Chances are, you’ve heard a lot about collagen over the past few years. Within the health and wellness world, collagen has become a supplement staple. It is hard to escape the convenience store without noticing the tubs of skin creams, food, pills, and powders that claim to boost collagen levels to keep you looking young and beautiful for the years to come.

With so many conversations going on about collagen and skin ageing, you might be wondering why people take collagen when the body already produces in naturally. That’s because as people age, their collagen production decreases.

People don’t just take collagen supplements for fresh-looking skin. Collagen is also abundant in bones, tendons, and ligaments. The protein helps provide strength to your body’s bone structure and helps bind together parts of the body, acting like glue.

Especially as you age, you’ll want to consider your collagen levels. How do you know if your body is producing enough? There are a few telltale signs that may indicate low collagen levels.

What is collagen?

Collagen constitutes around 75 percent of your skin’s support structure. According to Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, collagen is like the frame of your mattress that gives your skin structure and support. Continuing with the mattress analogy, the springs are elastic fibres and the stuffing is hyaluronic acid.

The most common protein found in the body, collagen can be found in tendons, bones, ligaments, fat, and other places too. Made up of three amino acids, glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, the shape of the collagen molecule is like a triple helix. Collagen molecules combine to form a mesh-like network in the layer beneath the epidermis and above the subcutaneous fat called dermis.

What does collagen do for the body?

This essential protein has many important tasks to perform. Collagen provides structure, rigidity, toughness, and texture to body tissues. In the skin, collagen intermingles with yet another protein called elastin to give strength and resilience to your skin.

But as you grow older, starting in your mid-20s, your body starts producing less collagen. Having low collagen levels often results in sagging skin and fine lines. Thus, by consuming collagen supplements, you can support plump skin and reduce wrinkles. An additional health benefit of collagen is strong bones and flexible joints.

The best thing about increasing the collagen in your body is that it causes a domino effect. The more collagen you have, the more your body will be able to produce and maintain.

Is my body producing enough?

Collagen degradation correlates with age and also genetic factors. Free radicals are the skin’s enemy. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, like smoking and having a poor diet, can induce the production of free radicals, which results in collagen damage.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any tests to measure the amount of collagen in your body. You can only tell when your body presents you with these telltale signs:

  • Your skin loses elasticity, and wrinkles start to appear
  • Your wounds take longer to heal
  • Your muscle mass decreases, and you become weaker
  • You lose flexibility as your tendons and ligaments become stiffer
  • Your intestinal lining gets thinner resulting in more digestion problems
  • The cartilage wears down, and you suffer from osteoarthritis or joint pain
  • Your hair is thinner than before

Supplement options

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, you may want to consider taking collagen supplements. Fortunately, there are numerous forms of collagen supplements, and you can choose the type that best fits your lifestyle. Before adding any supplement to your regimen, you should discuss it with your doctor.

For example, collagen powder is flavourless and dissolves easily in soups, smoothies, beverages, and sauces. Topicals like retinoids and retinol replenish collagen stores, enhancing collagen production. Collagen-rich topicals often come in the form of serums and anti-ageing creams. Furthermore, products containing glycolic acid, alpha hydroxyl acid, and peptides can trigger collagen formation.

Watch your diet

The best way to enhance collagen production is by maintaining a healthy diet. Incorporating protein-rich foods that supply amino acids to your body will support collagen production and usage. Excellent foods to add to your diet are vegetables, beans, fruits, whole grains, seafood, lean meats, and nuts. To help with the absorption of collagen, you should also add foods to your diet that are rich in zinc and vitamin C.

Overall wellness

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and bones, joints, and ligaments form the framework of the body. Because collagen is present in all of these places, increasing collagen intake is a great way to support your overall health and wellness.

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you find it useful. Please feel free to share this post with your friends and family. After all, sharing is caring!