Collagen is the single most abundant protein in the human body. Mayo Clinic

Collagen’s main purpose is to impart physical structure. Your bones are built on a matrix of collagen, your organs are held together by collagen, your skin is composed of a dense network of collagen, your joints are made-up of collagen, even your blood vessels rely on collagen for structural integrity. Needless to say, collagen is an all-important substance that is vital to health, beauty and well-being.

Collagen is concentrated in bones, ligaments, tendons, skin, blood vessels and internal organs. It helps provide elasticity and strength. As you age, you begin to lose the collagen within your body, and it becomes harder for you to make more.

At least 30 percent of your body’s protein content is made from collagen. Collagen is made from four amino acids, which are the building blocks for protein: proline, glycline, lysine and hydroxyproline. These amino acids are grouped together in a form known as a triple helix, and that is what makes up collagen. For this triple helix to be formed, you need to have enough vitamin C, zinc, copper and manganese in your diet.

Within the human body, 29 types of collagen have been identified, with three types making up the vast majority, according to the Mayo Clinic.

These are the types you’ll usually find in a collagen supplement:

• Type 1 – This type is found in bones, ligaments, tendons and skin for elasticity and strength. The supplement source comes from bovine and fish.
• Type 2 – This type is cartilage. The supplement source comes from chicken cartilage and joint.
• Type 3 – This type is found alongside type 1 in skin, blood vessels and internal organs. The supplement source comes from bovine.

From a general health perspective, it is important to ensure adequate protein within your diet. As you age, your protein needs increase slightly to maintain lean body mass. Consuming foods that contain the primary amino acids that make up collagen may help support skin, hair, nail and joint health as you age.

These foods are good sources of glycine, proline, lysine and hydroxyproline:

• Bone broth
• Unflavored gelatin
• Dairy, especially parmesan cheese
• Legumes
• Non-genetically modified soy, such as tofu
• Spirulina
• Animal sources, such as red meat, poultry, pork, fish and eggs

To support the formation of collagen, it is also important to ensure adequate intake of foods that contain vitamin C, zinc, copper and manganese, writes the Mayo Clinic. These nutrients can be found by eating a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables, including green leafy and root vegetables, along with nuts and seeds – especially hemp, pumpkin and cashews.

Finally, being mindful of what can damage collagen production is important. Such factors include excess sugar intake, smoking, sun exposure or ultraviolet light, and environmental pollutants.

Unfortunately, collagen breaks down with age and diminishes over time. This loss of collagen is believed to be a primary cause of “aging” and has been linked to numerous health issues – including weaker joints, thinner cartilage and dry, wrinkled skin.

Collagen supplements can deliver targeted nutrition and bioactive collagen peptides to help counteract the loss of collagen as you age.

If you are planning to take a collagen supplement, either in liquid or powder form, it is important to mention that the triple helix that makes up collagen is unable to be absorbed in its whole form, according to the Mayo Clinic. It will first be broken down into individual amino acids within the gastrointestinal tract before reaching the bloodstream. The body will then reassemble and form new proteins where it sees necessary and for a use it feels is needed.

These new proteins may not contain the same amino acids that were initially ingested in the collagen supplement, and it is unknown if these restructured proteins will target the area a supplement manufacturer is advertising. Therefore, it is undetermined at this time if the body will use a collagen supplement that is purported to help skin, hair, nail and joint support to actually make collagen that would do so. In addition, limited large and long-term randomized control trials support the use and recommendation for collagen supplements for the general public.

Hydrolyzed collagen supplements advertise that they are a special type of protein that is “pre-digested” or broken down into smaller peptides for enhanced absorption into the body. Several studies have demonstrated that hydrolyzed collagen peptides are quickly absorbed after ingestion and readily deposited in the body’s tissues, where they act as building blocks and may help to trigger your body’s own internal collagen production.

Source:  https://www.newstribune.com/news/2021/aug/31/Mayo-Clinic-Q-A-Collagen-and-biotin-supplements/