Collagen | Collagen drinks for young skin - vital proteins collagen peptides
Collagen drinks are one of the most controversial products within the beauty care and anti-aging industries. In search of new and effective ways to help us enjoy the vitality and look of youth for a longer time proposing just one drink a day seems tempting, but how effective is this drink really in improving your skin? Here is a set of questions and answers that will help you figure out if you would benefit from incorporating a collagen drink into your skincare regime.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a protein found naturally in the human body that provides structural support to your tissues and muscles, including the structure of skin, hair, nails, connective tissue, cartilage, bones, and joints.
Collagen specifically consists of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline plus arginine and makes up about 30% of the proteins within our bodies.
Why do we need to increase our natural collagen levels?
Unfortunately, as we age, our natural collagen levels decrease, especially when women reach menopause, which leads to wrinkles and other skin problems that appear as we age.
Our natural collagen production slows down in our early twenties by 1 to 1.5 percent annually, and by the time we reach the age of 50, most people have lost about 50 percent of their skin's collagen, which can lead to sagging and wrinkles. Throughout the body and face as well.
However, not everyone's collagen levels decrease at the same rate. These levels differ from person to person. This rate often depends on different lifestyle factors such as diet, excessive sun exposure, a person’s sleep rate, and constant stress in addition to genetic factors and hormones. That means Wearing sunscreen and limiting the time you spend in the sun, as well as following a healthy. A balanced lifestyle can help protect against premature low collagen levels, and these steps should be part of any effective anti-aging routine.
How do collagen drinks work?
Collagen drinks are designed to help raise your natural collagen levels, helping to avoid the effects of collagen depletion before it occurs. But most importantly: It is important to understand that collagen peptides do not add the collagen peptides we drink directly to the dermis of the skin, but instead collagen peptides act as a reaction mechanism to stimulate the natural collagen production in our bodies.
The presence of collagen fragments is thought to send the wrong signals to the body indicating collagen destruction. Which stimulates collagen-producing cells called fibroblasts to produce more of your natural collagen. Also stimulates the combination of elastin (which gives skin elasticity) and hyaluronic acid, which acts as Moisturizing the skin. This result is an increase in collagen levels in the body which in turn leads to healthier and firmer skin.
Isn't collagen too large to be absorbed into the bloodstream?
Collagen molecules are already too large to be absorbed into the bloodstream, but the collagen in the collagen syrup is hydrolyzed by water, and this means that the collagen molecules have been broken down into smaller pieces called peptides which have a very low molecular weight making them easily absorbed in the intestine.
Do all collagen drinks give the same result?
For the collagen drink to be absorbed before the start of the digestion process, the collagen peptides must be in liquid form. We need to take 6000 mg of collagen peptides daily to stimulate the activity of fibroblasts in the dermis, which is why most good collagen syrups provide in each dose about 7000 mg of collagen peptides to compensate for any deficiency that may occur during absorption.
Is there any research proving the effectiveness of collagen drink?
Simply yes, but the studies are often the result of laboratory research conducted by the same brands that make collagen syrups. However, some studies show that collagen reaches the dermis of the skin (meaning that collagen peptides are already absorbed before the digestive process begins in the stomach) as well as studies that show that consuming collagen stimulates the body's ability to produce its collagen.
In one study conducted in this field, it was proved that the type of collagen peptides used in some brands' products is absorbed into the bloodstream. And the participants in this study noticed an increase in collagen density and skin hydration and elasticity after drinking this type of collagen drink for 90 days. Another laboratory study by other brands showed that collagen reaches tissues within 12 hours of ingestion.
When should I start taking collagen drink?
As with most things in life, prevention is better than cure, so the earlier you start taking collagen, the better. For best results, it is best to start taking a collagen drink in your late twenties to early thirties. Ultimately it depends on your goals and lifestyle but generally taking a collagen drink in your 30s will be beneficial in terms of strengthening and prevention.
Men have more collagen than women
Collagen loss begins around age 25. According to some estimates, we will have lost up to 30% of collagen by the age of 45. However, men have thicker skin than women and therefore have a greater density of collagen. So while we lose collagen at roughly the same rate. Women's skin can appear to age faster than men, depending on the reasons we mentioned and the significant decrease in collagen that occurs after menopause.
Does collagen drink suitable for everyone?
No, Many collagen drinks are not vegan, because collagen is mainly derived from fish [marine collagen] or pigs [bovine collagen]. It is often not indicated on the box or packaging what types of collagen are used in different products and their origin. You have to read the small print to find out. Some brands make collagen drinks that are free of dairy, lactose, and gluten and do not contain pig or cow collagen but only use marine collagen. Some other brands rely on plant collagen only.
Collagen supplements are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
What about anti-aging skincare creams, such as the so-called "collagen creams"?
Research has shown that taking collagen by mouth (such as a collagen drink) enhances collagen levels in the body much more than applying it in cream. The positive effects of oral collagen lasts longer than those of a face cream because collagen that is taken orally affects the deeper layers of the skin and targets the dermis where collagen loss mainly occurs.
On the other hand, creams tend to be concentrated primarily on the epidermis, the upper layer of the skin. The visual improvements observed with the creams are mainly due to increased hydration and not the deep structural changes achieved with collagen supplementation.
Can a collagen drink make me better focus on a healthy diet?
Collagen drinks are not a substitute for a healthy, balanced lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle does not prevent collagen loss. They are two completely different things. Collagen drinks are designed to stimulate a physiological response in the body that has nothing to do with lifestyle. It's a bit like asking if a healthy lifestyle means you don't need to apply SPF sunblock to your skin. Of course not, this does not mean that at all, but you should continue to use sunblock as well as collagen drink. The function of collagen drinks cannot be achieved by anything you eat.
To maintain the health of both your skin and your body and enjoy the appearance of youth for as long as possible, we recommend that you follow a healthy diet and lifestyle while drinking collagen drink daily as well.
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