Tag: aging

5 Ways that Collagen May Reverse Aging

Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in our body and constitutes most of the proteins in our skin and connective tissues.  As we age, the main structure of our skin begins to deteriorate and can lead to any number of dermatological conditions.  In addition to our natural decline in skin health, environmental and nutritional factors, such as smoking, drinking, diet, and sun exposure can be detrimental to our dermatological health.

According to Debra Jaliman, M.D., author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist, “after the age of 25, we break down more collagen than we make, so that’s why we start to see fine lines and wrinkles.”  There is mounting scientific evidence that collagen peptide supplements can improve skin moisture and hydration by improving the collagen network on the skin surface. 

Reverse the Signs of Aging

One of first signs of aging for many is the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  Our bodies have begun to break down the collagen in our skin into its’ original building blocks, peptides and amino acids.  One of the unique and critical amino acid building blocks of collagen is hydroxyproline.  Hyroxyproline makes collagen what it is…a tough, strong, and unique protein to provide a barrier for our bodies. 

To reverse the signs of aging and overcome the breakdown of collagen, a daily supplement of hydrolyzed collagen peptides has resulted in a measurable increase in hydroxyproline both in blood tests and skin surface collagen measurements.1,2  Hydroxyproline is a key component of human collagen that is otherwise lacking in our diets (essential amino acids), unless you tend to eat organ meats or bone broths on a regular basis.3 

Typical results of a collagen supplement include reducing fine lines and wrinkles and decreasing the appearance of cellulite.  In a double-blind study in women ages 45-65, a 2.5 g (2,500 mg) daily dose of collagen peptides resulted in a noticeable reduction in eye wrinkles in 8 weeks. 4  And, besides reducing eye wrinkles, long term use of 2.5 g daily dose of collagen for 6 months resulted in a decrease in cellulite appearance in women ages 24-50.5

Move Better, Feel Better

Collagen peptides are not only important for looking younger by reducing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin hydration, and reducing the appearance of cellulite, but it can also improve the way we feel and move.

Collagen seems to be especially effective to combat joint pain associated with osteoarthritis and to improve bone density, especially with postmenopausal women.6 Patients on a 10 g dose of collagen for 3 months had an improvement in osteoarthritis symptoms including reduced swelling and pain in knees and other joints compared to a daily dose of glucosamine.7  The joint pain improvements can be attributed to the cartilage-repairing ability of collagen peptides.  The benefits of reduced joint pain and swelling have also been documented in collegiate athletes taking a daily collagen supplement.8  It’s not just for reversing the symptoms of aging but can reduce pain and swelling from wear-and-tear on our joints.   

There are many short- and long-term health benefits to adding a collagen peptide supplement to your anti-aging regimen.  The growing scientific evidence for collagen suggests that it may be the ‘Fountain of Youth’. 

Join our mailing list at Alchevita.com to stay informed on emerging collagen research and our latest anti-aging products. 

About the author:

Dr. Josh Kogot is a Ph.D. Protein Biochemist and founder of AlcheVita.  He has numerous publications and patents in protein and peptide biochemistry and enjoys “spreading the word” about the amazing properties of proteins.    

References:

1.        Shigemura Y, Suzuki A, Kurokawa M, Sato Y, Sato K. Changes in composition and content of food-derived peptide in human blood after daily ingestion of collagen hydrolysate for 4 weeks. J Sci Food Agric. 2018;98(5):1944-1950. doi:10.1002/jsfa.8677

2.        Yazaki M, Ito Y, Yamada M, et al. Oral Ingestion of Collagen Hydrolysate Leads to the Transportation of Highly Concentrated Gly-Pro-Hyp and Its Hydrolyzed Form of Pro-Hyp into the Bloodstream and Skin. J Agric Food Chem. 2017;65(11):2315-2322. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.6b05679

3.        Asserin J, Lati E, Shioya T, Prawitt J. The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015;14(4):291-301. doi:10.1111/jocd.12174

4.        Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral Intake of Specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides Reduces Skin Wrinkles and Increases Dermal Matrix Synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113-119. doi:10.1159/000355523

5.        Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S, Proksch E. Dietary Supplementation with Specific Collagen Peptides Has a Body Mass Index-Dependent Beneficial Effect on Cellulite Morphology. doi:10.1089/jmf.2015.0022

6.        König D, Oesser S, Scharla S, Zdzieblik D, Gollhofer A. Specific collagen peptides improve bone mineral density and bone markers in postmenopausal women—A randomized controlled study. Nutrients. 2018. doi:10.3390/nu10010097

7.        Trč T, Bohmová J. Efficacy and tolerance of enzymatic hydrolysed collagen (EHC) vs. glucosamine sulphate (GS) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Int Orthop. 2011;35(3):341-348. doi:10.1007/s00264-010-1010-z

8.        Clark KL, Sebastianelli W, Flechsenhar KR, et al. 24-Week study on the use of collagen hydrolysate as a dietary supplement in athletes with activity-related joint pain. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008. doi:10.1185/030079908X291967

3 Reasons that Collagen can Replace your Daily Protein Supplement

Is the hype about collagen supplements legitimate?  The answer is a resounding, YES!

Collagen is one of the few supplements that can directly support our aging body.  Most scientists and clinicians agree that our natural production of collagen begins to decline in our 20’s.  And, no surprise, this is about the same time many of us begin to see our first wrinkles, our joints start to ache, and we don’t recover from exercise as quickly as we used to. 

You may not realize that our collagen peptide supplements and many protein supplements contain the same ingredients…all are made of peptides or amino acids that are the basic building blocks of proteins.

Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins. Amino Acids are added to a growing peptide chain to eventually become a protein. Collagen is a triple helix of proteins that grows in to a strong protein bundle.

In general, whether you take a whey or soy or plant protein product they all contain some types of amino acids.  Hopefully, you’re using a protein supplement that is rich in essential amino acids.  As the name implies, these amino acids are “essential” because our own body is not able to make these amino acids on its own.     

Essential and non-essential amino acids
Essential amino acids are not able to be made by humans and must be consumed in the food that we eat. Non-essential amino acids are made in our bodies from many different biochemical pathways.

Now, the biggest difference between a collagen protein supplement and a typical protein supplement is that collagen contains a higher concentration of hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine.  Only collagen supplements typically contain hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine.  These two amino acids are the magic ingredient that is going to give you the most benefit to a collagen supplement.  Our bodies can make hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine from proline and lysine, respectively.  If these two amino acids are freely available, then our bodies can conserve the energy needed to make them and just plug them directly into our own collagen production.   

Another benefit is that a collagen peptide supplement has already been broken down to small blocks of collagen proteins, known as peptides, that allow for more rapid absorption by our body.  And again, your body conserves energy used during digestion since the collagen peptides are already absorbed in a smaller building block. 

Since the collagen peptide has been partially broken down, there is a much lower chance of gastric issues (bloating) often reported by whey users.  These collagen peptides are created from pure protein materials, so there is much less concern for an allergic response if you have a milk allergy (common problem with whey protein isolates). 

If you are already using a whey, soy, or plant protein supplement and aren’t satisfied with your skin hydration or elasticity, experience regular joint pain, have symptoms of leaky gut, or want to improve the strength of your hair and nails, you may want to add collagen to your daily routine.  Adding some collagen capsules, typically 3000 mg daily serving, with your protein supplement can result in some improvements.  Or, you can replace your protein supplement with a hydrolyzed collagen peptide to reap even more benefits!    

About the author:

Dr. Josh Kogot is a Ph.D. Protein Biochemist and founder of AlcheVita.  He has numerous publications and patents in protein and peptide biochemistry and enjoys “spreading the word” about the amazing properties of proteins.