The latest collagen-boosting products that actually work
Collagen is actually a type of protein. It is abundantly present in the skin, tissues and bones of the human body, and is a necessary substance for maintaining the firmness and elasticity of the skin. When collagen enters the stomach, it will be broken down into amino acids and polypeptides before it can be absorbed. It will not be absorbed in the form of the entire collagen molecule. The amino acid components in collagen are not very abundant.
Collagen is actually a type of protein. It is abundantly present in the skin, tissues and bones of the human body, and is a necessary substance for maintaining the firmness and elasticity of the skin.
When collagen enters the stomach, it will be broken down into amino acids and polypeptides before it can be absorbed. It will not be absorbed in the form of the entire collagen molecule.
The amino acid components in collagen are not very abundant.
The main component is glycine. However, the content of the essential amino acid - tryptophan - in the human body, is extremely low. Therefore, collagen cannot be regarded as a high-quality protein.
What role does collagen play in the skin?
70% of the skin is composed of collagen. It can firmly lock in moisture, keeping the skin constantly moist and tender.
It fills in the spaces between the dermis of the skin, increasing skin tightness, generating skin tension, shrinking pores, and making the skin firm and elastic.
The thick collagen layer in the dermis supports the skin cells, combined with the moisturizing effect, jointly achieving the effect of smoothing out coarse wrinkles and fading fine lines.
Furthermore, collagen makes up 20% of the bone content, keeping the bones firm and elastic at all times, preventing osteoporosis and fragility that leads to fractures. It also promotes the absorption of calcium by bone cells, strengthening the bones.
Therefore, the skin becomes moist, lustrous and elastic, and collagen plays a crucial role in this. As people age, collagen gradually decreases, causing the skin to become loose.
Can supplementing with collagen really restore the elasticity of the skin?
Aging is a natural process that everyone must go through. Is it necessary to supplement collagen for the skin? In fact, improving skin conditions by taking collagen products does not have the effect as expected. Experts say that the anti-aging effect of oral collagen is not very obvious. From a nutritional perspective, collagen products are just high-concentration proteins. They will be broken down into amino acids in the stomach and will not be directly absorbed. The actual effect may not be much different from eating eggs or drinking milk, just supplementing protein.
How does aging occur?
Dr. Brandt, the "Father of Collagen" in the world, once said: All causes of aging come from the loss of collagen.
As we age and are affected by various external factors, the dermis of the skin becomes dry and loose due to the loss of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. The skin tissue also moves downward, and thus aging is formed.
What role does collagen play in anti-aging?
Collagen has the functions of repairing, moisturizing, and protecting the skin. Together with elastic fibers, it supports the entire skin. Therefore, supplementing collagen can effectively resist aging, mainly manifested in the following three aspects.
1. Whitening and brightening The content and distribution of melanin are the main factors determining skin color. The degradation amino acid combination of collagen can effectively inhibit the activity of skin pigment tyrosinase, thereby achieving the effect of brightening and whitening the skin.
2. Moisturizing the skin Collagen contains a large amount of hydrophilic moisturizing factors, so it has a moisturizing function. Moreover, the smaller molecular weight of collagen and amino acids have good affinity with the skin, not only increasing the skin's water content but also maintaining the skin's moisture.
3. Tightening and anti-wrinkle Collagen has good adhesion, with good adhesion strength, and is known as "physiological glue", which can tightly stick the loose skin tissue together, achieving the effect of tightening the skin and firming it. Supplementing collagen can increase the thickness and tension of the dermis, restore the skin's flatness, and solve problems such as skin relaxation and wrinkles.