Collagen 101
Our skin researchers answer your questions about collagen and how best to protect it for ultimate results.
What is the role of collagen and do collagen supplements work?
Collagen is one of the most important proteins found throughout the body. It’s a building block for bones, muscles and connective tissues and is essential for a strong, resilient body. There are many different types of collagen, that all play slightly different roles. Types 1 and 3 collagen are key components of the skin and make up around 80% of the dry weight of our skin. Collagen fibres form a structural framework within the dermis layer to give the skin, strength and elasticity and promote youthful-looking skin.
“Collagen is found in the dermis of the skin – the middle layer – where it plays its vital role in providing structure and elasticity. Collagen molecules connect to each other, and bind with other molecules, such as elastin, to create the scaffolding or foundation for skin – providing support, structure, and texture”.
How is collagen made?
Collagen is made in the body from amino acids found in protein-rich foods. Protein in our diet needs to be digested into amino acids then reabsorbed to make collagen. To support strong collagen chains, nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc and phytonutrients should be a priority. These collagen supporting ingredients and many more are found in Skin Collagen Synergy .
What happens if we don’t have enough collagen?
Most people get enough protein from their diet. However, if we don’t have enough of the essential collagen builders (vitamins A, B, C, zinc, MSM, copper, SOD grapeseed extract), the collagen our body makes will become fragile and break easily, leading to lines and wrinkles, lack of elasticity and premature ageing.
Our medical director, Dr Gaby, explains its importance, “Collagen is continuously in a state of flux – it’s made, broken down and we need a continuous source of new collagen fibres. We require ingredients in our diet to reassemble and make new collagen such as vitamin C, zinc and many more.”
Do we really need collagen supplements or rather, collagen in a supplement, for results?
The answer is no we don’t need it in a supplement for results. Taking collagen directly from a supplement or drink into our bodies may increase the collagen levels but at Advanced Nutrition Programme TM , we have a different and effective approach. We use targeted ingredients and nutrients to support the skin to encourage normal healthy collagen formation* and help protect the collagen that already exists in the skin, with our smart supplement system Skin Collagen Synergy .
How can we minimise the damage of our collagen?
Even through getting the right nutrients, the amount and quality of collagen is affected in other ways. One of which is ageing, we lose 1% of collagen every year from the age of 25. Although we can’t do anything about ageing, we can minimise the damage of collagen by avoiding excess sugar, not smoking, and protecting ourselves from UV damage and helping reduce and manage stress. Pairing these healthy lifestyle factors with smart ingredients is essential for safeguarding collagen.
*Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.