Can Collagen Supplements Reduce Wrinkles?

Bye-bye, Botox. Say hello to hydrolyzed collagen, a newly discovered skin-friendly protein that promises to help restore your aging skin and make you look younger. Do they really work?

WHAT IS COLLAGEN?

Collagen is the largest and most abundant protein in our body. It is a key building block for our vital organs and joints, as well as our hair, nails, and skin. In fact, the dermis layer of our skin is more than 70% collagen. Collagen functions much like the frame of a house: it provides support for everything, on the inside and outside. Without the frame, your house gets cracks and falls down.

There are 28 types of collagen. The collagen in your dermis is 80% Type I and 10% Type III. Collagen Types I and III are essential for the foundation of youthful, flawless skin.

The good news is we have an abundant supply of this collagen when we are born. Our baby skin is plump, smooth and rosy in color. Thanks to all that collagen I & III in the dermis. The bad news is, our body stops producing collagen around our mid-to-late 20s. Even worse, just when we embrace our 30s, our collagen begins to drop 1-2% every year. By age 40, we have lost 10-20% of our collagen.  By 50, we are down 20-40%. By the time we hit 60… well, you get the picture.

And it isn’t pretty.

The result of collagen loss is aging skin, fine lines, wrinkles, loss of elasticity, firmness, and hydration. 

WHERE DOES COLLAGEN COME FROM

Collagen is a protein and it derives from animal protein, especially around the cartilage and bones.  However, the collagen molecule from the animal protein at its native state is too large for our body to absorb when ingested. So we won’t be able to replenish our lost collagen simply by eating lots of meat and drinking tons of bone soup.

The good news is researchers in Japan invented a process to break apart the collagen molecule, using high-pressure steam – a process called “hydrolysis” – and received a U.S. Patent for their invention.  The result is “hydrolyzed collagen” which means “cut into tiny pieces” – pieces that are small enough for our digestive enzymes to completely break down, which in turn enables the collagen to be absorbed into the bloodstream at a high rate.

When collagen is ‘hydrolyzed’ and delivered to the body in liquid form, the ‘bioavailability’ (absorption rate) is much higher than in pill/powder form. That’s because the hydrolyzed collagen in liquid form is essentially ‘pre-digested’ for you, making it easier for your system to absorb the tiny collagen pieces into your bloodstream. Once the hydrolyzed collagen enters the bloodstream – provided the concentration is high enough – the brain detects the high concentration of these collagen building blocks and triggers the ‘wound repair response’ in the brain – similar to what happens when you cut your finger.  The body responds by reactivating specialized cells in the dermis layer of your skin called ‘fibroblasts’ to grow new collagen.   This occurs not just on the face but throughout the body.

Clinical studies also show consuming a daily dose of high concentration marine hydrolyze collagen (7000mg-10,000mg daily) can increase skin dermis density and decrease in deep wrinkles. Female subjects also reported improvement in skin elasticity, hydration, and radiance. See clinical studies.

So now that the science shows taking a high dosage of hydrolyzed collagen supplement can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and make us look younger, without going under the knife,  which collagen supplement works best and how much and how often do we need to take?

The truth is there are so many brands out in the market. Among the major player, Taut Premium Collagen supplement drink is the premium grade marine collagen source from Red Snapper Fish. Bio-Cell is the leader in the manufacturing of hydrolyzed collagen supplement in pills and powder form made from bovine.

Make sure to Visit 7 tips to buy the best collagen supplement to learn more and decide for yourself which is the best option for you.

By Larry Pederson