Collagen Supplements: Skin Savior or just another Fad?

“Middle age is the awkward period when Father Time starts catching up with Mother Nature.” – Harold Coffin

To be a little more bleak about it, Father Time always catches up, no matter how far or how fast you think you’re ahead. Your youthful glow will slowly fade and make way for dull, thin, saggy and wrinkle prone skin. The best you can do to prepare your body for this eventuality is by eating healthy, sleeping more, avoiding stress and taking the right kind of supplements.

Immediate Help at a Cost

There are a multitude of lotions, oils, creams and clinical procedures available that promise better looking skin with a youthful glow. Some are made from organic extracts derived from fruits and vegetables, while others are pharmacy grade concoctions that need a prescription to get. Clinical procedures are done by licensed pros and can cost a lot.

The cosmetic industry is a very lucrative one: people spend $5 billion annually in Canada and $20 billion in the America. That’s more than the GDP of some countries! While some of these skin treatments work to promote skin rejuvenation (tretinoin, retinol) others fail to reach deep down into the skin to be effective.

This is why a lot of people turn to Botox injections to restore some of the elasticity, but not without any risks. Another popular method is to go for “super facials” such as microdermabrasion and chemical peels, but these offer their own risks as well, especially when administered by an individual who lacks formal training.

The Collagen Alternative

One type of skin saving supplement that’s widely popular today is collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. The skin is made up 30% collagen, while the hair and nails are made up of 70%. It’s part of the connective tissue that holds the body together, sort of like the body’s own “glue” and it keeps everything from falling apart.

The problem starts when you turn 20. Collagen production in the dermis starts to decrease by 1% for every year you age, signaling the beginning of the irreversible process of aging. Collagen production totally stops in your forties – your skin turns brittle and thin, wrinkles start to show up and you’ll start to sag in some places.

The Japanese, known for their fair skin and youthful appearance, have long since incorporated collagen into their diet and it wasn’t long until Europe and North America started filling restaurant menus with collagen rich dishes that are known as “wrinkle-free meals”. Suppon or soft turtle soup, is a popular dish in Japan because of its high collagen content.

While there’s no harm in eating food rich in collagen, the main issue is that since collagen is a protein, the body won’t be able to tell the difference between it and all the other protein sources you ingest. Once it enters your system, it will be broken down into amino acids even before it reaches your bloodstream, so it nevers reaches the skin.

However, a study from the Natural Medicine Journal reports that specific collagen peptides have significant beneficial effects that improved the skin’s elasticity and moisture. Another study published in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology states that collagen supplements may improve elasticity and reduce wrinkles around the eyes by as much as 20%.

While the body of evidence isn’t as significant as other anti-aging supplements, it is somewhat promising. While some creams and lotions fail to make it deep enough in the dermis to make a difference, collagen supplements can do it’s magic from the inside out.

If you want to try supplementing with collagen, Calorad is a trusted brand that uses marine collagen hydrolysate as it’s delivery system, ensuring that is bioavailable and can readily be absorbed by the body. You can find many different versions of collagen for a variety of needs on calorad.com.