Let’s face it, most of us want healthier, stronger hair, skin and nails. Nowadays, many of us are realising that we need to focus on what we put in our body just as much as what we put on it. The fact is this, collagen is the most abundant protein in our body. It is what keeps our hair healthy, our skin firm, and our nails strong.
We have an abundance of collagen when we are young, but as we age, this slowly diminishes. It is for this reason that collagen supplements are on the rise. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for collagen powders, creams and solutions, in the hope that we can bypass ageing and retain our youthful glows.
As collagen is already in the body, using and consuming it is beneficial. We are not relying on any artificial or synthetic nasties, we are simply adding something that our own bodies already contain. For this reason, hardcore nutri-cosmetic fans swear by the stuff.
Collagen supplements don’t just help in the beauty department. They also help with wound healing, joint aches, digestion, and recovery. Several PubMed studies have confirmed the effectiveness of collagen in slowing down the ageing process. Ageing is multi-factorial, and these clinical studies have shown that oral collagen supplementation not only helps with skin ageing, but also other issues related to age too. Bonus!
Where do we get collagen from?
Collagen is found all over our body. It is a protein that helps speed up cell turnover and it keeps our skin firm. It is found in just about every part of our body: from skin, blood vessels, tendons, bone, muscles and more. Because collagen is found in the skin, and decreases as we age, signs of ageing occur. These signs include dehydrated, wrinkly and sagging skin.
There are many things we can do to protect our collagen levels. These include lifestyle choices such as avoiding binge drinking, smoking, and the sun. The sun is a primary cause of collagen depletion so wearing high factor SPF is a must.
Diet is also responsible. We need to ensure that we eat a wide range of nutritious foods that help our bodies synthesise collagen to slow down the ageing process. Foods such as meat, fish, shell fish, eggs, gelatine, cheese and nuts are essential for building collagen. These are protein-rich foods and are the building blocks of the tissues within our bodies.
Why should we consume collagen?
Many products contain collagen. Much of these require topical application of collagen solution. The issue with this is that collagen solutions may not readily penetrate the skin, meaning they’re little more than good hydrators. Since they’re costly, you’d want to benefit from them more than them just being a good moisturiser.
That said, topical solutions that contain a stable form of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) can penetrate the skin. Vitamin C is needed to synthesise collagen production, so upping your intake is certainly recommended.
As vitamin C rich foods are often delicious- as well as juicy- they’re perfect to keep you refreshed in summer. Add a range of colourful fruits and veg to your diet, aiming for the rainbow, to see marked results in your skin.
Collagen powders also offer a route to upping the amount of collagen we get in our diet. While it is important to up our vitamin C-rich foods that support collagen synthesis, directly consuming collagen in the form of an odourless and tasteless powder is a quick and easy way to ensuring you get the real deal.
Our Beauty Bod Collagen is just that. It is naturally formulated using Bioactive Collagen Peptides that are high in Type I and Type III Collagen, and has been broken down into peptides so that it is easily absorbed by the body. We use bovine collagen, which is sourced naturally from grass-fed cows AND marine collagen, sourced from sustainably caught wild fish.
Our collagen is also tasteless and doesn’t smell. You can simply mix one scoop of the powder into a soup, salad or smoothie, and you’ve got your daily amount. Alternatively, drinking it with water, milk or juice is another quick and easy way to get your collagen levels up.
Because our collagen is sourced naturally and is free from any artificial ingredients, you’re getting collagen in its pure form. This is important because high quality collagen is needed to make a difference. High quality collagen is readily absorbed by the body and will make the best difference to your health.
To know the difference between high and low quality collagen powders, simply check whether a powder is tasteless and water soluble. Our Beauty Bod Collagen powder is both of these. It can be added to any food or drink and it dissolves easily in water. For that reason, you should see a marked difference in your skin, hair and nails within four weeks.
How does collagen strengthen our hair and brighten our skin?
Protein is the building block of our body. Collagen is in all of our anatomical tissue. Collagen is what gives hair and nails strength and keeps our skin subtle and firm. When our collagen decreases with age, we begin to notice wrinkling, sagging and hair loss.
While some people opt for treatments to stimulate collagen production, such as radio frequency and laser, multiple treatments are often needed and can be costly. For this reason, using collagen powders can be extremely helpful. In terms of hair and skin, the amino acids in collagen are used by the body to build hair protein that strengthens our hair. The collagen can also help strengthen the skin on our scalp so that follicles are protected too. This means that new hair can grow in healthier and stronger.
By drinking collagen powder, you will notice your skin becomes more hydrated, looking plumper and firmer all round. The anti-aging mechanism of collagen occurs because collagen aids in skin repair and has the added benefit of encouraging our bodies to create more collagen.
For better hair, skin, and nail health, consider trying our Beauty Bod Collagen.
For more information on Beauty Bod Collagen, Click here.
Author: Sarah Tottle, for CanGro