Collagen is the main structural protein in your body, making up 25-30% of the total protein content. It is also the main structural building block in your connective tissues, meaning the higher your collagen levels are, the healthier your body and immune response will be.

Not only does collagen affect the level and speed by which your tissue repairs itself, but it also affects communication on a cellular level. Collagen also stimulates cellular migration, which is a crucial process in maintaining your tissue. All these processes affect your skin, eyes, ligaments, cartilage, muscles, and even bones.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of collagen and how you can use it to improve your life and well-being.

Understanding Collagen

You should first understand how this protein works to know the exact collagen health benefits and why buying a collagen supplement product is worth it.

Definition and Composition

All mammals, including human beings, naturally produce the protein we know as collagen, which consists of glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, in their bodies. We need this protein to maintain multiple functions throughout the body, including the health and sharpness of the eyes and the elasticity of the skin. It also helps the strength and flexibility of the bones, joints, and soft tissue.

Collagen naturally occurs in certain animals’ skin and ligaments, but we don’t consume enough of those products to get the collagen we need. Especially since there are 28 different types of collagen, although Type I accounts for around 90% of this protein in your body.

Natural Production in the Body

The body needs the three building blocks of this protein, the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, to produce collagen organically. These three molecules come together to produce collagen internally, though with age, this production of the protein drops significantly.

Of course, you can influence and stimulate collagen production in your own body. There are multiple ways to go about this, primarily by taking collagen supplements. Aside from that, you can also take:

• Hyaluronic acid
• Vitamin C
• Ginseng plant
• Aloe Vera
• Cinnamon
• Green tea

Collagen and Skin Health

Collagen is the key difference maker between healthy, elastic, and youthful skin and unhealthy skin that damages easily. Here are the key benefits of collagen for the skin.

Structural Support

First and foremost, this protein acts as a support to the skin, keeping it firm and elastic when the fibroblast cells produce collagen and elastin that go into the skin. With age, stress, and environmental factors, this production lowers, which is why you may notice your skin starting to wrinkle, sag, and even damage more easily.

The fibroblasts produce collagen and elastin simultaneously as these two proteins are bound together, directly affecting your skin. The higher the collagen and elastin production, the more elastic and durable your skin is.

Anti-Aging Benefits

We have a much better understanding of the human body than just 20 or 30 years ago, and that includes the ability to slow down or even mitigate certain aging effects. One of the key steps to slowing down the effects of aging is the consumption and production of collagen. This protein keeps your skin firm, smooth, and wrinkle-free, so when the natural production starts falling, you can aid it by taking collagen supplements.

Hydration and Smoothness

The presence of high levels of collagen in your skin helps maintain its hydration, which enables it to maintain its natural levels of hydration. Since the skin is more hydrated, its texture is less porous and much smoother, giving it a younger and healthier look and feel.

Collagen and Hair Health

As important as collagen is for skin health, it is just as important for the health of the hair. Here are all the main benefits of collagen for hair.

Strength and Elasticity

The production and consumption of protein and protein supplements strengthen the structure and elasticity of each individual hair strand. So, if your body is rich in collagen, you will find that your hair strands are much stronger and more elastic, not tearing easily.

Promoting Hair Growth

Your hair grows in cycles, and collagen is one of the crucial elements for its continued growth and regeneration. Many hair care products actually include collagen, but you can turn to food supplements to ensure you have thick and long hair. Scientific studies have confirmed the effect that collagen supplements, especially collagen peptides, have on hair growth.

Reducing Hair Damage

If your hair strands are rich in collagen, that makes them much more elastic and durable, which means that they are more resistant to damage. Your hair is exposed to external elements like sun and water, but it is also exposed to heat from styling equipment and chemicals from hairstyle products. The more collagen your hair has, the quicker it repairs itself.

Collagen and Nail Health

Collagen plays a major role in the health of your nails, including how resistant they are but also how good their appearance is. Here are some benefits of collagen for nails.

Strengthening Nails

If your body produces enough collagen, your nails will become stronger and more resistant to damage. Low levels of collagen can lead to brittle nails that break under the smallest amount of pressure, which can be annoying at best and painful at worst.

Promoting Nail Growth

Collagen doesn’t just lead to stronger nails—it also stimulates your nails’ growth. So, if you have high levels of collagen, not only will your nails grow consistently, but they will also grow rather quickly, making them even healthier. Collagen peptides increase hair growth by an impressive 12% while reducing the frequency of broken nails by 62%.

How To Increase Collagen Intake

There are multiple ways you can go about increasing your collagen intake. Here are the most essential ones.

Dietary Sources

The food you consume plays a crucial role in the levels of collagen intake you have over a period of time. That is why you should always strive to have a balanced diet that will help you consume collagen-rich foods and stimulate collagen production. These sources include chicken, fish, egg whites, bone broth, citrus fruits, berries, and other VItamin C-rich foods.

Collagen Supplements

While the mentioned foods boast certain collagen levels, they are usually not enough for your body to get the required intake. If you want to feel any collagen benefits, you should consider taking collagen supplements, especially collagen peptides. They are the most direct and efficient way to provide the soft tissue, joint cartilage, skin, and entire body with this protein.

The dosage should be anywhere between 10 milligrams to 15 grams per day, depending on the type of collagen consumed.

Final Thoughts

As one of the unsung heroes of the human body, there are numerous collagen benefits you can enjoy. It is the protein that ensures your bones, tendons, skin, and eyes operate optimally. It keeps your skin wrinkle-free and hydrated, stimulates hair and nail growth, and protects your soft tissue from damage.

Taking collagen supplements, such as collagen peptides, can help keep collagen levels high regardless of age and stress levels.

FAQ

Does collagen have any side effects?

Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that doesn’t carry any side effects or potential risks to the person taking it. When you take collagen supplements, make sure to read the additional ingredients to ensure you won’t have a negative reaction to any of them.

What happens if you take too much collagen?

Collagen isn’t dangerous by itself if you take the recommended dosages. However, if you take too much of it per day over a longer period of time, you might find yourself facing issues with your digestive system. It increases calcium levels, which increases the chances of kidney stone formation.

What is the most effective collagen supplement?

As a general rule, all collagen supplements have the same level of effectiveness—it just depends on your dosage. Collagen peptides tend to get absorbed into your organism much quicker, making them the quickest way to supply your body with this protein.