By Lucy Wilcher.

Collagen is the most abundant protein within our body and is the building blocks for our skin, bones, and muscles.

It is comprised of amino acids, in particular, glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline.

However, collagen is not a COMPLETE protein. This means that it does not contain the 9 essential amino acids (phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and lysine).’ Essential’ meaning that we need to get these amino acids from the food we consume, as our body cannot produce it.

Collagen can help you meet your daily protein intake, although this needs to be used to SUPPLEMENT a good quality diet that has sufficient protein intake via food.

Did you know there are different collagen types?

Type 1 comprises over 90% of the collagen within our bodies (1).

Collagen type 1 &3 is used to:

- Improve skin elasticity and hydration- AKA natures Botox (2) & (3).

- Support bone health and increases bone density (4).

- Strengthen nails (5).

- Thickens hair and slows hair loss.

- Builds lean muscle (6).

- Support gut health (7) & (8).

Collagen type 2:

- Joint and cartilage support (9).

Why supplement?

As we age, the ideal levels of collagen naturally decline, where collagen fibres begin to break down or not longer regenerate.

Research shows that by the age of 60, our body's ability to produce collagen declines by over 50%.

What’s the difference between gelatin, hydrolyzed collagen, and collagen peptides?

Gelatin is a form of collagen that has not been fully hydrolyzed, which therefore creates a “gel” in recipes.

Hydrolyzed collagen and collagen peptides are just different names for the same product, where collagen is broken down into collagen peptides through the process of hydrolyzation.

What to look for in a collagen supplement?

When buying a bovine/pork/poultry sourced collagen look for the words “pasture-raised” or “grass-fed”.
When buying marine collagen, look for wild-caught sources.
Look at the ingredient list. Avoid preservatives, colors, sweeteners, flavors, fillers, gluten, soy, etc.

If you don’t want to supplement, here are some ways to support your body’s natural collagen production:

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is a cofactor for collagen production and helps to strengthen the formation of collagen within the body.

Foods high in vitamin C include; citrus fruits, capsicum, parsley, kiwi, papayas. Think of fruit and veggies vibrant in colour.

INCREASE YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE

In particular the amino acids proline and glycine.

Foods that are high in these amino acids include bone broth, egg yolks, and organ meats such as liver.

COPPER/ZINC

Both zinc and copper are needed in the right amounts to support collagen production. The ratio between copper and zinc is a fine balance, but due to our poor diets and soil quality, it is common that we are often higher in copper. Foods to support zinc levels within the body include red meat, oysters, nuts, and seeds e.g., pepitas.

(10).

REMINDER**

CONSISTENCY IS KEY to see improvements with collagen supplementation. It can take between 1-12 months to see benefits, depending on what you are using it for.

REFERENCES:

1. Wu M, Cronin K, Crane JS. Biochemistry, Collagen Synthesis. [Updated 2020 Sep 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507709/

2. Borumand, M., & Sibilla, S. (2015). Effects of a nutritional supplement containing collagen peptides on skin elasticity, hydration and wrinkles. Journal of Medical Nutrition and Nutraceuticals, 4(1), 47.

3. Choi, F. D., Sung, C. T., Juhasz, M. L., & Mesinkovsk, N. A. (2019). Oral collagen supplementation: a systematic review of dermatological applications. Journal of drugs in dermatology: JDD, 18(1), 9-16.

4. König, D., Oesser, S., Scharla, S., Zdzieblik, D., & Gollhofer, A. (2018). Specific collagen peptides improve bone mineral density and bone markers in postmenopausal women—a randomized controlled study. Nutrients, 10(1), 97.

5. Hexsel, D., Zague, V., Schunck, M., Siega, C., Camozzato, F. O., & Oesser, S. (2017). Oral supplementation with specific bioactive collagen peptides improves nail growth and reduces symptoms of brittle nails. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 16(4), 520-526.

6. Zdzieblik, D., Oesser, S., Baumstark, M. W., Gollhofer, A., & König, D. (2015). Collagen peptide supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength in elderly sarcopenic men: a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition, 114(8), 1237-1245.

7. Koutroubakis, I. E., Petinaki, E., Dimoulios, P., Vardas, E., Roussomoustakaki, M., Maniatis, A. N., & Kouroumalis, E. A. (2003). Serum laminin and collagen IV in inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of clinical pathology, 56(11), 817-820.

8. Lin, M., Zhang, B., Yu, C., Li, J., Zhang, L., Sun, H., ... & Zhou, G. (2014). L-Glutamate supplementation improves small intestinal architecture and enhances the expressions of jejunal mucosa amino acid receptors and transporters in weaning piglets. PloS one, 9(11), e111950.

9. Clark, K. L., Sebastianelli, W., Flechsenhar, K. R., Aukermann, D. F., Meza, F., Millard, R. L., ... & Albert, A. (2008). 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Current medical research and opinion, 24(5), 1485-1496.

10. Cao, C., Xiao, Z., Wu, Y., & Ge, C. (2020). Diet and skin aging—From the perspective of food nutrition. Nutrients, 12(3), 870.