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How to stay young and healthy with collagen

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For thousands of years, collagen-rich foods have been a key part of diets all over the world. Collagen is scarce in our modern day diets, because we no longer eat nose-to-tail, and the animal parts that we typically throw away tend to be the most collagen rich.

If we don’t have the time or inclination to make bone broth to get our daily dose of collagen, then getting some high quality collagen peptides where the collagen has been hydrolysed to make it highly bioavailable-is a great option to support overall health.

The word ‘collagen’ is derived from the greek word ‘kolla’, meaning glue and it is the substance that literally holds the body together. It’s the most abundant protein in the body, making up structures including our gut lining, joints, and skin. Its main role is to provide structural support and strength, however it also protects the vital organs and so much more.

As we age our natural production of collagen starts to slow down.

Once we hit 25 we start producing less and less collagen each year and this decreases sharply each decade, we can start to notice differences in our skin and joint health as this production gradually declines.

The two main sources of supplemental collagen are bovine which is derived from cows, and marine which is derived from fish.

Marine and bovine collagen powder are both rich in type 1 collagen (the most abundant form in our bodies) which gives structure to skin, tendons, bones, and organs, supports the gut, and aids wound healing. Bovine collagen also has a little type 3 collagen alongside as well. Generally the choice between them is down to dietary and personal preference as they both provide a rich source of highly bioavailable collagen protein.

Consuming collagen supplements supports our bodies own collagen production and the amino acids they contain will help us to rebuild collagen within the body.

Collagen Beauty Benefits

Collagen has a reputation as an essential beauty supplement, and for good reason as up to 70% of the protein in our skin is made from collagen.

Brittle nails, thinning hair and wrinkles are just a few of the signs that collagen production is slowing down as we age. Our diet and lifestyle throughout all stages of life can affect the health of our hair, skin and nails. Many factors impact our bodies production of collagen including high amounts of sugar in the diet, which essentially ages your skin through a process called glycation, where sugar binds to collagen and over time destroys the density of elastin and collagen.

Other factors including sun overexposure, smoking, caffeine, and alcohol can also affect our collagen production. You may be investing in high quality topical skin products, but it’s vitally important to support your hair, skin, and nails from the inside out for real beauty benefits.

Collagen is vital to give skin its strength and elasticity and give hair and nails their strength too. Studies have found collagen can help to improve skin appearance, decreasing lines, wrinkles, dryness, and scaling (1). Collagen can also help to lock in moisture, supporting skin elasticity and hydration.

Collagen is also vital for healthy hair, working from the inside out to help support stronger healthier looking hair. It is key for cell renewal and the strength and elasticity of the hair. The amino acids in collagen can also help to strengthen the nails, preventing brittleness and splitting and supporting healthy growth.

Replenishing and supporting our natural collagen stores helps skin maintain its structural integrity, locking in moisture and protecting it from further damage resulting in loss of elasticity, as well as supporting healthy, strong hair and nails. As most of us don’t get enough collagen through our diets a high quality source of clean collagen powder is an essential beauty supplement.

For extra skin, hair, and nails support try Planet Paleo’s Primal Goddess blend combining collagen with beauty favourites hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, biotin, antioxidant rich berries and more to help you get that glow.

Collagen for Joint Support

Collagen is also important for the health of our joints, from supporting sports recovery to preventing wear and tear and degradation from the aging process. Collagen decreases naturally as part of the ageing process which is when issues with joints may start to arise. Tissue damage from sports injuries, or wear and tear as we get older can lead to more chronic degenerative conditions of the joints and bones.

Collagen is a key structural component of our cartilage and when we don’t have enough, cartilage will start to thin out and become weaker and we can suffer with joint problems like arthritis. Collagen can help with pain management, stiffness and support mobility due to the anti-inflammatory nature of its amino acids including glycine and proline which are essential for the stability and regeneration of cartilage (2).

The high amount of anti-inflammatory amino acids in collagen supports the formation and repair of connective tissues, joint surfaces, as well as the bone matrix which is comprised of nearly 90% collagen.

If you are active or looking to support healthy joints then try Planet Paleo’s Active collagen blend with turmeric, glucosamine, msm and more for healthy joints and connective tissues.

Most people are not consuming enough collagen rich foods like bone broths on a regular basis and so collagen supplements can provide an easy solution to get in this rich source of nutrition to support our skin, joints, and overall health.

References

Written by Natasha Edwards