Collagen Protein

What is collagen and why is it important?

Collagen is a type of protein. In fact, it’s the most abundant structural protein in animals. A structural protein is one that makes up the structure or framework of your cells and tissues. There are 28 known types of collagen, with type I collagen accounting for 90% of the collagen in the human body.

Collagen is composed mainly of the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These amino acids form three strands, which make up the triple-helix structure characteristic of collagen.

Collagen is found in connective tissue, skin, tendons, bones, and cartilage. It provides structural support to tissues and plays important roles in cellular processes, including

• tissue repair
• immune response
• cellular communication
• cellular migration, a process necessary for tissue maintenance

Connective tissue cells called fibroblasts produce and maintain collagen. As people grow older, their collagen becomes fragmented, fibroblast function becomes impaired, and collagen production slows.

Collagen uses

Your body naturally produces collagen, and you can consume it through dietary sources such as chicken skin and fish skin as well as collagen supplements.

Oral and topical collagen products like supplements and face creams are popular for treating signs of aging such as wrinkles, loss of skin hydration, and joint pain.

You can buy collagen in powder, capsule, and liquid form. You can take it as a supplement or add it to beverages — both hot and cold — and foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, and energy balls.

What causes collagen loss?

As you age, your collagen production naturally declines. Additionally, collagen becomes fragmented and more loosely distributed.

These changes lead to the characteristic signs of aging, such as wrinkles and dry, sagging skin. The integrity of the collagen found in the skeletal system decreases with age as well, leading to reductions in bone strength.

While collagen loss and damage as you age are inevitable, certain dietary and lifestyle factors can accelerate this process.

For example, smoking cigarettes is known to degrade collagen and cause skin aging, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity.

Excessive drinking has also been shown to accelerate skin aging by reducing collagen production and damaging skin repair mechanisms.

Additionally, following a diet high in added sugar and ultra-processed foods can lead to premature aging by contributing to a process called glycation, which reduces collagen turnover and interferes with collagen’s ability to interact with surrounding cells and proteins.

Excessive sun exposure degrades collagen production as well, so wearing sunscreen and avoiding excessive sun exposure can help prevent signs of premature skin aging.

Best food sources of collagen

Collagen is found in all animals, and it’s concentrated in some parts of an animal, such as skin and joints.

Here are few examples of collagen-rich foods:

• bones, skin, and ligaments of animals, such as chicken skin and pig knuckle
• certain types of seafood, such as fish skin and jellyfish
• products made from animal parts such as bones and ligaments, including bone broth