Improve skin, promote wound healing, ease arthritis symptoms and boost muscle mass. These are just some of the amazing benefits of collagen supplements. Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the body. It is the body's scaffolding, the glue that holds the body together. The structure of collagen is like a rope. Three chains wind around each other forming a collagen triple helix, these building blocks combine to form collagen fibrils of enormous strength and tensile force. The vast majority of collagen is made up of three types. Type I gives skin firmness, type II makes up our moveable joints and type III which gives skin its elasticity. Collagen makes up about 80% of our skin, providing the volume needed to keep it looking plump and smooth. It is also rich in the amino acids proline and glycine which you need to maintain and repair tendons, bones and joints. As we age, collagen is broken down faster than we can replace it. We begin to lose about 1% of our collagen per year from our mid 20's and can lose as much as 30% during the first 5 years of menopause. A diet high in processed foods and sugar, excessive sun exposure and smoking will also diminish collagen levels. When put on the skin through the use of topical creams, collagen does not absorb well but in the past few years there have been some impressive studies showing that ingesting collagen can have some amazing benefits for the skin and body. However not all collagen supplements are created equal. Look for collagen peptides known as hydrolyzed collagen. They are made of the same amino acids as collagen but are much more easily absorbed by our bodies because they are broken down into smaller fragments. For vegetarians and vegans there are plant options to promote collagen health. Tremella mushroom extract has shown amazing results for the skin especially skin hydration.
