Collagen is principal protein of the skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bone, and connective tissue. collagen tissues may be rigid for example bone, or compliant for example, tendon. or have a gradient from rigid to compliant.
About one-quarter of all of the protein in our body is collagen. Collagen provides structure to our bodies, protecting and supporting the softer tissues and connecting them with the skeleton.
Collagen is the most important protein produced by the human body, it is mainly formed by the amino acid glycine, proline and hydroxyproline (primary structure) in a triplex helix, which is formed by three α chains.
Collagen is one of the strongest structural system known. For example:
Collagen type I fibrils, are especially able to be stretched, gram-for-gram, being stronger than steel.
Type I collagen is presented in bones and tendons.
There are close to 30 different types of collagen.
The most abundant type of collagen present in the human body is that of Type I (over 90% of the collagen in the body being type I) with significant amounts of Type II,III and IV also accounted for.
Collagen I- found in bones, tendons, skin and other organs.
Collagen II- found mainly in cartilage
Collagen III- found mainly in reticular fibres, fine fibrous connective tissue.
Collagen IV- found in the basement membrane of cell membranes.
Collagen V- found in hair, nails
Collagen is essential for skin structure and elasticity, but its production declines exposure to oxidative stressors, smoking and UV light. production also declines with age, as is of a poorer quality. This impacts the appearance of skin and the maintenance of joint health.
In recent years, collagen supplements have been increasingly used, as they are advertised as a potential remedy against the aging process. It has been found that marine fish collagen has homology with human collagen and therefore it has been widely utilized as nutritional addendum along with collagen peptides they have a very good safety profile, biocompatibility, high bioavailability in the human gastrointestinal barrier, safety, and high bioactivity.
Slowing the aging process by use of collagen supplements has become a driving force in the field of dermatology and cosmetics. Generally, oral and topical collagen are used in anti-aging products, as reported in the literature.
Cosmetic lotions that claim to increase collagen levels are unlikely to do so, as collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the skin.
Both oral and topical collagen can have some effectiveness to reduce or delaying skin aging.
But according to studies oral form of collagen is more effective then topical applications.
Collagen is the most abundant component of the extracellular matrix protein that determines skin physiology. The extracellular matrix retains water and supports a smooth, firm, and strong skin.
Collagen is essential to maintain the skin structure.
studies have shown that age-dependent reduction in collagen synthesis can be reversed by oral administration of specific bioactive collagen peptides.
Topically applied skin care products such as creams, lotions, and sera often fail to reach the deeper layers of the skin in order to causally and lastingly influence the skin aging processes. The aim to reach the dermis, the most important skin layer for the restoration of collagen synthesis, has been achieved by developing highly bioavailable and thus bioactive short chain nutritional collagen peptides.
According to studies, aimed to assess oral capsule collagen supplementation safety and effectiveness against aging skin.
in a randomized controlled trial that the intake of 10 g of collagen hydrolysate over at least 56 days leads to an increase in skin moisture and collagen density compared to placebo. Collagen dipeptides that were taken over 56 days in a study also resulted in significantly more improvement in skin moisture, elasticity, wrinkles, and roughness for the subjects that received 10 mg per day in comparison to study participants who received 0.5 mg per day or placebo.
Collagen was safe and well tolerated no side effects reported.
Intaking collagen can have some mild side effects like diarrhea, but generally it is considered safe.
By Laboratoires Servier – Smart Servier website: Images related to Collagen, Skeleton and bones and Bones — Download in Powerpoint format.Flickr: Images related to Collagen, Skeleton and bones and Bones (in French)., CC BY-SA 3.0,
By Laboratoires Servier – Smart Servier website: Images related to Skeleton, Skeleton and bones and Bones — Download in Powerpoint format.Flickr: Images related to Skeleton, Skeleton and bones and Bones (in French)., CC BY-SA 3.0,
By Wiki-minor – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
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