What Is Collagen Used For?

Collagen is one of the most important proteins in the body. As we age, we lose our ability to produce it naturally and we may then need to introduce supplements.

Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body. It makes up many of our fabrics. In this article, we are going to reveal some interesting data about this substance and tell you about its importance.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a fundamental component of the human organism. It is a protein and it makes up about a quarter of all protein in the body. This is why it is  the most important protein in the body.

It is present in many tissues such as skin, cartilage, bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles. In addition, it forms very strong and flexible fibers,  the function of which is to provide elasticity to the fabrics, as well as support and resistance.

Since this is a very important substance that is present in a lot of tissues,  maintaining a minimal and stable level of this protein is very important. Without a sufficient amount of this substance, all the tissues it makes up could not perform their function properly.

Where do we get collagen from?

We can find this protein  in many foods, especially of animal origin,  and mainly meats. There are other foods that contain substances that help promote collagen synthesis in the human body. Here are a few :

• Omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids  : they are mainly found in dried fruits and in fish such as salmon. Fatty acids are involved in hormonal regulation which allows the body to produce collagen.
• Vitamin A: it  is found in plants such as carrots or melons. A minimum amount of vitamin A is necessary for collagen to be able to be produced without problems.
• Vitamin C:  it is present in citrus fruits, strawberries and other plants. It destroys the compounds that eliminate this protein.

What happens with age?

From around the age of 30,  the body begins to lose its ability to produce collagen. It continues to produce it, but less and less.

As a result,  all the tissues of which collagen is a part begins to lose functionality. The skin loses its elasticity and wrinkles appear. Hair and nails become more fragile. We can also see pain in the joints when moving and muscle pain.

Collagen supplements

As we have already commented, maintaining a minimum amount of this protein in the body is necessary for the proper functioning of the latter. However, sometimes this is not possible in a natural way.

With its loss of production by the body and in some other situations such as high performance sport, the amount of collagen is not sufficient. To remedy this, there are supplements in the form of dietary supplements.

This is the case with hydrolyzed collagen. Anyone can add the hydrolyzed variant to their diet. It is nevertheless recommended to speak with a specialist because, in many cases, it will not even be necessary to take it.

to summarize

Collagen  is an essential substance for the normal functioning of many parts of the body. With age, its production decreases and we will need to have a good diet accompanied by collagen supplements, if necessary.

A medical consultation will always be advised to know whether or not  to incorporate the hydrolyzed form of the protein. We do not all age the same, and therefore supplements may not always be required.