What is collagen for? It is the most frequent question asked to Google. It is the key protein of the skin and if we consider its dry weight, the skin is made up of 95% collagen. Like a load-bearing wall, it guarantees its architecture, density and elasticity. And if you compare your skin to a mattress, collagen fibers are the springs. The quantity is at its highest levels between the ages of 25 and 34, then gradually decreases. As we age, fibroblasts produce poor-quality fibers. We lose 2% of collagen per year after menopause, but other external factors, such as UV rays, pollution, stress, smoking affect the quantity and quality of fibers which decrease and cause wrinkles, sagging and dehydration.
The enemies of collagen
Collagen depletion is inevitable but, like any form of skin aging, several factors accelerate the process. Among the most important aggravating factors, smoking is one of the largest, because it irritates the enzymes that destroy both collagen and elastin. Excessive exposure to the sun also causes the same effect, as well as causing damage to the DNA of cells and altering the skin's ability to protect itself. Pollution contains harmful free radicals that can damage the strength and integrity of the skin, in turn degrading collagen levels. Alcohol is a so-called anti-nutrient, because it promotes the depletion of essential vitamins and minerals in the body, while at the same time promoting oxidative stress in cells which can cause cell damage. Excess sugar can actually crystallize in the skin (the process known as glycation) and damage collagen. Over long periods of time, this can accelerate visible aging.
Collagen is the most abundant molecule in connective tissue. If the skin lacks it, its surface becomes irregular, reflects light less and loses luminosity. What is collagen for? To avoid this transformation of the skin.
«Collagen fibers have a pearly color - explains the cosmetologist Lionel de Benetti in one of his studies - Under the effect of glycation (generated by excess sugar) they take on a brownish color and bind to each other. And this can have visible consequences on the surface of the skin. Glycated collagen causes the production of lipofuscin, a brown pigment, which creates beige-colored patches on the surface of the skin. This has nothing to do with sun exposure. This indicates that the oxidized cellular debris has not been evacuated."
The treatments
There are topical treatments based on collagen. Derivatives of bovine origin are prohibited in cosmetics, so fish skin and scales from fishing waste are used. But this molecule is too large to penetrate the skin. It therefore only has a superficial, hydrating and smoothing action.
«Hence the laboratories' idea of fractioning the collagen, of cutting it into small pieces - explains Lionel de Benetti - The fractions are reduced until their size is small enough to reach the stratum corneum».
Vectors and precursors
Cosmetic brands have added carriers to allow these collagen fractions to penetrate the core of the skin. This vectorized microcollagen sends an alert message to the skin to start producing collagen again. Another option are pro-collagen active ingredients, which stimulate its production, such as vitamin C and some algae. Vitamin C in topical skin care increases collagen production and helps inhibit the enzyme responsible for breaking it down. It is essential to check the label so that the concentration is between 5 and 15%.
Collagen precursors are amino acids that allow the body to synthesize it. When they come from plants (soya, cereals, algae) they are called plant collagen.
«But we should rather talk about active ingredients similar to collagen - underlines Lionel de Benetti - These peptides act on the construction of skin fibers and allow the creation of others. By stimulating its production, the entire system restarts."
Marine and plant collagen
Products that contain the actives known as marine collagen (from fish bones) or plant collagen (obtained from yeast) are actually formulas with peptides or amino acids.
You can also opt for amino acid injections in the areas of the face to be treated and thus directly provide the fibroblasts with what they need to synthesize new collagen.
Aesthetic medicine
In aesthetic medicine, collagen induction therapy includes treatments such as microneedling, radiofrequency, ultrasound skin tightening and laser, all processes that stimulate collagen production. Injectable products also play a role, with some types of fillers, specifically designed to stimulate collagen production. These also encourage the body's natural resources to produce more.
Supplements with marine and bovine collagen
The other current approach is to take collagen as food to replenish its reserves. In fact, collagen is everywhere in the body (from 25 to 30% of the proteins in the human body): in the skin but also in the bones, cartilage, tendons, muscles. It is an animal product and is found in meat but especially in skin and cartilage. Alternatively there are food supplements, which can be combined to improve the collagen network. The collagen they contain comes from the skin of cattle from the food industry or from the scales and bones of fish. Their molecular weight must be as low as possible to optimize assimilation.
There has been much discussion about the effectiveness of ingestible collagen supplements. For some researchers, these products do not make it through the intestine in quantities high enough to make a difference. But with the global collagen market expected to reach $6.63 billion by 2025, formulas are making progress. Some collagen compounds can be destroyed during digestive processes, but the possibilities of absorption depend on their size. Today you can use products that have been hydrolyzed (i.e. structurally modified using water) into low molecular weight peptides that pass through the intestinal wall and are more resistant to digestion. Research shows that they can help support the elasticity and hydration of the skin, but also help the health of bones, joints and intestines.
A recent study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology demonstrated the effectiveness of daily intake of low molecular weight hydrolyzed collagen on wrinkles and skin elasticity in women aged between 45 and 60. The supplement nourishes, repairs and builds new collagen on the intestinal membrane and can reduce redness, dryness, skin irritation but also acne and eczema. To be effective, however, it is necessary to consume at least 10 grams per day, for 4-8 weeks. In any case, it is under these conditions that the study was conducted. However, to ingest this amount of collagen, you would need to eat 140g of bone marrow or 1 liter of bone broth per day. The novelty of the moment, in fact, is Bone Broth, the broth rich in collagen.
Today the supplement industry is making further strides with formulas that combine cocoa and collagen for their skin benefits. They use raw cocoa, particularly rich in theobromine, but also in regenerating B group vitamins and protective antioxidants, combined with collagen which acts on the firmness and density of the skin. But the latest news is organic collagen coffee in capsules. After the collagen chocolate cubes, Holidermie has selected a unique recipe of organic coffees from different origins (Colombia, Ethiopia, Brazil) enriched with premium Naticol marine collagen, coming from the skins of fish raised in aquaculture, which does not change the taste of the drink , because it is tasteless and odorless.
In & out strategy
A series of research has shown that hydrolysed collagen, if ingested, is absorbed in the small intestine, transported to all organs and then partly remains in the skin tissues, cartilage and muscles. The main objective of the researchers is to develop a product capable of administering a strong dose of collagen, active ingredients, vitamins, minerals with a very high degree of absorption. The choice for the most advanced products is that of the liquid format which allows the best absorption of the active ingredients because the hydrolyzed ingredients are easier to break down, unlike tablets and powders which must be broken down by stomach acids in order to pass into the bloodstream . Liquid supplements are the most complete, balanced and effective delivery systems for collagen peptides. The best results are obtained with the in & out strategy, i.e. by taking hydrolysed collagen in a liquid formula at the same time as collagen-based skincare.
