to wear it every day, as even incidental sunlight exposure adds up over a lifetime,” he says. Your first line of defense is to protect the collagen you have, rather than trying to make up for bad sun protection habits later.
Practice skin care with massage. The limited data available on the subject usually indicates that regular skin massage can stimulate procollagen-1, thereby enhancing the positive effects of anti-aging creams.
Also, don’t work against your body’s natural production of collagen. That means reducing alcohol consumption and quitting smoking. Those two habits are associated with collagen loss that leads to the formation of wrinkles in the forehead, between the brows, in the crow’s feet, and etches “smile” lines in deeper. Additionally, limit sugar consumption, which causes formation of advanced glycation end products (“AGEs”) that eat away at collagen.
Learn More About Ways to Increase Collagen in Your Face
What Are the Different Types of Collagen?
There are 28 types of collagen. Yet, sources show that types 1, 2, and 3 are the most abundant collagens in the body, and these are the collagens you’ll find touted in product marketing. Since the full list of 28 is quite long for the types of collagen, we will go over three of the most prominent ones and where they are found in the body.
Type 1 The major collagen found in the skin is also found in tendons, bones, ligaments, teeth, and certain connective tissues
Type 2 This makes up cartilage and is found in the eyes.
Type 3 This type of collagen also makes up skin, as well as muscles and blood vessels. This type of collagen is sometimes called “baby collagen” because of its role in embryogenesis and early infant life.
How Can You Get More Collagen?
There’s no shortage of companies vying for your attention about boosting collagen-either topically or via a supplement or food. Here’s what you need to know about each.
Collagen Powders and Capsules These have been trendy lately as an addition to coffee and smoothies.
There’s some evidence that oral collagen supplements-including types of collagen common in powders-are “promising” for the purpose of lessening the appearance of aging. That said, Robinson keeps things in perspective: “Collagen powder is a protein, and we digest it no differently than any other source of protein we might eat, like chicken or fish. Collagen powder won’t go directly to the skin and plump it,” she says.
Collagen Creams and Oils Pro-collagen creams on the market claim to lessen the signs of aging by smoothing wrinkles. These contain synthetic collagen, which locks moisture into skin, producing a plumping effect. But there’s a lack of research on how to best incorporate collagen into topical treatments.
Liquid Some individuals consume bone broth, which is a liquid rich in animal bones and collagen. This might be the dietary source of collagen; however, anti-aging benefits that it could have on your skin have not been depicted by consuming it.
What Are Some Collagen Side Effects and Risks to Be Aware Of?
Generally speaking, there aren’t inherent risks associated with collagen — it’s such an important component of a healthy body.
But if you’re taking collagen supplements, know that dietary supplements do not need to be proven safe before they’re sold. If interested in taking a collagen supplement, do your homework and work with your healthcare team to select a high-quality supplement from a trusted brand. It’s also worth noting that the source of the collagen matters. If you are allergic to eggs or fish, for example, you may have a severe reaction to the collagen derived from one of those foods.
How to Discuss Collagen with Your Dermatologist
If you’re considering trying to boost your skin’s production of collagen, get a sense from your dermatologist of what options exist-both topicals and in-office treatments-their cost, if it hurts-or not-and how long downtime might be. And ask about both short-and long-term benefits and how long the treatment results are engineered to last.
Resources for Learning More About Collagen
Want to learn more? Here are five places to start.
Crushed Tonic
Beauty-from-within blog founded by Sally Olivia Kim, author of The Collagen Glow: A Guide to Ingestible Skincare, covers general beauty with tips about taking collagen.
The Collagen Diet
This book, from Pamela Schoenfeld, RD, outlines how collagen may fit into a diet that supports the treatment of a range of health conditions, as well as the nutrients you need to encourage collagen production.
Dr. Kellyann
Kellyann Petrucci, ND, is a bone broth and collagen guru and the author of The Bone Broth Diet. Dr. Kellyann does a great deep dive into the health-promoting properties of bone broth, which is one way to get more collagen into your diet. Note: She does sell collagen products on her website.
Vital Proteins
Yeah, its the website from a company that produces collagen peptide powders and other collagen-infused products-like water. But if one could get past the plugs for its products, one could find it does dedicate a great portion of its blog to the basics of collagen.
ConsumerLab.com
A no-fuss site that covers basic questions on collagen and whether different types-drop supplements-work for certain health conditions, such as eye floaters, joint pain, arthritis.
A Final Word on the Function of Collagen within the Body
Collagen is a protein type that’s found throughout the body, more so in skin, bones, ligaments, tendons, teeth, and connective tissues. A healthy, rounded diet with enough intake of proteins, proper sunscreen application, and topicals grant other dermatologic procedures the ability to ensure that the body will get and produce what it needs in order to feel great and reduce visible effects of aging.
