Collagen
If muscle is the foundation of healthy ageing, collagen is the infrastructure. It makes up 80% of our skin, and keeps it firm and supple. Collagen also gives our blood vessels elasticity and strength, and is the main structural component of connective tissue. So keeping and retaining collagen isn’t just about vanity and having firm supple skin, it’s also important for cardiovascular and overall health as well.
When we are young, skin is made up of 80 per cent collagen. After the age of 25, just like muscle, we also lose collagen at the rate of about one per cent every year. The loss of both results in the twin curses of wrinkles and jowls on the face, and saggy skin on the body.
Collagen is the basic building block of the skin, forming mesh-like bonds to hold it firm. It is found in the middle layer of the skin, below the epidermis and above the subcutaneous fat. Elastin is a structural protein, like collagen, however where collagen provides rigidity and structure, elastin enables skin to stretch and snap back.
Collagen is manufactured by cells called fibroblasts, and over time, these cells slow down their production, but there is something we can do to help the body produce more and retain what it has:
Avoid sugar – When you consume sugar, once it arrives in the blood stream and is transported around the body, it can attach to proteins – such as collagen, and causes stiffening and degeneration of collagen. This process is known as glycation, and consuming sugary foods and drinks will speed up the ageing of your skin and body.
Protect skin from sun damage – Ultraviolet radiation from the sun (UVR) destroys collagen and elastin. Destroyed fibres lose firmness and elasticity and can become lined and saggy. Sun damage also causes uneven skin tone, freckles, age spots, and at worse, skin cancer, so it’s smart to protect skin externally with sun block, and internally with antioxidant nutrients like lycopene and vitamin C.
Eat your protein – Protein foods are composed of amino acids, and certain amino acids are the building-blocks of collagen. So it’s important to eat protein foods such as eggs, fish, chicken, meat, and plant proteins such as lentils, chickpeas, beans and nuts. Hyaluronic acid can help boost collagen production, and is found in protein foods in small amounts, but my collagen broth is the best source of hyaluronic acid and other building blocks of collagen (recipe to follow).
Don’t smoke – Smoking exposes the body to chemicals that destroy collagen fibres, and also deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients, especially vitamin C, which is essential for collagen production.
Use Aloe Vera – Studies have shown that dietary, and topically applied Aloe Vera can increase collagen production and reduce wrinkles. It has cell-growth stimulating properties that can help boost collagen production in the skin and other tissues.
References
Amar Surjushe, Resham Vasani, and D G Saple, Aloe Vera: a short review, Indian Journal of Dermatology. v.53(4); 2008
Soyun Cho et al, Dietary Aloe Vera Supplementation Improves Facial Wrinkles and Elasticity and It Increases the Type I Procollagen Gene Expression in Human Skin in vivo; Ann Dermatol. 2009 Feb; 21(1): 6–11.