- 1. What is collagen for?
- 2. Why is loss of collagen harmful to health?
- 3. What are the sources of collagen?
- 4. What is the advantage of taking hydrolyzed collagen?
- 5. Is hydrolyzed collagen fattening?
- 6. What is the risk of consuming more than 10 g daily?
- 7. Why do women suffer more from collagen loss?
Collagen is a protein in the human body that supports the skin and joints. However, around the age of 30, the natural production of collagen in the body decreases 1% each year, leaving the joints more fragile and the skin more flaccid, with fine lines and wrinkles.
In addition to the natural loss of collagen with age, other factors that also influence the decrease in natural collagen production include hormonal changes, stress, poor diet and alcohol and cigarette abuse.
Thus, to ensure daily collagen needs, it is advisable to invest in foods that favor their production, such as white and red meat and chicken eggs, as well as collagen supplements, under the recommendation of a doctor or nutritionist.
Clarify the most common questions about collagen:
1. What is collagen for?
Collagen is naturally produced by the body and serves to support the body's tissues, such as the skin, joints, blood vessels and muscles, always making them firm. However, after this age, its production begins to decrease, with the first signs of aging appearing. Discover more collagen benefits.
2. Why is loss of collagen harmful to health?
Collagen is the main molecule responsible for the elasticity and consistency of the skin and cartilage within the joints. Around the age of 30, the production of collagen by fibroblasts decreases and increases the action of enzymes that degrade it, and this imbalance accelerates the aging process. The skin becomes more flabby, the lines of expression on the face start to appear, a line can be noticed between the corner of the nose and the mouth, the eyelids may become more drooping and the crow's feet may appear.
In addition, the joints start to become looser and, over time, become more unstable, favoring arthrosis and contact between the bones, causing pain and discomfort.
3. What are the sources of collagen?
Protein-rich foods such as beef, chicken, pork, turkey, fish and eggs are the main sources of collagen, but to ensure their production it is also necessary to eat omega 3 and vitamin C in the same meal. Check the ideal amount that should be consumed daily.
4. What is the advantage of taking hydrolyzed collagen?
The main advantage of taking the hydrolyzed collagen supplement is to ensure that the body receives the ideal amount every day and, as it is fractionated, it is more easily absorbed. This supplement contains high concentrations of proline, hydroxyproline, alanine and lysine, which correspond to hydrolyzed collagen, and stimulate the production of type 2 collagen fibers in the body.
From the age of 30, people can start investing in a greater intake of foods that favor the production of collagen, but supplementation is especially suitable for those who practice physical activity with a lot of intensity or daily. From 50 years of age, the doctor or nutritionist will be able to recommend supplementation to improve skin support, joint health and improve bone condition and prevent bone loss.
5. Is hydrolyzed collagen fattening?
About 9 grams of hydrolyzed collagen have 36 calories, which is a very low value, so this supplement is not fattening. In addition, this supplement also does not increase appetite or cause fluid retention.
6. What is the risk of consuming more than 10 g daily?
The ideal amount of collagen that should be consumed per day is about 9 grams, which already includes the amount that should be consumed through food. The risk of consuming more than 10 g per day is to overload the kidneys, because any excess collagen will be eliminated through the urine.
7. Why do women suffer more from collagen loss?
Estrogen is one of the hormones that helps synthesize collagen and in addition to women naturally having a lower amount of collagen in the body than men, with the natural aging process this amount decreases, so that women can show the first signs of aging, on the skin and joints, earlier than men of the same age.
The main source of collagen is protein, and in the case of vegetarians who choose not to consume protein of animal origin it can be a little more difficult to achieve the recommended daily dose. Thus, those who are vegetarian should be guided by a nutritionist so that, through the combination of foods of plant origin, they can guarantee the amount of collagen that the body needs, such as rice and beans, soy and wheat or chestnuts and corn, for example.
Another possibility is to take the plant-based collagen supplement, such as Unilife's Vegan Protein W-Pro, which contains the amino acids that are important for the formation of collagen in the body, or to buy a combination of amino acids such as proline at a pharmacy. and glycine, which can be indicated by the nutritionist.
