Collagen for smooth skin & beauty
Collagen skin & beauty: Collagen is a miracle cure for the skin. But what exactly is it? In this blog article you will learn all about collagen and smooth skin without wrinkles.
Table of contents:
- What is collagen? What types of collagen are there?
- Why is collagen important for the skin?
- What foods contain collagen?
- Collagen powder and bone broth as a natural food supplement
- Collagen Alternative for Vegans & Vegetarians
Through collagen skin without wrinkles
Collagens are the most abundant proteins in the human body, accounting for 30% of all proteins. These protein structures consist mainly of the amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline (1). The main characteristic of collagen is its high elasticity, which makes it an important component of bones, joints, skin and other organs (2).
With the help of vitamin C, the body continuously produces collagen. However, this production decreases with age: from the age of 20 onwards it decreases by about 1% per year (3). This soon has an effect on the body and the collagen skin starts to form wrinkles. Some habits, such as smoking and sunbathing, can further reduce collagen production, which can lead to premature ageing of the skin (4).
Collagen for skin and beauty
The absorption of collagen through food can counteract the signs of ageing caused by collagen and improve the elasticity of the skin (5).
There are at least 15 different types of collagen (6). Particularly important are
- Type I: 90% of the collagens in the human body belong to this type. Type I collagen is found in the skin, bones, tendons, connective tissue and teeth, for example.
- Type II is mainly found in the joints.
- Type III supports the structure of muscles, organs and arteries.
- Type IV is found in the lower layers of the skin.
Positive effects of collagen in the body include smoother skin (7), healthy hair (8), reduced symptoms of arthritis and other joint problems (9), stronger bones (10), improved muscle development (11) and healthy bowel function (12).
Collagen as an anti-aging agent for the skin
Aging skin is the most visible effect of reduced collagen production. However, the appearance of wrinkles and dry skin can be reduced by a sufficient supply of collagen. For example, in a 2014 study, researchers found that skin elasticity improved significantly after four weeks of supplementation with collagen powder (13). Another study came to a similarly positive result after eight weeks of treatment (7).
Stimulating collagen production for smooth skin with these foods
Procollagen, the starting material for all collagens, is produced by combining the amino acids glycine and proline. The human body needs vitamin C for this process. In order to support the production of collagen, it should be ensured that the body always receives an adequate supply of the following nutrients:
- Vitamin C: for example in citrus fruits and berries
- Proline: for example in protein, milk, cabbage, mushrooms
- Glycine: for example in the skin of cattle, chicken and in protein-rich food
- Copper: for example in sesame, cocoa and cashews
- proteins: The body needs high-quality proteins containing amino acids to be able to produce new proteins. Meat, dairy products, vegetables and tofu are excellent sources of protein.
- Hydroxyproline: bone stock, collagen powder from pasture
Collagen skin: Collagen supply through food
Collagen is found in large quantities in the tissues of animal foods, such as chicken skin. A particularly rich source of collagen is bone broth, which is produced by cooking animal bones.
A very high proportion of the amino acids needed to produce collagen can also be found in gelatine.
Collagen can also be taken in the form of food supplements such as collagen powder and capsules.
Collagen powder
The most commonly offered collagen powder consists of collagen hydrolysate. Hydrolysate' in this case means that the amino acid chains of collagen have been broken down into smaller sections by an enzymatic process. This fragmentation makes it possible to dissolve collagen powder in any drink or soup. Natural organic collagen is obtained from bone stock. In this process, bone stock is boiled for 20 hours and then dehydrated and ground into a powder. JARMINO Bio Collagen is the first organic collagen powder on the market in Germany. As an alternative to the collagen powder, you can also regularly drink high-quality bone stock. Stars like Gwyneth Paltrow or Selma Hayek swear by bone broth as a daily beauty ritual.
In addition to providing the body with the components it needs to produce collagen, collagen powder also acts as a rich source of protein.
Collagen alternatives for vegans and vegetarians
Until recently, collagen could only be produced from animal products. Today, however, it is possible to produce collagen artificially using yeast and bacteria.
Researchers have found (14) that the bacterium P. Pastoris is an effective tool for producing genetically engineered collagen. To produce it, human genes with the information to build collagen particles are inserted into the genetic structure of the bacteria or yeast fungi. These then produce human collagen with the help of a digestive enzyme and without any animal products.
Vegan human collagen is still difficult to obtain at present, so 'collagen boosters' are offered in many places as a plant-based alternative. These products contain various vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and zinc, which are needed by the body to produce collagen. Others also contain various herbs and plant extracts that have been shown to improve collagen production (15).
In addition to dietary supplements, various herbal foods can add the amino acids that the body needs to produce collagen. Among other things, they have a particularly high proportion of the amino acids required:
- black beans
- runner beans
- seeds and kernels of pumpkins, sunflowers, chia and butternut
- Nuts like pistachios, peanuts and cashews
Vegan suppliers often also offer amino acids as dietary supplements. Instead of the direct intake of animal collagen, the body's own collagen production is supported.
Conclusion: Collagen as a food supplement is important for smooth skin
Elastic collagen is an important component of all areas of the human body, especially our skin. The age-related reduction in the production of collagen has a particular effect on the skin, causing wrinkles, dryness and other signs of aging. Studies have confirmed that premature skin ageing can be counteracted by the absorption of collagen, collagen components and nutrients needed to produce collagen (7, 15). Natural collagen is found in animal foods, especially collagen powder and bone broth, but there are also very effective alternatives for vegans and vegetarians to stimulate the body's collagen production.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28929384
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3003457/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-skin-wrinkle-wit/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/478466
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19957932
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jsfa.7606
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509882/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8378772
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17076983
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4594048/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14600124
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/351376
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-005-0180-x
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0367326X12000949
