Have you tried collagen peptides even if it is for a few days to see the difference it makes? Leave me your comments and reviews at the bottom. You could get a free can of collagen on us. :-)
Why Is Everyone Taking Collagen?
You might have heard this Buzzword in your life many times, but today we will explain everything you need to know about collagen.
Collagen is a naturally occurring abundant protein found in the skin, bones, tendons and connective tissues of humans and animals.
Not only in humans and animals but also found in plants.
Role of Collagen in the Human Body
Just like scaffolding supports the crew to aid in the construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, the same is the role of collagen in holding the body together.In construction, we use cement to hold together building blocks.
In the body, the cement that holds together all connective tissues is collagen.
Without enough collagen (anyone over 25 and not taking it as a supplement is deficient), our connective tissues start falling apart in form of joint pain, creases, wrinkles, weak hair, nails, etc.
It provides support and strength and makes tissues strong, resilient, and able to withstand stretching.
So we can understand how important this substance is for the proper working of our bones, skin, and other tissues.
Types of Collagen Found in the Human Body
The five most common types of collagen found naturally in the human body are:Type 1 Collagen
Collagen type one is the main component of the organic parts of bones that makes up to 90% of human hair, skin, nails, organs, bone, and ligaments.
This type is responsible for soft and youthful-looking glowing skin. This is considered the strongest and most abundant type.
Type 2 Collagen
Type 2 collagen is the type of collagen found in cartilage(a very important joint connective tissue).
Collagen type-II plays a vital role in building joint cartilage, protecting and supporting healthy joints, and maintaining the gut lining in the human body.
Collagen Type-III
Collagen type 3 is the type found alongside type-I collagen. It is a major component of skin and bones.
It is also important for heart health as they form the parts of arterial walls.
Collagen Type-V&X
These are less abundant in the human body; type-v, along with type-I, forms the cell membrane, placenta tissues, and interstitial collagen fibers.
Collagen Type-X can be defined as a network forming collagen present in normal joint cartilage.
So, how do you get all of them? Stay with me for a moment.
What happens if there is a Drop-in Collagen Levels?
All the types have a specific role to play in the human body.
With age and time, collagen decline starts at 25 and supplementation becomes necessary.
This decline that gets worse with age can result in many issues, including weak joints, loss in the structural integrity of skin and wrinkles appearing on the skin, pain in several joints, and being prone to injuries.
Low collagen levels in the body can lead to stiff and less flexible tendons and ligaments thinning of hair and nails.
What Factors are Responsible for Collagen Damage?
Many factors can damage collagen.
Environmental factors.
Factors like UV rays, pollution, and free radicals can damage skin collagen and are enemies to our skin.
Wearing sunscreen can help reduce collagen depletion in the skin, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles.
UV-rays can cause the collagen to break down rapidly and damage collagen fibers which result in wrinkles formation.
Lifestyle Habits
Habits like smoking can speed collagen breakdown because of the chemicals present in tobacco.
Nicotine in cigarettes narrows down the blood vessels in the outer layers of skin that are responsible for providing oxygen and desired nutrients to the skin.
High Sugar Consumption
Sugar & Carbohydrates result in an increase of glycation in which blood sugar gets attached to proteins to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that damage protein and make collagen brittle and weak.Do you have plans to stop sugar and all drinks & foods with added sugar to save your skin and joints? Leave a comment below.
Autoimmune disorders and Genetics
Some factors are beyond our control and can affect the extracellular matrix of collagen due to dysfunctional or mutated collagen being produced.There are people who just don't age gracefully and others don't seem to crack... it is genetic.
The Ageing Process
Last but not least, aging causes collagen to deplete naturally over time, and only collagen supplementation can prevent it from depleting.
Intentionally eating foods rich in collagen may help increase collagen production.
So to know the sources of collagen and why everyone is taking collagen, continue reading below!
Foods Rich in Collagen
You can add collagen to your body by taking collagen-rich foods or supplements form. Some food sources of collagen include:- Leafy greens
- Fish
- Chicken
- Egg whites
- Red meat
- Citrus fruits
- Berries
- Cashew nuts
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Soy
- Herbs high in collagen
- Bone broth
- Beans
More likely than not, you will only see large gains in benefits with supplementation.
Collagen Supplements
There are many types of supplements available on the market.
Go with collagen type that has all collagen types and is fortified with additional benefits.
Make your decision that you want to take in capsule form or as powdered, and know where this collagen is coming from, i-e, the source of collagen.
Some common sources include collagen derived from plants, animals, or marine life.
The most used type of collagen supplements includes:
Hydrolyzed collagen is obtained from animal (cow hides) sources or Undenatured collagen is obtained from chicken cartilage.
Undenatured collagen from chicken source is among the best types of collagen you can ever take..
Why Is Everyone Taking Collagen?
As discussed earlier that with time our body undergoes a decline in collagen production that can affect our body in many ways.
So if you are looking for a delay in the aging process, you need to boost your body's collagen production.
Some of the major reasons why everyone is taking collagen include:
- For Skin Revitalization and to Give Structure and Elasticity, you need to add collagen to your body. However, we know that aging is inevitable, but we can still slow down the process by taking collagen food or in the form of supplements.
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For Curing some types of arthritis- Collagen supplements are essential and an easy way out. Collagen supplements help in relieving pain and inflammation and it is one of the best supplements for joints.
Once the collagen-dense food or supplement enters the body, its cartilage starts accumulating collagen and results in rebuilding an extracellular matrix.
- Wound dressing- In healthcare, collagen is also effective in wound dressing because it attracts new cells to the wounded part and promotes healing. In orthopedic surgery, collagen can be injected straight into degenerated joints to promote joint tissue regeneration.
- Reduced hair loss- is a popular reason other than skin benefits for which everyone is taking collagen. Collagen may help to promote the body's hair to grow thicker, and longer and reduce hair cutting off.
- Promote bone health- research has shown that collagen supplements are important when it comes to bone health. It may help significantly increase organic bone substances, which in turn restore and increase bone mineral density (BMD).
- Improved sleep- is another surprising reason for its popularity. Taking collagen may impact our sleep quality because it is loaded with amino-acid glycine that helps us to calm our nervous system and keeps us relaxed.
- Immune system strengthening- as we know, collagen contains different amino acids. One of them is glutamine which plays a key role in an improved, healthy, and strong immune system.
- Healthy for your heart- collagen benefits include heart health due to improved structure of our arteries
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Restore sexual and hormone health- collagen-producing supplements can improve your sex life in several ways.
Many women suffer from pain during sex due to vaginal dryness.
Increased collagen in the vagina strengthens the vaginal walls, which improves laxity and the ability of the cells to create lubrication.
- Increase antioxidant and helps in detoxification- collagen acts as an antioxidant. Glycine presence makes it ideal for the detoxification of the body.
Over to you... Have you tried collagen or are you going to try it, even if for one week?
Leave your comments below and you could get a free can or bottle of collagen peptides on us.