Here's why you have to put everything to the test.
It's well-known our skin needs plenty of collagen to remain strong and elastic - and it loses some of that collagen every year, because the amount of collagen our bodies manufacture goes down with age.
Collagen is a large molecule. When we eat foods with collagen, it just gets broken down into component amino acids and digested like other nutrients.
What we have, we have because our bodies manufacture collagen from the amino acids (protein) we eat.
So it's pointless to pay for collagen supplements.
However, a recent study shows taking collagen peptides does seem to increase collagen in our skin.
That's collagen peptides, not plain old collagen.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a strong protein that's basically what your body is made of, so it holds together. Collagen makes up 30% of all the protein in your body.
That's not just skin, of course, but tendons, ligaments and everything holding us together.
Structurally, it's like rebar in concrete, or the rope holding up a sailing ship's sails.
When your collagen goes down, you skin sags and becomes wrinkled.
Collagen:
* Replaces dead skin cells
* Helps your blood to clot
* Keeps your skin strong but easily stretchable
* Encourages more fibroblasts to form in the middle of your skin, your dermis, to make more new cells
* Covers your organs
So far, medical science has identified 28 different kinds of collagen. However, 90% of all the collagen in your body is Type 1, which is what's in your skin.
What Reduces Collagen?
First, and foremost, is aging. People over 80 have only around 25% of what they had in early adulthood.
Lifestyle factors under your control include:
* Smoking
* Not using sunscreen
* Eating sugar and other processed foods
These things help weaken the collagen you already have, and reduce how much new collagen your body produces.
Collagen Peptides
Also: hydrolyzed collagen.
The hydrolization process begins with the large, triple helix collagen protein molecules. Using denaturation, these large molecules are broken down into smaller pieces with a lower molecular weight - peptides.
The supplements are made of collagen from animal sources, including bone, cartilage, and skin.
As these small peptides are not digested - as whole collagen proteins are - they accumulate in your skin and your cartilage.
Should you just take an ordinary protein supplement instead?
According to a study done on burn victims, the patients taking collagen peptides experienced a significantly higher wound healing rate than the patients who took ordinary soy protein.
How Might Collagen Peptides Stimulate Greater Production of Collagen in Your Body
1. Because they are pieces of an entire collagen molecule, the peptides stimulate greater production of collagen by your body, in your skin.
2. The peptides may simply increase skin turnover. That is, you grow more new skin cells.
3. The collagen peptides act as collagen precursors, thus increasing how much new collagen your body manufactures. Peptides are collagen's raw materials. With more raw materials, your body can make more finished products - complete collagen.
Some experts suggest additional collagen peptides in your skin may also help hold in moisture, and that additional water makes your skin look smoother, younger and healthier.
The Study from 2022
This study lasted for twelve weeks, and meets the highest criteria - it was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
100 adults aged 35 to 60 took part.
By the end of the twelve weeks, the wrinkle scale score of the subjects taking 500 mg per day of collagen peptides were significantly lower. Eye wrinkle volume also increased substantially. The wrinkles around their eyes lost depth, and increased in strength and elasticity.
The skin of these subjects retained more moisture, also important for your skin's health and youthful appearance.
Overall, their eye wrinkles improved by an average of 8% - in just twelve weeks.
The conclusion: taking collagen peptide supplements reduced wrinkles around the eyes.
2020 Meta-Study
The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published a systemic review of other studies.
They found taking hydrolyzed collagen increased skin health by improving:
* Modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS)
* Dryness/Moisture
* Number of wrinkles
* Elasticity
Other Potential Benefits
You have collagen in everything your body is trying to hold together. Therefore, it's not impossible that, by taking a collagen peptide supplement, you'll strengthen other parts of your body.
If indeed collagen peptides do strengthen all tendons, that'd be valuable for athletes.
In one study, taking collagen peptides appeared to reduce injuries to the Achilles heels of runners.
Suggested Amount:
Make sure you're getting collagen peptides. If you take whole collagen, your stomach will just break it down into amino acids.
Try taking 10 to 15 grams of collagen peptides per day.
Collagen synthesis takes time - so don't expect instant results. You may see results in 60 days or so, but even that may just indicate increased moisturization of your skin, not greater amounts of collagen.
You may also experience desirable side effects. Some who've taken collagen peptides say it helped relieve joint point. That makes sense because your joints and tendons also require plentiful collagen for optimal health and strength.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9NAF5Q5B5k&t=1543s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp4qNm13yoM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAS9hz5_rSE
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jmf.2022.K.0097
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23089-collagen
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1606/collagen-peptides
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAXYVyiYZKQ&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx2paiUItMg