ALL ABOUT COLLAGEN

Health & beauty’s latest buzzword

when I first heard people talking about the beauty benefits of collagen I assumed they were referring to the injectable that promises to give you full, pouty lips and smooth out your wrinkles. But while the expensive ’90s filler isn’t used much any more, collagen is still being put to use: this time around it is being ingested in the form of supplements. Whether in tablet, liquid or powder form, it seems like it is the latest health and beauty trend.

So what makes it so special?

What is collagen?

‘Collagen is a protein that forms the basis of most of your body,’ says Dr Julie Sinclair of Sinclair Aesthetics

in Edenvale, Johannesburg. ‘It’s what gives us structure and it is found in the bones, cartilage, skin and organs.’

Also known as the body’s scaffolding, 30% of our bodies are made up of collagen; it also plays an important role in immune function and wound healing. ‘Think of collagen as the glue that holds your body together,’ says Dr Sinclair. (In fact, the word collagen comes from the Greek word kólla, meaning ‘glue’.)

Although there are about 28 different types of collagen, 80-90% of the collagen in our bodies is made up of type I (in skin, hair, nails, tendons, bone, ligaments, and organs), type II (cartilage) and type III (connective tissue).

Our bodies can make plenty of collagen when we’re young, but from the age of 25 we start to lose some of that ability, and we lose more year on year. ‘By the age of 60 you will have lost 50% of your collagen,’ says author and nutritional therapist Sally-Ann Creed. This is due to ageing, but hormones and lifestyle choices (such as smoking, drinking, stress, poor diet and UV exposure) can also play a big part. Some genetic disorders such as osteogenesis imperfacta, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Marfan syndrome, can also result in a loss of collagen.

What happens if we don’t have enough?

As the production of collagen slows (and the collagen we already have begins to break down as well), we start experiencing symptoms most commonly related to ageing. ‘Most people associate the loss of collagen with wrinkles because our skin becomes thinner, which results in lines and a loss of fullness,’ explains Dr Sinclair.

But it’s not just the outside of our body that is affected, because collagen forms an important part of our connective tissue. Losing it can affect your mobility and body strength. ‘Our bones and joints start to deteriorate, which leads to an increased risk of osteoarthritis as well as an increase in fractures, ligament injuries and muscle tears.’

Not only that: because collagen forms part of our organs, blood vessels and intestinal lining, when your collagen levels start to deplete, you’ll experience increased bruising and digestive problems. Creed adds that other symptoms of a deficiency include wounds that take too long to heal, aching

muscles, stiffness, dry eyes, headaches, skin rashes and even loosened teeth, receding gums and other dental problems.

How can we boost it?

If you want to stop or delay the process of your body losing collagen, a good place to start is making important lifestyle changes such as exercising, drinking more water and getting sufficient sleep, says Dr Sinclair.

Food choices also make a huge impact. ‘You can boost collagen formation by eating high-quality animal protein,’ says Creed. She recommends bone broth and brawn as fantastic sources, as well as certain types of fish. ‘The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, pilchards and cod liver oil support collagen production.’ Creed believes you can easily get enough collagen by eating plenty of gelatinous meat, cartilage from chicken drumsticks and chicken skin every day.

But if eating meat doesn’t suit your diet, supplements are an option. While more research is needed, some studies suggest that collagen supplements can lead to better skin, ease arthritis symptoms, promote wound healing and fend off muscle wasting. Supplements are available in liquid, powder and capsule form. ‘Most supplements contain hydrolysed collagen, also known as collagen peptides,’ says Dr Sinclair. ‘Hydrolysed collagen has essentially been broken down into easy-to-process amino acids.’

There are products containing collagen or that boost collagen production on the SA market, which are effective, but Dr Sinclair points out that there are also products out there that simply can’t deliver. Due to the strength of the active ingredient and the size of the molecule, it isn’t absorbed effectively. (See Need to Know box, left, to find out what you need to look for in a collagen supplement.)

Dr Sinclair personally uses and recommends for her patients a liquid collagen supplement that contains 10000mg of high-quality type 2 hydrolysed collagen that has a proven absorption rate of more than 92%. Creed, however, prefers her collagen in powder form. ‘The supplement is soluble in both cold and hot liquids, so it’s versatile: you can bake with it or add it to hot or cold food.’ She stirs it into her morning coffee for extra creaminess.

She cautions, however, that collagen supplements aren’t a quick fix. ‘There’s no magic bullet. The benefits of collagen come with time and regular use.’

The critics

Though some studies have looked promising for the collagen supplements market, Mark Moyad, author of The Supplement Handbook: A Trusted Expert’s Guide to What Works and What’s Worthless for More Than 100 Conditions, pointed out that many of the studies done on collagen are small and at least partially funded by the industry.

Some medical experts also add that just because a supplement contains something doesn’t mean our body will actually absorb it. Despite popular belief that collagen supplements can help strengthen our skin, we have little data to truly support this,’ says New York-based dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner.

‘Collagen is a large molecule that is digested by our intestines into smaller pieces when taken by mouth, so when we ingest powders or supplements our skin is not seeing the full collagen molecule, but rather protein fragments or individual amino acids.’ As amino acids serve as the building blocks for healthy skin cell functioning, ingestible collagen may provide, at best, ‘an indirect benefit to the skin’ agrees fellow New York dermatologist Dr Dendy Engelman.

If you’re planning on trying it out, Moyad suggests starting with avoiding those poor lifestyle habits that damage the collagen you have. ‘If you’re taking these supplements but not making lifestyle changes, that’s kind of like putting premium gas in your car but not changing the engine oil or doing anything else to maintain it.’