Getting older is something that’s inevitable unless someone manages to discover the fountain of youth or at least the benefits of collagen. Unfortunately, the odds of finding the fountain of youth are zero, which means that old age is unavoidable. However, while you can’t avoid getting older, there are things you can do to avoid or slow down the effects it has on your body.
This includes the obvious effect that getting older has on your skin. Staying active, working out, and maintaining bone and joint health will help you move with the agility of a younger person. However, wrinkles, sagging skin, discoloration, and other signs of aging reflected by your skin are harder to hide. People have tried many different supplements and creams throughout the years to hide aging skin, and collagen has proved the most successful.
If you’re curious and want to know more about how collagen can help your skin remain healthy as you age, you’ve come to the right place. In addition to taking a closer look at the benefits of collagen, we’ll also discuss which type of collagen is best for skin health. Finally, we’ll let you know where you can get that collagen and how it may help you.
Benefits of Collagen For Skin Health
Collagen is a protein that gets naturally produced in the body. It’s bound together and formed by amino acids, vitamins, and minerals and makes up more than 30% of all the protein found in the body. In addition to playing an important role in your skin health, collagen also helps strengthen your bones, ligaments, muscles, and immune system. This makes collagen one of the most important proteins in the human body.
As it relates to skin health, here are some of the known benefits of collagen.
- Increases hydration
- Increases strength
- Increases elasticity
- Reduces the chances of wrinkles, discoloration, frown lines, and sagging skin.
- Slows or prevents the signs of skin aging.
While you naturally produce collagen on your own, production slows down as you get older. Age, combined with dietary and lifestyle choices, can severely impede collagen production. This results in the obvious signs of aging that include wrinkles, sagging skin, and discoloration. Because your body won’t always produce enough collagen to prevent these things, many people are turning to collagen supplements to get the full benefits of collagen.
Benefits of Collagen, There are 5 Types
As you can see, collagen is invaluable in terms of skin health. As a result, it’s become a relatively hot commodity, and there are several different kinds of collagen supplements. In all, there are 16 different types of collagen, but here are the most common and essential.
Type I
Type I is the most abundant and important type of collagen found in the human body. Type I collagen is found in the dermis, which is the middle layer of the skin. As such, Type I collagen is the most important collagen when it comes to maintaining healthy, young skin. Because it’s found in and made by the body, Type I is often referred to as Native Collagen.
Type II
Type II collagen, sometimes referred to as marine collagen because it’s found in fish and birds, is the second main type of collagen. While the main benefits of Type II collagen revolve around bone and joint health, it can also help with skin health.
Type III
Although it’s known as Type III, this type of collagen is the second most common and important type of collagen when it comes to skin health. Because of where Type III collagen is most commonly found, it’s also referred to as bovine collagen.
Type V
As with Type I and III collagen, Type V collagen is naturally found in the body. Specifically, Type V collagen is found in the eye and plays a crucial role in eyesight. However, Type V collagen can also help with skin health when combined with Type I and III.
Porcine Collagen
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of porcine collagen. That’s because it often goes by another name – pork gelatin. As the name implies, porcine collagen is found primarily in pork products. Therefore, porcine collagen isn’t created by the body, and the only way to get it into your system is by eating pork products or taking a porcine collagen supplement.
However, because porcine collagen is packed with Type I and III collagen, it’s one of the best supplements for your skin. It can lead to fewer wrinkles, tighter skin, a reduction in discoloration, and elimination of many obvious signs of aging skin. As far as getting the full benefits of collagen, porcine collagen is also great for your overall health and an excellent source of your collagen needs.
Benefits of Collagen Supplements
In addition to the different types of collagen, there are also many different ways to supplement it and get the full benefits of collagen into your system.
Creams and Lotions
Collagen creams and lotions have been popular collagen supplements for years. These creams get rubbed onto the skin, allowing collagen to ooze into your pores and layer the surface of the skin. However, these creams may also be packed with other less desirable ingredients that are bad for the skin.
Powders
The second option for supplementing your collagen needs is with a collagen powder. Collagen powders are oral supplements in powder form that you add to teas and other beverages. By consuming collagen orally, it’s easier for your body to process and utilize it in comparison to creams and lotions to get the true benefits of collagen. This is especially true if the powder you’re consuming has essential vitamins and minerals that help your body process collagen.
Utilizing the Benefits of Collagen to Meet Your Unique Skin Needs
If you have been considering using collagen as part of your skincare routine, there has never been a better time to identify your specific needs to find the product or products that are best for your skin’s unique needs. It is important to consider your skin’s characteristics, the results you are looking to achieve, and if there is one or multiple different products that can help you reach your skincare goals. Thanks to the advances in science and technology in skincare, it’s never been easier to receive the full benefits of collagen in order to have the healthy glowing skin that you’ve always dreamed of having.
References
Types of Collagen | There are 5 Common Types of Collagen (drugwatch.com)
What is Collagen, Types of Collagen and Collagen Supplement Benefits (foodfaithfitness.com)
Rediscovering Porcine Collagen (rousselot.com)
The benefits of porcine collagen | for the Ageless
Ultimate Guide To All The Types Of Collagen | Holland & Barrett (hollandandbarrett.com)
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