Science and Tech

Collagen supplements want to help us with much more than skin care. Science is not so clear

Collagen is no longer just a classic of anti-aging creams: it has become a pillar of cosmetics

Collagen achieved popularity as a component in some anti-aging creams, but the current uses of this compound that we can find naturally in our body are diverse. Among them, collagen (or collagen peptides) have become one of numerous dietary supplements that we can find in the market.

Regarding its effectiveness, however, doubts still weigh.

First of all, let’s remember what collagen is. This compound is a protein, the most abundant in our body: it represents 30% of the total proteins in our body. Collagen is abundant in our skin (it represents between 70% and 80% of its dry mass) or in our cartilage.

In fact, perhaps we should talk about collagen as a family of proteins since they know each other 28 different typesalthough types I to V are the most relevant in our body. What’s more, 90% of the collagen in our body is of a single type, type I.

The function of this collagen is to “structure” tissues such as skin, bones or tendons. Other types of collagen can be found in our cartilage, muscles and skin. Also in our eyes, in the cornea.

Collagen is popular as an anti-aging treatment. To understand why, we have to consider its function in providing structure and elasticity to the skin. Collagen is synthesized naturally by our body, but over the years we lose this capacity.

Our skin loses collagen and that is one of the reasons why wrinkles appear with age. The idea is that, by applying collagen exogenously, our skin can recover elasticity and thus make the wrinkles disappear. However, it is not as simple as adding collagen to a cream.

Administering collagen externally to our body is a very complicated task. When we apply it to the skin, it fails to penetrate the deep layers and thus reach the places where it should act. When we consume it orally, our body breaks it down before we can absorb it.

The solution found by the industry is collagen peptides. The peptides are fragments of a protein composed of two or more amino acids. The idea is that by consuming the “ingredients” we can help our body make collagen more easily.

Various uses

Collagen has become a popular supplement for its purported benefits for our skin, but that’s not the only use which is given to the consumption of collagen as a nutritional supplement.

Collagen has been proposed, for example, as a remedy against joint pain caused by osteoarthritis. Also as a way to prevent the loss of bone mass: when age advances and we lose our ability to produce collagen, not only is the skin affected, but also our bones.

The idea has also been proposed that the administration of collagen can help us gain muscle mass, facilitating the creation of a greater volume of muscle mass. Perhaps for this same reason, some also point out that collagen can help improve the health of what is probably the most important muscle in our body: the heart.

The list of potential benefits continues: gastrointestinal health, hair and nails, brain, and it could even help us lose weight.

Now, is there evidence to support all this? The answer depends: first of what use we refer to: some are better studied than others; second of what level of evidence we demand.

The effect of these supplements on the skin is probably the best documented. In 2021, a group of researchers published in the journal International Journal of Dermatology a meta-analysis on this issue, a quantitative study based on the results of other studies. The team analyzed 19 previous studies involving 1,125 participants.

The team found that studies on average detected a positive effect on skin firmness and hydration. However the team warned of an important limitation of the studiesand these did not analyze collagen itself but rather commercial supplements that included other components such as vitamins or minerals.

One problem with supplements is that, even if they help our body produce more collagen, there is no way to ensure that it is then concentrated in the place we want, be it our skin, our hair, etc. Giving our body the tools to do something is not the same as giving it instructions, so these supplements may not reach the levels of effectiveness that we would require of them.

There are alternatives. For example, a varied diet rich in amino acids, the molecules that act as protein links.

We must also take into account that the age is not the only factor that affects our body’s ability to generate collagen endogenously: Tobacco and alcohol, lack of physical activity, lack of sleep and sun exposure They can make this task difficult for our body. That is one of the reasons why the mere fact of protecting our skin from solar radiation is so important when it comes to keeping it young.

In Xataka | From collagen to hyaluronic: we have entered a scientific race to improve the quality of our skin

Image | Supliful – Supplements On Demand

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