What Are The Main Reasons To Take Collagen Supplements?

What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “collagen?” More likely than not, your answer was “skin care,” wasn’t it? If so, it’s completely understandable.

Over the last couple of decades, skin care companies and beauty serum entrepreneurs have all touted collagen as being in their product, thus using it will give you a magical fountain of youth.

They are partially correct; collagen is the glue that essentially holds our bodies together. The more collagen in our bodies, the more youthful our skin, hair, joints, and bones look and feel.

However, where the claim becomes misleading is that it is their product — and their product only — that can get your skin back to its youthful healthy glow.

The truth is, many topical products on the market do not have the recommended amount of collagen to affect change in your skin’s elasticity and firmness, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles. And many products don’t contain collagen peptides small enough that they can enter the skin directly.

What Is Collagen, Exactly?

Collagen is the most common protein in the human body and provides the body’s structure and form. It is the majority of protein in our bones, skin, joints, teeth, arterial walls, and other organs which are vital to our health.

If collagen sounds important, it’s because it is. You also now understand why it’s referred to as our body’s glue!

Unfortunately, over time, our body’s ability to produce collagen slows down around age 30. Years ago, humans’ diets naturally boosted collagen and collagen production. Before the Industrial Revolution, when people hunted for their own meat, they did not leave much to waste from the animal. The meat was cooked in pots with the bones still attached, the skin and fat of the animal were consumed, and even internal organs were ingested. All of these parts contained collagen.

In today’s society, we shy away from eating the skin and fat because it’s “too fatty,” and we are told that boneless chicken breasts are leaner than bone-in thighs. Our entire outlook on how we consume animal products has been re-wired and it hasn’t worked out without its own pitfalls. There are other factors that also play a part in our loss of collagen-producing abilities like damage due to harmful UV rays and sun exposure, age-related hormone changes, free radicals, and smoking.

However, taking a hydrolyzed collagen supplement like Collagen Complete restores your body’s glue — making you feel as if you’ve rewound the hands of Father Time.

Wait, What is Hydrolyzed Collagen?

Both gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen are derived from collagen. Gelatin is actually boiled collagen that has been dried and turned into a powder — the result is the same you would find in a homemade bone broth. By heating cooked collagen to high temperatures and treating it with enzymes, hydrolyzed collagen is obtained. You’re basically taking gelatin one step further in the break-down process to get collagen peptides.

The high temperatures and enzymes break the bonds between amino acids while keeping them intact. Due to the process of turning collagen into a dry powder, it is easier to digest because the body can absorb it faster. For this reason, hydrolyzed collagen works perfectly for people with digestion problems.

Okay, So Is All The Hype About Hydrolyzed Collagen For Skin Real?

The short answer: Yes.

Hydrolyzed collagen is easy to digest and more than 90% of it gets absorbed by the body within six hours of ingestion. Most of it is accumulated in skin and cartilage, as well as in the small peptides in the blood. It contains 18 essential amino acids, including the very important proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline. Studies have shown that orally ingested hydrolyzed collagen raises the density of collagen in human skin, which eventually results in improved smoothness, moisture, and skin elasticity.

Another benefit of hydrolyzed collagen is that it works well when it comes to helping prevent skin damage from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food shows that ingesting hydrolyzed collagen on a regular basis leads to an improvement of the skin in the case of women suffering from moderate cellulite.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, women took 2.5 g of a particular hydrolyzed collagen peptide once daily for eight weeks. At the end of the period, researchers recorded a 20% reduction in wrinkle depth around the participants’ eyes.

There are no side effects associated with the consumption of hydrolyzed collagen, which means that it is generally considered safe for adults and even animals (it’s used in veterinary medicine as well).

Are There Other Studies That Prove Collagen Helps Skin?

Over the last 10 years or so, there has been an increase in the number of studies related to collagen and the skin. One study on oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides concluded: “After 8 weeks, hydrolyzed collagen results in significant improvements of skin elasticity, moisture, and smoothness.”

Another study found: “Hydrolyzed collagen results in significant improvement in wrinkle depth, improvement in elasticity and hydration of the skin.”

A look at UV-B-induced skin damage concluded that “Hydrolyzed collagen prevents skin damage from UVA and UVB sunlight exposure.”

A list of several studies involving hydrolyzed collagen and Hyaluronic Acid can be found on the Collagen Complete website on the studies page by clicking HERE.

What Does Taking A Collagen Supplement Specifically Do For Your Skin?

• Diminish wrinkles and fine lines:

  One of the biggest complaints about aging are the fine lines that begin to appear around the eyes and mouth anytime after the age of 30. Gradually, these fine lines become deeper wrinkles. Exposure to the sun, pollution, poor health choices, and diet can all speed up the process of the collagen levels in the skin decreasing over time. A 2013 study in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology found that oral collagen supplements may help boost skin elasticity, thus reducing the number of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Improve skin tone:

  Taking collagen pills or powder can support a more even, youthful-looking complexion. While collagen is mainly found in the dermis, the amino acids in hydrolyzed collagen help keep the outer layers of skin smooth and healthy. The nourishment is from within, not just a topical “quick fix.”

• Moisturizes dry skin:

  Dry skin is a common problem among all age groups and genders. Collagen supplements contain amino acids your skin may be missing, which helps moisturize and hydrate skin. Skin cells plump up by absorbing water from surrounding collagen, which can give your face a more youthful glow.

• Skin tightening:

  Collagen peptides are a safe and natural ingredient that can be easily digested to improve the appearance of your skin. Unlike creams and lotions that only improve the outer layer of the skin, these supplements increase collagen levels in the dermis, the layer responsible for keeping your skin tight and firm.

• Minimize scarring:

  The amino acids found in collagen help minimize the appearance of discolored spots from acne, injuries, or surgical procedures and help skin naturally repair itself.

Collagen Is Your #1 Skin Booster

Some of the damage caused by time can be softened if you give it time and the proper nourishment, not just through the foods you eat but by making sure your body is getting the glue it needs to hold everything together — collagen!

Science has long supported the use of collagen for skin quality and improvement, and as collagen has been a “hot topic” for skin care and health, more and more customers are backing up the scientific research through their own satisfaction with taking a collagen supplement.

Regain your youthful glow, moisture, firmness, and naturally reduce fine lines and wrinkles with Collagen Complete and start your skin’s rejuvenation process today!