How Much Collagen Do You Need To Repair Skin

An array of collagen supplements, powder, tablets and oils.
Much of the earth's population is searching for eternal youth. Collagen has been touted every bit the possible elixir for youthful and glowing skin. Collagen supplements accept been promoted to amend the appearance of skin, reduce inflammation and joint pain, reduce artery stiffness, and improve digestive health. But can collagen supplements exercise all of this?

What is Collagen?

Collagen occurs naturally in our bodies and is the most abundant protein in the trunk. Information technology'south the principal component of our skins tissue, basic, muscles, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels, and gut. Collagen is a hard, insoluble and gristly poly peptide. It makes upwards 1-third of the total poly peptide count in the homo torso. There are at least 16 dissimilar types of collagen, but our trunk mainly consists of types 1, 2, and 3. In most collagens, the molecules are packed together to class long, thin fibrils.

What Happens to Our Bodies Natural Collagen Product?

As nosotros historic period, our collagen stores reduce, and our body makes poorer quality collagen. Everyone loses collagen at different rates. While age is a major cistron, the environment and genetics play a big part. Ecology factors include poor lifestyle choices such every bit smoking and eating a nutrition high in sugar. Poor diet creates free radicals that increase the speed of collagen breakdown. Exposure to high levels of UV rays and pollution too reduce collagen stores. Genetic defects can cause nutritional deficiencies that can affect the processes involved in collagen product.

Collgen stores reduce as way age, diagram showing the effects of collagen

What Are Collagen Supplements?

Collagen supplements are a protein manufactured using brute products. These supplements come up in a range of types. About collagen supplements have undergone the procedure of hydrolyzation, which means the manufacturer has broken the collagen down into peptides so the body can absorb and use it.

Collagen supplements are available every bit:

Pulverisation
Tablets
Capsules/Pills

Collagen Types

At that place are many types of collagen and the supplement that'south right for you will depend on your main reason for taking a collagen supplement. The near common types include:

Blazon 1 - the most mutual type found in the human body and supports healthy skin.

Blazon 2 - the collagen found in cartilage most likely to help joint health.

Blazon 3 - collagen most likely to amend elasticity and skin health.

Blazon five - doctors may recommend pregnant women to take this supplement to back up the growth of the placenta.

Type 10 - also found in cartilage and helps promote bone health.

How Practice You Accept Collagen Supplements?

Collagen pulverisation is flavourless and easily soluble. Some people add collagen powder to their morn java or smoothies. Others prefer to add it to sweetness or savoury foods. For those with a sweet tooth, some powders can be made into poly peptide gummies. Collagen supplements are also available in pill course.

Young healthy female making a collagen supplement smoothie

The Claimed Benefits of Collagen Supplements

Collagen is linked to several health benefits. Some of these have been heavily researched and can exist backed past scientific evidence, just many are based on inconclusive studies. Most of these studies are as well conducted in pocket-sized sizes. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is responsible for regulating medicines and therapeutic goods in Australia. The TGA doesn't test any manufacturers' claims on how well their collagen product works. The TGA tests for quality and safety of a product.

Some of the claimed health benefits with studies to support them include:

Peel Health

A large number of people who take collagen supplements do and then for the potential benefits to their skin. Collagen supplements can help slow down the ageing procedure by improving skin elasticity, boosting moisture levels and reducing wrinkles. A study published in the Journal of Medical Nutrition and Nutraceuticals confirmed collagen supplements are beneficial to peel health. The written report revealed several women who drank a collagen supplement containing hydrolyzed collagen, reported significant improvements in their pare's hydration and elasticity.

A middle-aged woman smiling in mirror with perfect skin

A similar study was conducted by the Department of Dermatology, University of Kiel, Deutschland. In this study, eight women took either a collagen supplement or a placebo over 8 weeks. At the finish of the 8-week trial, the women who took the collagen supplement had higher peel moisture levels and improved skin elasticity. Some acne sufferers believe collagen supplements accept helped with acne but the claim isn't yet proven.

Cellulite Reduction

With 85% of women over the age of twenty suffering from cellulite, many supplements accept been trialed to find ane that volition reduce the orange pare appearance of the pare. One written report of women with moderate cellulite took a collagen peptide for six months. They showed a significant decrease in the degree of cellulite and reduced skin waviness on their thighs. The study, reported the collagen treatment worked in average weight and overweight women.

Bone Strength

As nosotros age, it's not only our pare that loses its strength and structure. Our bones are made up of collagen and its production slows downwards with age, making bones weaker. One small-scale study revealed taking collagen and calcium supplements (rather than calcium alone) can assistance prevent os deterioration. The combined supplement may besides amend bone mineral density (BMD) to reduce the hazard of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, just they require more research.

Digestive Health

People who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) may do good from collagen supplements. Only a small amount of enquiry has been completed in this surface area, but it's thought inflammatory bowel disease sufferers have lower concentrations of collagen IV needed for a healthy digestive tract. Collagen supplements help connective tissue in the abdominal lining.

Eye Health

Atherosclerosis is a disease caused by the build-upwards of plaque within the arteries. A minor six month trial of collagen tripeptide could reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis with a reduction in artery stiffness and reduced levels of bad cholesterol.

Man monitoring his heart rate after taking collagen supplements

Musculus Mass

Nosotros lose musculus mass as we historic period, only a doc may diagnose sarcopenia if a patient suffers significant muscle loss and force. A study of elderly men with sarcopenia were given 15 grams of collagen while completing a 12-week exercise plan. They gained significantly more musculus mass and strength than men who only exercised. Nonetheless, more research is required to investigate whether collagen has the potential to boost muscle mass.

Mental Health

Some people claim collagen supplements have improved their mental wellness by decreasing anxiety and improving mood. A study has constitute collagen V1 can protect encephalon cells against amyloid-beta (Aβ) proteins which are linked to Alzheimer's disease. Researchers take as well linked glycine and schizophrenia. Around one 3rd of collagen is made upward of glycine, a not-essential amino acid. Glycine can improve general psychiatric symptoms and improve sleep.

How Much Collagen Should You Have in a Day?

The corporeality of collagen you should accept daily really depends on what you're trying to achieve with the supplement.

For pain relief, 8-12 grams of collagen daily may be needed, but one study showed even two grams per mean solar day was enough to provide some relief.

A report in using collagen to reduce avenue stiffness had 31 adults taking as much equally xvi grams daily for six months to achieve a positive result.

For peel dryness and elasticity, ane study showed improved results with 2.5-5 grams of collagen per day.

There is also some idea collagen has an accumulative effect and over time considering it builds up in the cartilage and stimulates tissues to brand collagen.

There is not one study that can provide all the answers for how much collagen is the right amount. More human being trials are needed to back all the wellness claims.

What Historic period Should You Beginning Taking Collagen Supplements?

There's no correct or wrong time to beginning taking collagen supplements, but around the historic period of 25-xxx, is when most peoples collagen stores begin to reduce.

Collagen production slows by 1-2% per year. For cosmetic reasons, some people brainstorm collagen supplements in their early 20s while others may not start until they notice visible signs of poor skin elasticity later in life.

What Types of Collagen Supplements Are the Nearly Effective?

It comes downward to personal preference how you lot accept a collagen supplement. Some people prefer to add information technology to food while others accept it as a tablet or capsule as they do other supplements.

With several collagen supplements available, people frequently query which one is the nigh effective.

Tablet and cream collagen supplements on a white background

Topical

Collagen can't be absorbed into the body by penetrating the skin as its molecule is too big. Collagen amino acids are small plenty that they tin penetrate the peel and go to the deeper layers of the dermis.

Researchers conducted a pocket-size enquiry report into the topical application of collagen to treat lines and wrinkles. The three-month study found the treatment was well tolerated and successful in gaining short and long term comeback in participants' lines and wrinkles.

Skincare companies make big claims most their creams containing collagen. But the ingredient must be hydrolyzed collagen or collagen peptides to have any chance of penetrating the skin. The cream then needs to get through to the dermis to make any difference which is difficult to prove.

Powder

Taking an oral collagen supplement supports the skin structure from the inside out. When the collagen is absorbed in the bloodstream, the collagen reaches the underlying layers first.

Tablets and Capsules

The tablet and sheathing class is favoured by those people who want a quick and easy pick. The pulverization must exist added to food or drinks so it's not always user-friendly.

Are At that place Whatever Side Effects to Taking Collagen?

While researchers accept found collagen supplements are safe, in that location have been a few recorded side effects. These include:

Diarrhea
Fullness (Feeling heavy in the stomach)
Heartburn
Rashes
Bad taste in the mouth

Anyone considering taking collagen supplements for the first time on increasing their intake should cheque with their doctor.

Collagen and Scleroderma

Too much collagen tin can do you harm. Known as scleroderma, backlog collagen can cause the pare to thicken and harden. Likewise much collagen can also impact internal organs including the heart, lungs, esophagus, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. Yet, scleroderma is a rare auto-immune affliction, not acquired by consuming collagen supplements.

How Can I Boost Collagen Naturally?

You can also assistance the body in generating collagen by eating a range of foods containing amino acids. Foods that are rich in protein including beef, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy offer amino acids.

An array of foods high in natural collagen

It'south also recommended to consume foods loftier in vitamins and minerals that act every bit precursors for collagen product and heave the impact of the amino acids.

These foods include:

#i Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps the body repair and regenerate tissue. It'due south also a food required during the pre-collagen production phase. Vitamin C is fifty-fifty useful in the post-collagen production stage because the antioxidants protect confronting the gratis radicals that break down collagen cells. Vitamin C is found in a range of fruits, vegetables and other foods.

#two Zinc

Zinc helps with several functions including poly peptide production, Deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and skin health. Oysters, seeds and nuts incorporate zinc.

#iii Copper

We need copper to maintain healthy basic and blood vessels. It'southward an essential trace mineral required for forming collagen fibrils. Copper is found in oysters, nuts, seeds, leafy greens and dark chocolate.

What Foods are High in Collagen?

Unfortunately, there aren't many foods with a high collagen count. These include meat, offal, bone broth and gelatine. The most collagen in animal products are found in their tendons, pare, basic and ligaments so dull cook these parts to make a bone broth.

Gelatin is as well a good source of collagen only a plate of jelly for dessert each night volition not help considering of the loftier carbohydrate content.

What Fruits Are High in Collagen?

While fruits don't incorporate collagen, they contain the building blocks your body needs to produce collagen. Most fruits are loftier in vitamin C which besides stops free radical damage. Choose citrus, kiwi fruit and berries.

Other Alternatives to Collagen Supplements

If yous aren't sure if collagen supplements work, y'all can do more than to protect the collagen you have.

Healthy Lifestyle

Limiting your exposure to some of the factors we know work confronting collagen may eliminate the need for a supplement. While you tin't avoid ageing, you can:

Limit your sun exposure
Don't smoke
Swallow a healthy diet and limit saccharide intake
Keep stress to a minimum

Two young females taking a walk along the coast.

Aging Gracefully

Some people will argue nosotros shouldn't spend then much time and money trying to ward off wrinkles and the aches and pains of old age. They are happy to grow onetime and notwithstanding be here to enjoy another birthday!

Vitamin C

Research and trials have confirmed vitamin C is a naturally occurring vitamin effective in photoageing, hyperpigmentation, tissue inflammation and tissue healing. Research is being conducted into whether vitamin C reaches the dermis to stimulate collagen production and scavenge costless radicals.

Calcium

For warding off osteoporosis and keeping joints healthy, some people opt for a calcium supplement rather than taking a collagen supplement. While a study showed that taking the ii supplements has added benefits, doctors may recommend calcium supplements for skilful bone and joint health.

Hyaluronic Acid

Some skin intendance products include hyaluronic acrid because of its power to plump and hydrate skin. More research is being conducted into its effectiveness.

In conclusion, collagen supplements exercise have some health benefits, and the results from the studies sound promising. However, more human clinical trials are needed to give solid scientific evidence to back all claims. You should ever consult with your medico before taking any supplements or beginning altering your diet.