You get collagen from your diet

Dear Dr. Roach: What exactly is collagen, and why do I see somany ads supporting its use as a youth supplement?— R.F.

Collagen is a structural protein found in your skin, bones, tendons and ligaments. Collagen is constantly broken down and replaced by the cells in the connective tissue of the body. We need adequate nutrition and the amino acids necessary to rebuild collagen.

However, I amnot a believer in collagen supplements. You get the amino acids you need from a heathy general diet. Collagen supplements will be broken down rapidly into their component amino acids in the stomach and intestine, so the collagen you take can’t just be put into your body. It needs to be broken down and rebuilt.

Vegans should be careful to get the critical amino acids in collagen. Beans and asparagus are a goodway to get the amino acid proline.

Dear Dr. Roach: My father died at age 76 and his father at 46, both of pneumonia. When the first vaccine came out, I got the shot. But Ihada severe reaction. I could barely liftmyarmfor several days. It eventually went away. A decade later and I would like to get the new two-dose vaccine, but my doctor says it’s not a good idea. Would I be further puttingmyself at risk?— R.Y.

Local reactions to vaccines are not uncommon and usually are not dangerous. Being unable to lift your arm for several days is worse than the usual. However, you have a point about a possible family susceptibility to pneumonia.

There are many types of pneumonia, and the vaccines protect only against the most common one, Streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus.

I think this risk is less than you may think, because the new vaccine is considerably different from the old onedose. You may not have the same kind of reaction.