Collagen is a family of proteins which can be really essentially the most plentiful proteins within the animal kingdom. In truth, there are not less than 28 kinds of collagen that we all know of that exist in vertebrates (sure, us included), however types I, II, and III are the commonest within the human physique.
Collagen’s function within the physique is important: It helps make up the construction of our pores and skin, bone, cartilage, and muscle, with the aim of serving to tissues be extra elastic and face up to stretching (So, for instance, it retains pores and skin trying younger and supple).*
We really make our personal provide of collagen, through our cells’ fibroblasts (assuming they’ve the amino acids and different required dietary constructing blocks they want). In truth, it is made by our physique all through our lifetime, however as we famous, it additionally decreases with age, and your pure ranges will also be lowered by environmental components and stressors, comparable to solar publicity and high-sugar diets.
That is why folks look to issues like topicals, dietary supplements, and—sure—their eating regimen to assist pure manufacturing ranges of collagen.*