Collagen-More than Skincare?

By: Stephen Anton

You have probably heard of the wonders of collagen for your skin and joints. But what is collagen? In short, it’s a protein that serves as one of the main building blocks for your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It gives the skin elasticity, which helps keep it plump and youthful and also helps to maintain the integrity of your cartilage, the rubber-like tissue that protects joints.

Unfortunately, collagen production begins to decline in our mid-20´s. This is why collagen supplements have become very popular as part of a beauty and joint health regimen.
But do we really need to consume extra collagen? After all, our body can make collagen from any protein, but it’s currently unclear if collagen from supplements is absorbed as well as natural dietary sources: bone broth, tendons and cartilage from chicken and meat, to name a few.

There are, however, other benefits from taking collagen. Collagen is rich in glycine, an amino acid necessary to produce glutathione, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. In addition, a recent study* found that taking glycine before bed significantly improved sleep quantity and quality in people with tendencies towards insomnia.

If you are unsure about taking supplements, there are ways to protect and increase natural collagen production: eat foods rich in vitamin C and amino acids (such as citrus fruits, vegetables, lean protein, eggs), limit your intake of refined sugars and of course… use sunscreen and avoid smoking and alcohol.

* Journal of pharmacological sciences: “New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep.”