Stay young with a collagen supplement

Stay young with a collagen supplement

Even if you are not into health and beauty for their own sakes, most of us would be happy to keep ageing at bay for as long as possible and a great way to do this is with a collagen supplement. And by an entirely happy coincidence, collagen works on the signs of ageing and promotes beauty and health at the same time, so you get all the benefits without having to take multiple supplements or needing to implement a rigorous skincare routine.

What is collagen?

The human body is largely made from protein, and collagen is a protein too. It is the most abundant protein in the body and helps with the healing and repair of all the connective tissues as well as hair and nails. In order to work effectively, supplemental collagen needs to be hydrolysed first – this means partially broken down by water. Think of a hard food, being broken into bite-sized chunks or even mashed into a palatable mass – it is easier to digest and can get to work quicker. So it is with hydrolysed collagen – the body can use it quickly and more thoroughly than the non-hydrolysed version. Whichever form of collagen is used, it passes through the digestive system and is sent wherever in the body it is most needed.

Collagen and skin

But it is in the skin that collagen really shows its best results. The skin is formed loosely of three layers, and it is kept plump through a layer of subcutaneous fat, and through each cell remaining elastic and well-hydrated. When ageing begins to show in the skin, it is usually because the underlying fat layer has thinned, and also because the moisture levels of the cells drop, losing that precious elasticity that holds the skin firm. This shows physically in the form of lines, wrinkles and skin sagging – all the signs, in short, of ageing. Collagen production occurs naturally in the body, peaking in the 20s and slowly falling away throughout the 30s, 40s and 50s. In the 60s, production declines sharply, and unless a supplement has been used, the signs of ageing will present themselves forcefully.

Taking a collagen supplement from one’s twenties can help to fend off the very earliest signs of ageing and ensure that natural levels of collagen are constantly augmented. This can mean that the signs and symptoms of ageing are delayed, and once they become inevitable, their effects are softened and dramatically lessened, leaving the user of an age to use a walker or cane, but still strong and supple enough to live a full and active life.