Tamsin Morgan irons out the wrinkles when it comes to the confusion between two popular types of collagen.
The human body has at least 28 types of collagen that are crucial in providing mechanical stability, elasticity, and strength to tissues and organs. The number type of collagen is what’s most often referred to.
Type 1 collagen is especially good for improving the appearance of skin, hair and nails and is mostly found in marine (fish) collagen.
Bovine collagen (sourced from cows) has amino acids and collagen type 2, which is great for athletes looking to repair muscles and joints. Bovine collagen also has glycine which helps with strength. If you want to take collagen purely for skin, nails and hair, then marine is the best.
Since collagen is a protein, keeping a diet high in protein also helps. When we consume protein through food, our body breaks it down into amino acids, which can be reused to make the proteins a body needs. Our body will prioritise organs like the heart, brain, or lungs so we need to fuel our body with at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
While there is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove that taking collagen supplements will help prevent wrinkles, there is also no harm in taking them. Especially if they are from a reputed brand. And for those who insist that they see a difference, then that’s great and they should do what makes them feel happy and good about themselves.
There are two products we can use, that have got strong data to prove their efficiency, to help improve our skin: sunscreen and retinoids. Keeping out of the sun is so important, not just for skin cancer prevention but also because one of the biggest contributors to collagen loss is UV radiation.
There is a lot of research to prove that Vitamin A creams are effective. It’s just about finding the right formulation and strength for your skin and that is often prescribed by a specialist rather than over the counter.
Check out the latest issue of good magazine – on sale at all good supermarkets and bookstores – for a more in-depth article about collagen supplements and the latest in natural beauty news.
