Collagen Benefits – The Ultimate Collagen Review

What is collagen?

Collagen benefits maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help stave off its effects, slow the aging process, and improve general well-being. We find it in fibrous tissues such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, as well as in bones, blood vessels, the cornea of ​​the eye, and the alimentary canal.

Collagen benefits are necessary to strengthen blood vessels and give the skin its elasticity and strength. Loss of collagen leads to the appearance of wrinkles and other skin problems.

As a result, collagen supplements have gained a lot of popularity recently, especially among the elderly.

The importance of Collagen

There are 28 different collagen, 90% of which are type 1 Collagen benefits in the body. We make collagen up of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which give it its distinctive triple helical structure.

We find collagen in connective tissues, skin, bone, and cartilage. Gives it structural support and plays an essential role in some cellular functions such as

• tissue repair process.
• Immune reaction.
• The process of communication between cells.
• Cell migration and transfer, are essential for tissue maintenance.

The sources of collagen

The body produces Collagen benefits naturally, but with age, it produces lesser amounts, and some factors may negatively affect its production process, including exposure to the sun, smoking, drinking alcohol, lack of sleep, and others, so it is believed that this loss should be compensated by taking supplements.

Collagen or foods that stimulate its production, and the body needs the following to produce it:

Bone broth and meat

Bone broth is a good source of proteins that help in the formation of Collagen benefits, besides other sources such as poultry and red meat. Absorbs it to help build tissues.

Soy products

Soy products such as soy milk and soy cheese contain an ingredient called genistein, which gives these products properties that may contribute to the production of Collagen benefits in the body, in addition, it may help to inhibit enzymes that cause signs of aging in the skin, so You can eat any type of soy product that contains genistein, which includes soy products as an alternative to meat products

Leafy vegetables

Leafy vegetables are one food that contains important elements for Collagen benefits production, and dark green leaves such as spinach, cabbage, and kale can be eaten daily to get these elements, and these vegetables are rich in antioxidants called lutein.

A study published in Clinics in Dermatology showed that lutein may improve the moisture and elasticity of the skin, and leafy greens are a rich source of vitamin C, so eating them regularly helps increase the ability to produce collagen and use protein effectively.

Turkey

Turkey contains a type of protein important for skin health, which is called Carnosine. These proteins slow the aging process in the skin, which reduces its elasticity and the appearance of lines and wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. Therefore, it can be eaten turkey on a weekly basis.

Chicken

The origin of many dietary Collagen benefits supplements is chicken, where white chicken meat contains good amounts of collagen, and poultry contains a large amount of connective tissue, which may appear when cutting chicken, and these tissues make chicken a rich source of dietary Collagen benefits.

Fish

Fish and shellfish contain bones and ligaments that comprise Collagen benefits, and marine collagen may be one type of collagen that is easily absorbed, and it should be noted that fish meat contains less collagen compared to parts that are not usually eaten, such as the head, eyes, skin, and scales – and the skin of fish It is used as a source of collagen peptides.

However, fish and seafood contain important collagen-building minerals such as zinc and copper, so they are important sources.

Egg whites

Egg whites contain a large amount of proline, which is a type of amino acid important for Collagen benefits production, but eggs do not contain connective tissue like other animal food sources.

Cashews

Cashews are one of the food sources rich in copper, as every 28 grams of it contains 622 micrograms of copper, and the importance of copper lies in maintaining the building components in the body such as Collagen benefits and elastin.

As it may be difficult to replace damaged connective tissues or Collagen benefits that form support for bones when the level of bone decreases Copper in the body, which may lead to some problems, including dysfunction in the joints, and then the tissues of the body decompose.

Garlic

Garlic can enhance the production of Collagen benefits in the body, as it contains a high percentage of sulfur that helps form Collagen benefits and prevent its breakdown, and the amount of garlic consumed plays an important role, so the body may need to eat a large amount of it to achieve the desired benefit from it.

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits do not contain Collagen benefits, but they may increase Collagen benefits levels in the body because they contain a large amount of vitamin C. It promotes overall skin health, as it contributes to reducing oxidative stress and protects the skin from free radicals.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is characterized by containing many nutrients, including; Copper, iron, magnesium, and others, and these elements are useful for skin health, and also contain manganese, which supports collagen production, which helps maintain the health and youth of the skin.

Flaxseeds

Flax seeds are distinguished by their content of omega-3 fatty acids, the intake of which is associated with increasing the strength of the outer fatty layer of skin cells, which may help to hide lines and wrinkles, as the fatty layer surrounding skin cells comprises omega-3 fats. And other fats, and we recommend it to eat a tablespoon of flax seeds daily by adding it to salads, juices, and others.

Where is collagen found in oils?

Avocado oil is one of the most important oils for Collagen benefits, as it stimulates its production and increases the proportion of soluble benefits of collagen in the skin.

The addition of avocado oil to the diet enhanced the solubility of Collagen benefits, but it did not increase its amounts in the skin.

Factors that cause collagen loss in the body

Some factors can reduce the amounts of collagen in the body, and thus avoiding them leads to maintaining healthy skin for a longer period, including:

Eating sugar in large quantities

a diet high in sugars increases the rate of sugar-protein binding, which leads to the formation of new molecules called advanced glycation end products. In short, AGEs are compounds that cause damage to some proteins in the body, and can also cause collagen weakness and dehydration.

Exposure to the sun

Exposure to ultraviolet rays in sunlight causes collagen to decompose more quickly, which leads to the destruction of Collagen benefits fibers and causes the abnormal accumulation of elastin protein, and these rays also damage the benefits of collagen in the dermis layer, which affects the process of Build cells and cause wrinkles.

Having autoimmune diseases

Some autoimmune disorders cause antibodies to target collagen in the body.

Genetic changes

which may affect the so-called extracellular matrix, and can affect the amounts of Collagen benefits that are produced in the body, or cause mutations or defects in collagen functions.

Smoking

The chemicals in tobacco damage the benefits of collagen and elastin in the skin, and nicotine causes the blood vessels to narrow in the outer layers of the skin, which prevents nutrients and oxygen from reaching the skin.

Tobacco smoking can also reduce collagen production, and maybe One of the main reasons for this is the higher vitamin C needs of smokers compared to non-smokers.

Vitamin C deficiency

The body needs vitamin C for the proper formation of collagen, and a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to scurvy, which results from the presence of abnormal benefits of collagen in the extracellular tissue, which leads to tissue damage in the body.

Stress and lack of sleep

Stress affects health negatively and can lead to the acceleration of skin aging and poor wound healing indirectly by affecting the collagen structure. This reduces the stability of collagen.

Age

As with age, collagen production slows down, cells in the body weaken, and the skin becomes weaker, which facilitates its exposure to damage. Wrinkles appear because of sagging skin, hair loses its vitality, joints stiffen, and tendons and ligaments become less flexible.

Collagen benefits

Natural collagen recipes for the skin

Cucumber and egg white

This recipe is also a natural alternative to collagen.

The ingredients:

• Some small cucumber slices.
• egg white
• Milk powder.

How to prepare a collagen mask:

• Mix the ingredients well to get a mixture.
• Put the mixture on the face after washing it, leave it for 15 minutes, then wash the face with lukewarm water, dry it, and apply a moisturizing cream.

How to use collagen for hair

Collagen comes in many forms; Where it can come as capsules, needles, powder, or pills that can be taken as medicines, and can be used at home by distributing it on the scalp with a good massage for five to ten minutes, and leaving the collagen oil on the hair for a whole day until it penetrates Inside the hair and gives the desired results, and it can be used in a special cosmetic center either using collagen needles or through collagen masks.

Collagen benefits for body

Bone Health

Collagen supplements may aid in enhancing postmenopausal bone health, according to research.

Here are some findings from studies:

Benefits for bone health: According to a 2015 study, collagen and calcium supplements helped postmenopausal women’s bones. For the study, 39 osteoporotic women got daily supplements of collagen or a placebo for a full year.

Compared to those taking a placebo, those taking the supplement experienced decreased bone loss and improved levels of indicators for bone health.

Increased bone mineral density: According to a 2018 study, postmenopausal women’s bone mineral density increased when they took a collagen supplement. The study also suggested that the supplement might promote bone growth and prevent bone loss.

Body Composition

Some people may take collagen supplements to keep their muscles or lose weight. Studies on this, however few, have produced conflicting outcomes.

Joint Pain

A crucial component of cartilage, a rubbery substance that covers and shields bones and promotes easy joint movement, is collagen. The generation of cartilage declines with aging.

Heart Disease

Some people take collagen supplements to improve their cardiovascular health, although the evidence for this possible advantage is still inconclusive.

Summary

Some people try to counteract the body’s decreased collagen production as they get older by taking collagen supplements.

According to several research, taking collagen supplements may have certain health advantages, including increasing skin elasticity and strengthening the heart, bones, and joints. 

However, there is little and contradictory data on these advantages.

Some individuals should not take collagen supplements. 

Avoid using these products if you are on medication, have a health problem, or have allergies.

According to studies, consuming collagen may be especially beneficial for specific conditions and groups, including raising bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with low BMD.

A balanced diet that includes enough amounts of zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, and protein provides a healthy and less expensive alternative to supplements. You can lessen Collagen benefits and bone loss as your age by doing this together with regular exercise.

Even though age-related collagen loss is inevitable, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help stave off its effects, slow the aging process, and improve general well-being.

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