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Collagen is the protein that keeps our skin elastic and wrinkle-free! As we get older, the amount of collagen in the skin decreases and we get more wrinkles! This starts already at the age of 25 and that's when we start to notice small, tiny changes in our skin, which we associate with aging! By supplying the body with extra collagen, we can slow down this process.
The collagen in food supplements almost always comes from four different sources: fish, beef, pig or chicken!
Nowadays, powdered hydrolyzed collagen derived from cattle, pigs, chickens and fish is commercially available and can be mixed with drinks or added to certain foods. Many of these products and supplements available with collagen peptides contain collagen powders from pigs, chicken and beef, mainly because these sources are by-products and also cheap to produce.
Have you perhaps noticed that some collagen powders are more expensive than others? One of the reasons is that the collagen comes from fish. Hydrolyzed collagen peptides from fish are more expensive. Instead of discarding the skin and bones from the fish, hydrolyzed collagen peptides are produced that can be used in food supplements, to provide both health and beauty effects!
Hydrolyzed collagen from fish contains type 1 collagen. When you eat collagen from fish, the collagen is optimally absorbed and reaches the skin, where the concentration of the collagen remains for up to 14 days. Here, the collagen stimulates the fibroblasts to increase collagen production, also the production of hyaluronic acid increases. Collagen from fish also differs from other sources due to its high content of the amino acids: lysine, glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Together, these nutrients stimulate cells in the skin, joints and skeleton to synthesize proteins including collagen to help build the body's tissues, which include muscles, bones and skin. Lysine not only plays an important role in collagen production, but also promotes healthy immune function. Lysine plus another amino acid called arginine has been shown to prevent infection, which may also help prevent acne.
When you're young, collagen makes up about 70% of your skin, with a function of giving your skin firmness and elasticity. However, collagen production starts to decrease already at the age of 25 and by the time you are 80, collagen production has decreased by as much as 70%! During the aging process, hyaluronic acid, collagen and elastin undergo structural and functional changes that contribute to fine lines, skin furrows, roughness, wrinkles, brown spots and thickened and sagging skin. We call this process skin aging. Such damage is accelerated by smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical and mental stress, poor nutrition, a high intake of energy, lack of sleep, environmental pollution, autoimmune diseases and chronic UV radiation from the sun. In addition, our ability to replace lost or damaged collagen increases by about 1.5% with each passing year, in part because our fibroblasts make less collagen. Ultimately, the increase in collagen damage, along with the decrease in collagen production results in an older appearance and an aging body!
Many human clinical studies have reported the benefits of ingesting hydrolyzed collagen to achieve skin that retains increased hydration and improved elasticity, which in turn reduces visible fine lines and wrinkles. 10,000 mg of hydrolyzed collagen from fish daily can increase skin hydration by 28%, over a period of 8 weeks and reduce deep wrinkles by 30% over a period of 12 weeks, while as little as 2,500 mg daily for 4 weeks can reduce crow's feet around the eyes. Other studies have shown that consuming collagen over a period of 8 weeks can increase type I procollagen by 65%, elastin by 18% and fibrillin by 6%. Other studies have reported increases of up to 78% in skin density, improved elasticity, and in combination with other nutrients, including antioxidants, such as vitamin C, which is needed for collagen production, improved elasticity, reduced skin dryness and improved skin texture.
Eating hydrolyzed collagen from fish can also thicken hair, contribute to stronger nails, reduce cellulite, prevent skin infections, help with weight loss, mainly because the collagen protein itself provides a high feeling of satiety, reduce muscle loss, improve wound healing, to name a few some some of the health and beauty benefits of collagen. So while we can eat this "beauty and health protein" to prevent our skin from aging prematurely, the benefits of collagen are much more than just prettier skin!
