Collagen for skin : How collagen works on your skin ?

Benefits of collagen for skin I Collagen for skin I Collagen for skin hair and nails 

Skin tissues and collagen I  Nourishes skin from within I 

Beautiful skin on the outside needs a healthy foundation on the inside

Collagen the ubiquitous protein in the body- The human body is made up of protein , fat and carbohydrate . Collagen is a type of protein largely found in the skin , and that accounts for 30% of the total protein content in the body . Collagen constitutes 90% of the total protein found in skin . Collagen provides firmness , elasticity and integrity to skin. 

Collagen makes up about 70% of the dermis , which lies inside the epidermis. The dermis has a network of resilient fibers such as collagen and elastin stretching around , with hyaluronic acid contained between them . The combination of these strong fibers and freshly secreted hyaluronic acid is what makes your skin firm .  

Collagen is degraded and lost every day - Collagen is a cellular scaffold and also acts as a lubricant that facilitates inter cellular exchange of diverse substances owing to its ability to fill inter cellular spaces. Aging is associated with collagen degradation and loss , a process that can lead to cellular death . However recent studies indicate that cells can produce collagen following stimulation with collagen-derived active ingredients. 

Make up the loss of collagen 

Daily 5-10 g of Collagen being lost from body as part of the ageing process . Including collagen rich supplements in diet can make up the loss collagen from body. Collagen can not be absorbed by body in its native form hence need to be broken down into highly absorbable , low molecular peptides or amino acids , called Collagen Peptides. 

Results of research 

A recent study has found that continuous intake of collagen peptides at 5g a day for a period of 4 weeks or longer increases the amount of moisture in the skin and improves the resilience. This suggests that collagen peptides can help keep your skin moist and firm .  

Mechanism - How does collagen peptides work ? 

It is believed that hydrolysis of dietary collagen in the digestive tract , much like that of other common proteins , generates amino acids that are then absorbed in the small intestine. However , dietary collagen is also aborbed in the form of di-peptides composed of Glycine , Proline and Hydroxyproline that have diverse biological activities. 

Hydroxyproline is an amino acid found in collagen but not in other proteins . The ability of collagen to retain water inside its structure is believed to be the result of of hydroxyproline molecules not directly binding to each other but rather to water molecules that form a network linking specific groups present in the amino acid.  

Properties and functions of Pro-Hyp (PO) * Hyp-Gly (OG) 

Efficient absorption ( Sugihara et al., Ref.3; Shigemura et al., Ref 12) 
Enhanced cell migration ( Shigemura et al., Ref 12) 
Increased hyaluronic acid production ( Ohara et al, Ref.13) 
Improved collagen synthesis. 

Collagen peptides are carried via the bloodstream to fibrocytes in the dermis , and they send out commands to "make tissues maintain resilience." In response , resilient fibers such as collagen and elastin are created in great numbers in the dermis ; this is believed to help make skin more elastic . It has also been found that commands sent by P-O may promote synthesis of hyaluronic acid. Newly synthesized hyaluronic acid is what gives your skin that "springy" feel. 

Meanwhile , other studies have shown that "hidden blemishes" arising from ultraviolet ray damage can be mitigated through intake of collagen peptides. This also indicates that collagen peptide works on the skin at a cellular level, and helps to repair skin damage. 

Collagen's unique amino acid profile: 

Arginine and Carnitine amino acids forms creatine , which support natural skin functions . 

Glycine , Proline and Hydroxyproline are the building blocks for collagen . Proline keeps skin moist. 

Glutamine reulates the acid-base balance and firms the skin . 

Combinations of BCAA and Glutamine or Proline repairs collagen degradation. 

Lysine is an essential amino acid which helps your body produce collagen a substance necessary for energy production . 

Threonine helps in the formation of Collagen and Elastic. 

How Collagen works on your hair and nails ? 

According to a recent study , taking 5g of collagen peptides a day for 8 weeks helps the hair become thicker . We frequently hear people talking about how their " hair has become bouncy". This would be because their hair has become thicker. 

A questionnaire survey on hair conditions conducted with participants in this study found that many of them had felt improvements in all measurable aspects, including "manageability," "glow", "smoothness", "moisture", and "ease of finger combing."

Effects on Nails.

It was reported as far back as the 1950s that intake of gelatin , consisting of collagen peptides , helped improve brittle nails , while other studies conducted in Japan reported that intake of collagen peptide improved nail condition. 

Mechanism 

While the specific mechanisms pertaining to hair and nails have still to be clarified , it is thought that collagen peptides work on cells of the hair matrix and those of the nail matrix , which are the respective sources of hair and nail production , thereby promoting the metabolism. 

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