What is vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant. It is an essential nutrient – we cannot manufacture it in our bodies. Vitamin C is abundant in fruit and vegetables (of the citrus fruits oranges contain the most vitamin C).
Collagen accounts for 30% of all proteins in our bodies, and it is responsible for constant renewal of skin cells as well as skin firmness and suppleness 1. Without enough vitamin C, the body cannot build or store collagen 2 3. A vitamin C deficiency is associated with defective connective tissue, particularly in wound healing 4. With slowed collagen production our tendons and ligaments become less elastic, our joints become stiff, our skin is thins, wrinkles, and is more readily damaged 1.
Since vitamin C is so instrumental in collagen formation you should make sure you are getting enough. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C is between 75 to 90 mg/day for women/men 5. Below are the top 5 fruits and vegetables ranked by vitamin C content.
References:
1 https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Collagen.aspx
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18505499
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21582/
]]>We naturally make collagen! Below are some factors that affect our collagen production.
Age
After the age of 25 we start producing less and less collagen naturally 1 2.
Stress
We require adequate amounts of vitamin C to produce and store collagen – stress actually depletes vitamin C levels in our bodies and can effect collagen production and storage 1 3.
Smoking
Chemicals in cigarettes damage collagen (and elastin in the skin), additionally, nicotine narrows the blood vessels in the outer layers of the skin which deprives skin of nutrients and oxygen
Sunlight
The UV (ultraviolet) rays in sunlight encourage collagen to break down more readily.
Sugar
Consuming too much sugar can make collagen dry, brittle, and weak. A diet high in sugar will increase the rate of glycation (this is where blood sugars attach to proteins and form new molecules called AGEs (advanced glycation end products))
To manage self induced collagen decline: Limit exposure to UV, don’t smoke, moderate your sugar intake.
Collagen supplements give your body the building blocks it needs to make more collagen – which keeps your skin younger & smoother, while keeping your joints flexible with age.
1 https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Collagen.aspx
]]>Collagen is a structural protein (in fact the main structural protein), in humans it accounts for 30% of total protein, and 75% of the dry weight of skin 1.
It is found in various connective tissues such as cartilage, tendons, bones, and ligaments.
Collagen helps form a network of cells called fibroblasts in the dermis (see graphic of skin structure, dermis = middle layer of skin). It also plays part in the restoring/replacing process of dead skin cells.
As we age we product less and less collagen 2. This reduction in collagen results in a structural weakening of the dermis, as this occurs wrinkles form. The effects of a decreasing collagen supply are not just skin deep – our connective tissues are largely made of collagen and these weaken as well. Among other things this means our bones become brittle, and our joint cartilage weakens.
Reference:
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2846778/
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1606623/
]]>Collagen is a protein that forms the connective tissue for almost all structures in your body (bones, teeth, skin, joints, ligaments, etc).
Our bodies have a hard time digesting collagen, but collagen peptides have been broken down into tiny pieces which allow them to be absorbed readily by the body.
We all make collagen, but with age we make less and less1. Debra Jaliman, MD says “There is an enzyme in our skin called collagenase, which breaks down collagen, 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.”
Foreverly Collagen
Our Collagen contains 18 amino acids, which also includes 8 of the 9 essential amino acids. The key amino acids your body needs to create collagen are: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These amino acids are not found in the muscle meat we typically eat (think chicken breast, or steak). You can find these amino acids in abundance in skin and connective tissue – which most of us are not eating a whole lot of! Fear not, this is where collagen supplements can help.
Collagen supplements arm your body with the building blocks to make its own collagen, making your skin young and smooth, as well as keeping your joints flexible 2 3 4.
Foreverly Collagen provides functional properties that simply are not found in other protein sources. Our all-natural collagen contains more than 97% protein and is easily digested.
References
1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1606623/
2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29949889
]]>What is Collagen you ask?! Why is everyone talking about it?
Collagen is a protein – the most abundant protein in the body.
It accounts for a third of the protein in our bodies, and seventy percent of the protein in our skin.
Collagen is derived from the Greek word “kolla” meaning glue. It holds us together - it gives structure to our hair, skin, nails, bones, ligaments and tendons 1.
It is rich in the amino acids that help you body make MORE collagen (namely glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline) 2. Collagen that has undergone hydrolysis becomes hydrolyzed collagen (AKA Collagen Peptides), this process breaks the amino acids down into tiny particles that makes them incredibly easy to absorb. Our body has many types of collagen but 80 to 90 percent are types I, II, and III.
Collagen is beneficial for:
Hair (helps your hair shine)
Skin (glow, elasticity & reducing signs of aging)
Nails (helps nails stay strong)
Joint, ligament & tendon health (helps keep joints flexible)
Improving digestion (helps heal and seal the gut, helpful for leaky gut and IBD)
Protein source (Foreverly Collagen is 97% protein by weight!).
It is important to note that these amino acids are not present in muscle meats, they come from bones, skin, and cartilage (cows, fish, pigs, and chickens). But you don’t have to gnaw on bones and cartilage to get your collagen anymore; you can take a collagen supplement. When choosing a collagen supplement aim for grass fed, pasture raised, and hormone & antibiotic free.
References:
1 https://www.news-medical.net/health/Collagen-Uses.aspx
2 https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Collagen.aspx
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